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CLEVELAND -- Almost every team has a player who goes by his nickname more often than his birth name. Some nicknames are as simple as changing “Roberto” to “Berto,” like the Indians’ current starting catcher. But others can get much more creative.
What are some of the best nicknames in Indians history? Let’s take a look.
1. Pronk
Maybe Travis Hafner didn’t have the typical athletic body type. He was larger than most, weighing 240 pounds as a 6-foot-3-inch designated hitter. He earned the nicknames “The Project” and “Donkey,” but it wasn’t until utility man Bill Selby morphed the names together to create the one and only, "Pronk." The name later turned into a candy bar in 2006, as Malley’s Chocolates of Cleveland created a treat that Hafner told MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince tasted like a Nestle Crunch bar, but with “better chocolate.”