Baseball is the grandest game of them all. I am known to tell this to all who will listen, and quite often. Because of its long history, the one area where I am convinced that baseball has every other sport beat is in the player name department. I’m sure those who follow other sports will disagree, but honestly, I don’t care for your opinion on this matter. Baseball has the best names period, there is no questioning that in this household.
All one need do is scroll through any of the major sites and you will discover a cavalcade of names that leave you with a stupid grin on your face. I was recently searching through a site for some Frontier League stats for an article on former Chicago Cubs players in the league. Lo and behold, the Cubs players ended up not mattering one iota when I came across a third baseman/outfielder for the Windy City Thunderbolts. If it’s the year 2019 and you’re out here playing professional baseball with the name of General McArthur I believe I owe it to you and the general public to spread the good word about your name.
I can’t tell you much about General other than that, well, things don’t seem to be going so well in his professional career to this point. He’s in his first season as a pro, so obviously, there is room for improvement, but let’s just say in 7 games he’s managed to hit a mite above .150. Still, his name is General, so how bad can life be? Imagine a world where you are constantly being welcomed into the room as the General? A world where you can answer the phone, “This is the General, what’s up?” Imagine being a black man in 2019 who comes one letter away from sharing a name with a famous white World War II General? I mean, I can’t imagine it, but General is living it while playing professional baseball.
General may never get out of the Frontier League, but at the very least he gave us a quality name to add to the quality names in baseball pile. What’s that you say, there’s a guy named Burt Reynolds playing in the American Association? I don’t know why you love me so much unaffiliated ball, but I sure do love you. And I love that there’s a guy named General McArthur playing pro baseball, love it as much as I love the sport.
Lead photo courtesy of Clint Austin – Duluth News Tribune
