3. Jimmy Bannon – Foxy Grandpa
Of all the nicknames on this list, Jimmy Bannon may have one of the most confusing, and strangest, nicknames in MLB history.
A solid hitter in the first three years of his career, Bannon was a decent power hitter who hit 13 home runs with 114 RBI and 47 stolen bases in 1894. The following year, Bannon produced a .347/.417/.475 batting line, finishing seventh with 35 doubles. However, after slumping the following year, Bannon was released in August to never reappear in the majors.
While he had been an excellent hitter, Bannon may be best remembered for his peculiar nickname. Known as Foxy Grandpa, Bannon was only in his early 20’s during his career, making it highly unlikely that he was a grandfather. Perhaps it had to do with his lighter hair color, making him appear to be older than he was. But where did this nickname come from?
Whatever the origins of his nickname, Jimmy Bannon had one of the more entertaining sobriquets in baseball. Of course, these days, Bannon’s nickname could have some different connotations, but it is truly one of the most uniques nicknames in baseball.
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