Players with the shortest name(s)

[hcv123]

Okay all - here's one my kids came up with - who are the professional baseball player(s) with the shortest name - first defined by the number of letters in their first and last name, then by the middle name in the case of a tie. I don't have an answer - curious for the input of the board.

[packs]

Going to be hard to beat Ed Ott.

[brian1961]

Ed Ott's the guy that came to my mind too, when I first saw the thread title. Lo and behold, one of our bros thought the same thing. A guy from my time.

[bn2cardz]

Well if we are using middle names than I would suppose you are using the full name.

In the case of Ed Ott his full name is Nathan Edward Ott.

Due to lack of middle names I think the shortest full name would be either

Yu Darvish
So Taguchi

They each have 9 letters in their full names.

[Beatles Guy]

Kei Igawa

[nolemmings]

Well if we are using middle names than I would suppose you are using the full name.

In the case of Ed Ott his full name is Nathan Edward Ott.

Due to lack of middle names I think the shortest full name would be either

Yu Darvish
So Taguchi

They each have 9 letters in their full names.

C'mon, you're overthinking it. Besides, Yu Darvish is not his full name.

If middle names only come into play in the event of a tie, there are probably a few players with last name Fox who are near the top of the list, even using full first names; e.g. John and Chad.

[packs]

Ron Cey is another shorty.

[cool-vintage]

I did some research and found a player named Ed Hug who played 1 game for Brooklyn. (His birth name is Edward Hug)

[familytoad]

William VanLandingham (ex-SF giants hurler) might have had a short middle name...I didn't look it up.

Cal McLish might have the most interesting full name (google him)

Ed Ott immediately came to mind here for the OP topic.
Mel Ott could be shortest named Hall of Fame player.

A game some friends and I would play as kids was to find different categories for names:

Three first names= George Herman Ruth
Inuendo names= Fair Hooker, Dickie Post
Girlies names= Marion Motley, Hazen Shirley (Kiki ) Cuyler,
Well you get the point...

[jason.1969]

Mel Ott is not THE shortest name of a HOFer. Hint: It's actually a Ty.

[pclpads]

Eli Grba. Nope, didn't make this up. On '60T Yanks.

[jason.1969]

Pele would do well for soccer, and if last name only, Mr. Oh of Japan had HOF talent.

[PolarBear]

Originally Posted by jason.1969

Mel Ott is not THE shortest name of a HOFer. Hint: It's actually a Ty.

Melvin Ott?

Tyrus Cobb?

[hcv123]

Per the constraints of my original post - looks like Eli Grba with 7 letters is in the lead. Anyone else? Thanks to all who contributed - my kids and I have gotten a real education and kick out of this.

[jason.1969]

There is actually a "shorter" member of the pre-roid 300 HR club...hint is that his 1978 Topps card is with the Orioles.

[hcv123]

Anyone else?

[jason.1969]

Lee May beats out Grba by one.

[TAVG]

don aase is pretty short

Fu-Te Ni but he was japanese..

[Joshchisox08]

Originally Posted by jason.1969

Mel Ott is not THE shortest name of a HOFer. Hint: It's actually a Ty.

But his birth name isn't Ty. So who's the judge here? Does Ty Cobb get it over Mel Ott?

If I was named Melvin I'd want to be a Mel too!!

[packs]

Tyrus Cobb is a shorter name than Melvin Ott.

[RTK]

I love short named players when I'm keeping score at a game, especially relief pitchers in the late innings...when they come in for one batter /Otto

...curse upon guys like Isringhausen for one batter in the 11th

[RTK]

...or Vanlandingham

It was killer having to write those in a small space, especially with a double switch

[Bocabirdman]

Originally Posted by packs

Ron Cey is another shorty.

And his name is too.......

[Peter_Spaeth]

Jon Jay, but not his full name I guess.

[JustinD]

Ted Cox.

[earlywynnfan]

Originally Posted by packs

Tyrus Cobb is a shorter name than Melvin Ott.

This has me scratching my head! How is Tyrus Cobb a shorter name than Melvin Ott??

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

This has me scratching my head! How is Tyrus Cobb a shorter name than Melvin Ott??

Non Euclidean counting method.

[jason.1969]

Following the original rules, Ott would be shorter based on the middle name as tiebreaker. But in the non-HOF category, I don't believe anyone tops Lee May.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Big part of the first editions of the Big Red Machine. They did well trading him for Joe Morgan though.

[hcv123]

We'll leave it at Lee May till someone comes up with one shorter.

[packs]

Originally Posted by earlywynnfan

This has me scratching my head! How is Tyrus Cobb a shorter name than Melvin Ott??

Counting letters is like playing jazz. It's the letters you're not counting that make the song.