Name Categories:
Italics categories have been taken...only one category per owner
1. Biblical Names – You are commanded to find 25 last names that are biblical in nature. Babe Ruth and Von Joshua are a good Genesis.
2. Animal Names – Old McDonald’s Farm would be a good name for a team full of guys like Doggie Miller and Catfish Hunter.
3. On the Map – People name all sorts of places including states, countries and rivers. Orlando (FL) Hudson (River) counts twice (sorry no clones) and don’t be afraid to use Woody English (Channel) or other locations.
4. First Name Last Names – I always mix these guys up when searching, because guys like Ethan Allen and Tommy John and all others on your team will have 2 first names.
5. I’ll take a vowel First Name edition – These guys have some strange names because they both start and end with a vowel. Note, Y is not a vowel in this instance, so Ozzie Smith and Armando Benitez work but Andy Van Slyke would not.
6. I’ll take a vowel Last Name edition - These guys have some strange names because they both start and end with a vowel. Note, Y is not a vowel in this instance, so Bronson Arroyo and Jim O’Rourke count, but Dennis Eckersley would not
7. The First shall be Last – There’s a beginning and an end to everything…in this case, your players names. Each player your choose must have the first letter of their first name match the last letter of their last name such as is the case with players like Roger Connor or Eric Gagne.
8. 2 the letter – This category is brought to you by the number 2…as in the players first or last name must be exactly 2 letters long like Cy Young or Ty Cobb. (No initials don’t count, they have a category all their own).
9. A Team Named Sue – Well, maybe not quite as bad as the famous Johnny Cash song, but no one would be able to tell your team’s gender from the box score when you put together a roster of first names like Kelly Gruber and Pat Dobson.
10. The All “Man”ly Team – Your team will have a unique combination of all sorts on manly names when you choose last names with “man” at the end. Vince ColeMAN and Trevor HoffMAN are prime manly examples.
11. More than a mouthful – Your manager will have a nightmare with this lineup card as your team will have 25 names with 10 or more letters in their first or last names like Cy Falkenberg or Red Schoendienst.
12. Initial Here – Who knows what their first name may be, because they don’t use it. Honor J.T. Snow, C.J. Wilson and others with this category.
13. Get a job – First or last names often were taken from historical or modern professions, so guys like Farmer Weaver and Scott Baker will be proud to play baseball for your team (NOTE: Smith will not qualify for this category since it’s a shortened job name).
14. So Colorful: First Name edition – How many colors are in your team names? Enjoy your squad of colorful first names such as Red Ruffing and Whitey Kurowski. (Note: Due to lack of players, you can use 3 of each first name for this category).
15. So Colorful: Last Name edition - How many colors are in your team names? Enjoy your squad of colorful last names such as Lu Blue and Bud Black
16. Seniors and Juniors are the head of the class – All players on your team must have Sr. or Jr. in their last name such as Ken Griffey, Sr. or Tony Armas, Jr. (use www.baseballreference.com as a guide)
17. O’Brothers – The Irish will be smiling on you when you select your team of O’s such as Lefty O’Doul or Darren O’Day.
18. That’s not my REAL name – Many nicknames have stuck to the point that the nickname has become the player. Guys like Oil Can Boyd and Happy Felsch will transcend their real names on your team.
19. All about alliteration – Pick players with alliterative appellations and build baseball the proper poet’s way. Each of your players picked must have their first and last name start with the same letter such as Mickey Mantle or Ugueth Urbina. (NOTE: There are no II, QQ or XX players, so you can drop one of these letter combinations and choose 2 players total with an I/Q/X last name instead. You can only use each letter once in this category).
20. Sons of “sons” – Everyone in the league is a son of someone, but your team must have “Son” in each players last name such as John Clarkson or Riggs Stephenson (NOTE: Only 1 last name per player may be used for this category).
21. MC of your team – Which spokesman will you choose with Mc starting their last names? Will it be Mark McGwire or Jack McDowell leading your team? (NOTE: Only 1 last name per player may be used in this category)
22. Double your pleasure First Name edition – All players must have an instance of back to back letters in their first name such as Johnny Bench or Dennis Eckersley (NOTE: Only 1 first name per player may be used in this category).
23. Double your pleasure Last Name edition – All players must have an instance of back to back letters in their last name such as Hank Aaron or David Aardsma (NOTE: Only 1 last name per player may be used in this category).
24. Unique Names – There are certain individuals who are unique in life…and your team will celebrate the most unique names in baseball…as in they only have 1 instance of their first and last name in the WIS database such as Jacoby Ellsbury or Addie Joss.
3/11/2013 9:35 AM (edited)