A great nickname can last forever. The Boston Red Sox have had several players throughout their storied history with nicknames that were as common as their actual names. “Yaz” was a popular one born out of necessity when fans struggled to spell Yastrzemski. Roger Clemens earned “The Rocket” name with his overpowering fastball. Ted Williams had a handful of nicknames, including “The Kid,” “Teddy Ballgame,” and the “Splendid Splinter.”
There’s no nickname more iconic than the one bestowed upon David Ortiz after joining the Red Sox organization – “Big Papi.