Thursday Thought: Ever notice how many legends have a one-of-a-kind surname?

[cjedmonton]

Was just poking around on Baseball Reference when I realized how many all-time greats have a surname not shared with any other major leaguer…ever.

Too many to chalk up to coincidence. Is having a unique last name the secret sauce?

Ruth
Gehrig
Speaker
Hornsby
Foxx
Musial
Spahn
Koufax
Marichal
Seaver
on and on…

Just an interesting observation.

[tedzan]

The one and only......


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TED Z

T206 Reference
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[megalimey]

Robinson comes to mind !!!
4 HOF including Jackie, Frank, Brooks

[cjedmonton]

Originally Posted by tedzan

The one and only......


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Mantle, of course. He is far too worthy to be lumped in the “on and on…” category.


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

Originally Posted by megalimey

Robinson comes to mind !!!
4 HOF including Jackie, Frank, Brooks

Plenty of obscure Robinsons, I’m afraid.

Shane, Don, Drew, Clint…

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Ruth isn't all that uncommon I know two unrelated people (to Babe or each other) with that last name. Seaver, if you allow for spelling variations, is pretty mundane as well. Marichal isn't unusual in Latin countries.

Also

Williams,
Bonds,
Robinson,
Young,
Johnson,
Wagner, etc.

are far from unique.

[prewarsports]

As a kid I always thought it was so weird that the FIRST name in my big and heavy Baseball Encyclopedia was Hank Aaron. The number one home run hitter and the number one person of all 19,000+ people to play the game alphabetically, it i was like it was supposed to happen (in my 12 year old mind).

[rajah424]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Ruth isn't all that uncommon I know two unrelated people (to Babe or each other) with that last name. Seaver, if you allow for spelling variations, is pretty mundane as well. Marichal isn't unusual in Latin countries.

Also

Williams,
Bonds,
Robinson,
Young,
Johnson,
Wagner, etc.

are far from unique.

Do any of the Ruth’s you know play in the majors?

[Seven]

Originally Posted by tedzan

The one and only......


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TED Z

T206 Reference
.

Ted,

An odd coincidence that you posted that Mantle with such a deep blue color. I was browsing through older threads on rare Mantle's, happened to stumble upon this one from 2008 where you mention a "1969 Mantle with this deep blue background color" I can only assume this is the card you were talking about! I linked the threat below

https://www.net54baseball.com/showth...ghlight=mantle

As to the names, some of the greats names are so unique, I'm almost glad that's the case. And in terms of baseball names, in my opinion, you can't do much better than Mickey Mantle.

- James

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by Seven

Ted,

An odd coincidence that you posted that Mantle with such a deep blue color. I was browsing through older threads on rare Mantle's, happened to stumble upon this one from 2008 where you mention a "1969 Mantle with this deep blue background color" I can only assume this is the card you were talking about! I linked the threat below

https://www.net54baseball.com/showth...ghlight=mantle

As to the names, some of the greats names are so unique, I'm almost glad that's the case. And in terms of baseball names, in my opinion, you can't do much better than Mickey Mantle.

- James

Hi James

I have been searching since 1984 for another "blue" 1969 Mantle to no avail.

If anyone on this forum has such a card (or has seen one), please chime in.

Thanks,


TED Z

T206 Reference
.