FROM THE PUBLISHER

Almost every major sports star has acquired a nickname at some point. Whether it derives from a favorite expression ("Say Hey" Willie Mays), because it rhymes ("Stan the Man" Musial), or is due to a player's characteristic performance ("The Great One" Wayne Gretzky), the sports lexicon boasts hundreds of colorful monikers and this fun book explains exactly how they came to be.

To make a name for oneself is a worthy goal in and out of the sports world. Frequently, sports personalities end up with a nickname they didn't bargain for, such as Dennis "The Worm" Rodman. The authors also detail how professional team names were selected, the special nicknames behind groups of players (Notre Dame's "Four Horsemen" and the Olympic "Dream Team"), characteristic plays ("Shaq Attack" and "Hail Mary"), and special sporting events (1986's "The Battle of the Decade").