by Andy Warycka
Play ball!
If you’re a fan of America’s pastime and want to show your love for the game along with love for your baby, look no further than this list of baseball inspired names. Whether you’re looking for old school or modern star, here are a couple names for every fan of the diamond.
The lead off
If you want a name that’s both unique and baseball oriented, look back in the past a bit. There, you will find such great names like Yogi Berra, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, or Ty Cobb. You could also consider color barrier breaker Jackie Robinson, the great humanitarian Roberto Clemente, Cardinals Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean, or Oakland A’s hurler Rollie Fingers.
If you’re feeling particularly sassy, there is always Goose Gossage (whose real name is Rich), or Catfish Hunter (real name James). Yes, there are a lot of Yankees showing up in this list. What do you expect when they’ve won 27 World Series titles?
For you Red Sox fans feeling left out, allow me to suggest Wade Boggs (yes, he ended up playing for New York, but you know), Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, or perhaps the greatest slugger of them all, Ted Williams.
Batting next
If you’d like to go with something a little more current, take a look at the Brewers’ Prince Fielder, the Braves’ Chipper Jones, or Cardinals’ slugger Albert Pujols — but resist the temptation to use his last name in there, unless you want your son to be endlessly teased.
Also, check out Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels, future Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, and two time (as of this writing) Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum.
Bring it home
Of course, you don’t just have to look at player names. In this day of corporate naming there are very few ballparks named after people, but a couple still stand out. For instance, there’s the Cubs’ Wrigley Field, also Baltimore’s Camden Yards, or maybe Boston’s Fenway Park.
Truly, one can let their imagination run wild with this, as baseball is a sport with a long and rich history and tradition. You’re sure to find something from baseball’s past or present to pass on your love of the sport to your little one.
