With apologies to Sir Winston “The British Bulldog” Churchill, we have seen them on the beaches, we have seen them on the landing grounds, we have seen them in the fields and in the streets, we have seen them in The Hills.
I refer to nicknames.
Bestowed by family, school friends, coworkers, or enemies; sometimes they stick. Some are obvious. “Flash” for anyone quick. “Tiny” for tall people. “Bluey” for gingers in Australia. As Kara “Starbuck” Thrace might put it, there are many copies.
On the other hand, some nicknames are unique: the giant footballers of ages gone past nicknamed “The Flying Doormat” and “The Galloping Gasometer” are probably not going to find their nicknames taken up in the modern era, shame though that is. And the way the economy is going over there, there will be no rival to “The Golden Greek” Aristotle Onassis any time soon.
My nomination for best nickname ever belongs to English cricket’s main spin bowler of last decade, Ashley Giles, who acquired his nickname relatively late in his career when his county team held a testimonial dinner in his honor. His teammates ordered a crate of mugs for the dinner with the slogan “Ashley Giles- King of Spin” embossed on them.
Unfortunately for Giles, the mugs arrived embossed with “Ashley Giles- King of Spain”.
And ever since then, at every cricket ground in the world, Ashley Giles has been known at every cricket ground in the world as the King of Spain and his successes and failures alike met with cries of Viva Espana!
Today’s QOTD: What’s your nomination for the best nickname ever?
(image: Simon Mendez, Best of British)
