Tiger, pigeon, pup? Cricketers with animal nicknames
Columnist By Kersi Meher-Homji, 2 Oct 2009 Kersi Meher-Homji is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- Cricket, Glenn McGrath, Michael Clarke
From nineteenth century to recent times, cricketers have prided themselves on having nicknames, from odd, to contrasting, to bang on target. And what a range: Tiger O’Reilly, Slasher Mackay, Chappelli, Henry Lawson, Dizzy Gillespie, Pigeon McGrath and Pup Clarke.
With Australia touring India for seven one-day internationals (ODIs) in October amd November, this subject becomes relevant again.
Remember the cruel monkey chants Andrew Symonds received from spectators when playing ODIs in India in 2007?
This flared up sensationally during the rancorous Sydney Test of January 2008 when India’s off-spinner Harbhajan Singh allegedly called Symonds a monkey. Hell was let loose as there were allegations of racial abuse.
“Bollyline” became more acrimonious than bodyline of 1932-33.
I found this astonishing as England’s Albert N. Hornsby was nicknamed Monkey and was not offended. Far from it!
Hornby had played three Tests for England from 1879 to 1884, opening the batting with WG Grace in his final Test. He captained England in the 1882 Oval Test when the legend of Ashes was born.
He also represented England in nine Rugby Tests. And he was proud of his nickname.
Sadly, everything is given racial connotations these days.
There were three Tigers: the great Bill O’Reilly, Ernest Smith (11 Tests for England in 1910s) and Mansur Pataudi (India’s captain in 1960s and ’70s).
Now, for some seafood platter.
Digby Jephson of Cambridge University and Surrey was called Lobster, and Sir Henry D.G. Leveson Gower (three Tests for England in 1909) had the unflattering nickname of Shrimp.
Tall and slim Australian all-rounder Hunter Hendry (11 Tests between World Wars) was known as Stork.
Then there were the two Australian Test cricketers in the 1970s, Alan Froggy Thomson and Bruce Mule Francis.
Joel Big Bird Garner, the tall West Indian fast bowler, was nicknamed after a character in the children’s TV serial Sesame Street, and Clive Big Cat Lloyd for his size and agility on the field.
England’s pace bowler Geoff Arnold had the pet name of Horse because of his initials ‘GG,’ which is Cockney for horse.
Australian spinner Bruce Yardley was Roo for his bouncing kangaroo-like approach to the wicket. And the eccentric English spinner, Phil Tufnell, went by the pet name of Cat.
Simon Katich is nicknamed Kat but that is the short form of his surname.
Pigeon McGrath flew away from Test scene in 2007, but Pup Clarke is still with us, scoring elegant runs and capturing wickets when least expected.
NSW medium-pacer Aaron Bird (who will tour India for the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 with NSW Blues this month) was nicknamed Flu, from Bird Flu! But he was not allowed to retain the nickname as many thought it to be offensive for those affected with the disease.
Aren’t we getting a bit over-sensitive these days?
What was fun in the past is considered insulting now.
Recommend this story.
- Explore:
- Cricket, Glenn McGrath, Michael Clarke
October 2nd 2009 @ 3:07pm
Kersi Meher-Homji said | October 2nd 2009 @ 3:07pm | Report comment
Not sure, Vinay.
Harbhajan Singh is called Bhajji for short. Onion Bhaji is a popular snack in Mumbai.
When England’s quickie Graham Onions bowls to Harbhajan, it should make a delicious dish. Hope it’s not a Swann song for either!
February 4th 2011 @ 9:22am
eric said | February 4th 2011 @ 9:22am | Report comment
Kersi, don’t worry about nicknames, I am intrigued by your actual name. What is the origin of that and how is it pronounced, if you don’t mind me asking.
February 4th 2011 @ 9:28am
eric said | February 4th 2011 @ 9:28am | Report comment
Re Graham Beard, he gets quite a few quotes in the Kim Hughes biography by Christian Ryan (Golden Boy, the bad old days of australian cricket). Good read, makes you cringe at the bumbling administrators and at Hughes himself. It would be a good read for the current administration! Virtually only Border comes through with reputation intact or enhanced.
February 4th 2011 @ 10:42am
Kersi Meher-Homji said | February 4th 2011 @ 10:42am | Report comment
Eric, I’m surprised and flattered that someone read my story 16 months after it was posted.
Now to my name: I am originally from India. But my ancestry is from Persia, being a Parsee Zoroastrian (an ancient religion and still practised by few faithful ones.) A minority community and Anglophils, the Parsees were the first in India to learn cricket from the British. In 1886, they took the first team to England and played against WG Grace and other notables. They lost all matches. Hindus and Muslims learnt cricket later on.
How do I pronounce my name? It is phonetic: Kersi as Kersee. Meher as Meher and Homji as Homjee.
Much easier than play Murali’s doosra or to pronounce his full name!
February 4th 2011 @ 11:09am
eric said | February 4th 2011 @ 11:09am | Report comment
Gee Kersi, I didn’t realise the post was so old…I clicked a link on the side of the Roar page. If your ancestors played against WG Grace you would know that sledging has been around for a while!
February 4th 2011 @ 1:45pm
Kersi Meher-Homji said | February 4th 2011 @ 1:45pm | Report comment
eric, My one claim to fame is that my uncle, KR Meherhomji, played one Test for India, v. England, Manchester, 1936.
There are only around 60,000 Parsees in the world, about 40,000 in India. With India’s population around one billion, this works out at 0.004%. Yet in the 1962 Test series against the West Indies, four Parsees were in the XI , which works out at 36%. The four Parsees in the XI were Nari Contractor (capt who almost died on the field facing ‘chucker’ Charlie Griffith), Polly Umrigar (former Test captain), Farokh Engineer (wicket-keeper) and all-rounder Rusi Surti (now settled in Queensland). They played against Worrell, Sobers, Kanhai, Hall and Gibbs
I’m sure the 1886 all-Parsees team learnt a bit of sledging from WG Grace!!
February 22nd 2011 @ 10:49am
Cicero said | February 22nd 2011 @ 10:49am | Report comment
I have a theory that Michael Clarke’s nickname ‘Pup’ is one of the reasons the fans aren’t entirely convinced. Who wants an Australian captain who is known as Pup? It’s a stupid nickname. Any self respecting Clarke is a nobby.
May 20th 2011 @ 5:52pm
BIll Hendricks said | May 20th 2011 @ 5:52pm | Report comment
There were in fact four “Tigers”. Herbert Lance, Better known as “Tiger” played 13 tests for South Africa between 1962 and 1970.