COSTELLO: “WHO’S ON 1ST?”
ABBOTT: “HU’S OUR BACKUP SHORTSTOP.”
COSTELLO: “I DIDN’T ASK YOU ‘WHO’S THE BACKUP SHORTSTOP?’, I…”
THE CLASSIC COMIC SURNAME ALL STARS, SO FAR. Feel free to recommend your own additions as a comment below.
The Roster
Pitchers –
Walter (Artie) JOHNSON (107-1927);
Clark (Andy) GRIFFITH (1891-1914); signed 11/21/14 by TPPE scout Rick B.
Jim (Bud) ABBOTT (1989-1999);
John (Lou) COSTELLO (1988-1991);
JOHN (BOB) HOPE (1993-1996);
Kid (Jackie) GLEASON (1888-1895).
Kenny (Will) ROGERS (1989-2008);
Tiny (Charlie) CHAPLIN (1928, 1930-21, 1936).
Catchers –
Elston (Moe, Curly & Shemp) HOWARD (1955-1968) signed 11/21/14 by TPPE scout Rick B.
Keith (Mantan)) MORELAND (1978-1989)Mantan Moreland played Birmingham Brown in the Sid Toler as Charlie Chan movies).
1st Base –
Eddie (Bill) MURRAY (1977-1997), signed 11/21/14 by TPPE scout Rick B.
Hal (Chevy) CHASE (1905-1919), signed 11/21/14 by TPPE scout Rick B.
2nd Base –
Billy (Steve or Dean) MARTIN (1950-1961) Minor baseball trivia quiz: Billy and Dean shared a particular fondness. What was it?
Henry (Henny) YOUNGMAN (1890) “Take my wife, … please!”
3rd Base –
Dick (Woody) ALLEN (1963-1977)
Josh (W.C.) FIELDS (2006-2010) “Every time I go out to play golf I always wear a suit with two pair of pants – just in case I get a hole in one.”
Shortstop –
Pop (Harold) LLOYD (1907-1932, Negro League BB), signed 11/21/14 by TPPE scout Bill Hickman.
Chin-lung (Abbott & Costello punchline) HU (2007-2011) “Hu you talkin’ to? You talkin’ to me? Well, I’m the only one here.”
Left Field –
Ted (Robin) WILLIAMS (1939-1960), signed 11/21/14 by TPPE scout Rick B.
Duffy (Jerry) LEWIS (1910-1921) (answering phone: “Duffy’s Tavern – where the elite meet to eat – Archie the manager speaking – Duffy ain’t here.”
Center Field –
GEORGE (GEORGE) BURNS (1911-1925) “Say Goodnight, Gracie!”
MYRON (GRACIE) ALLEN (1883-1888) “Goodnight, George!”
Right Field –
Dale (Eddie) MURPHY (1976-93), signed 11/21/14 by TPPE scout Rick B.
Matt (Jonathan) WINTERS (1989) “My God, you’re about as big as a mountain! – Looks like you might’ve played some football!”
Manager –
Carroll (Oliver) HARDY (1958-1967) (To Laurel: “Well, here’s another fine mess you’ve gotten me into!”
Bench Coach –
Edwin (Stan) LAUREL (1937-38, 1940, minor leagues) (sobbing his eyes out silently in a grimaced flood of tears.)
1st Base Coach –
JACOB (John) GOODMAN (1878, 1882) The guy had to lose weight to play Babe Ruth in the movie. Now that’s funny.
3rd Base Coach –
Rube (Peter) SELLERS (1910) “Being There” is the thing, No “Pink Pussycat” types need apply.
The Pecan Park Eagle 
November 21, 2014 at 3:54 pm |
Did Billy (Steve) Martin get fired to make room for your managerial choice? : )
November 21, 2014 at 3:55 pm |
I should have added that Billy Martin could serve as manager and that Steve Martin was another funny Martin, since you did have Billy at 2B for Dean.
November 21, 2014 at 4:58 pm |
Rick – I will keep “another fine mess” Oliver Hardy as manager, but go back to double attach Bill Martin to either Dean or Steve, as I did with Gracie or Fred Allen. Gotta have Dean in there with Jerry Lewis in place too. They may have broken up as a team, but they remain “Martin and Lewis” in my memories of them.
November 21, 2014 at 7:30 pm
How about Dale (Eddie) Murphy in the outfield? Talk about a contrast! Clean-living Dale and profane Eddie couldn’t be more different.
November 21, 2014 at 5:08 pm |
Have to go back to silent movies to find Harold Lloyd, but I’d do it to get the great Pop Lloyd as my shortstop.
November 21, 2014 at 10:51 pm |
Bill and Rick –
Harold Lloyd and Eddie Murphy both make our comic club better by bringing Pop Lloyd and Dale Murphy both on board. I will now go back and make each of them our starters – with credit to each of you as scouts who signed them up. I will also leave each of the replaced players there as backups at shortstop and right field. We may end up filling the 25 man roster out to full if we continue to uncover some better comic-based choices.
November 22, 2014 at 12:43 am
I don’t know how Ted (Robin) Williams didn’t make the cut in LF. Or how about Eddie (Bill) Murray at 1B with Hal (Chevy) Chase as his backup?
November 22, 2014 at 2:27 am |
Nice going, Rick! – You have elevated the quality of our Comic All Stars exponentially with the four men you signed and we suited up on the same day. If they have the gumption, the Astros will now be scouting you for their talent evaluation staff. In the meanwhile, see if you can find us a better catcher, Thanks.
November 22, 2014 at 4:27 am |
How about Elston (Moe or Curly) Howard?
November 22, 2014 at 4:34 am
Great idea! – But let’s give Shemp Howard credit too.
November 22, 2014 at 4:40 am
And one more: How about adding Clarke (Andy) Griffith to the pitching rotation? After all, we are in the era of five-man rotations.