From Tubby to Choo Choo, here are the stories behind some of NC’s most colorful sports monikers.
by A.J. Carr I illustration by Gerry O’neill
On the day 18-year-old James Augustus Hunter signed a Major League Baseball contract with the Kansas City A’s (later the Oakland A’s; now the Athletics), he got a new name: “Catfish.” It was given to him by colorful A’s owner Charles O. Finley, who was fond of giving nicknames and knew of his promising pitcher’s affinity for fishing in Hertford, North Carolina. “[Finley] asked if he minded being called Catfish,” recalls Francis Combs, Hunter’s Perquimans County High School catcher, who was present at the signing. “Catfish said, You can call me anything you want to, as long as you pay me!”
Beginning in 1965, the precocious pitcher launched a Hall-of-Fame career highlighted with eight All-Star team honors, a perfect game, a Cy Young award and five World Series rings — three with Oakland and two with the New York Yankees. Hunter died in 1999 at the age of 53 after battling ALS, but his fame and nickname are indelibly etched in baseball lore. Catfish is just one of the interesting nicknames in North Carolina sporting history. Here are a few of my other favorites.
Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice
Charlie Justice reportedly became “Choo Choo” while playing on the football team at United States Naval Training Center Bainbridge. Someone saw his elusive running style, quipped that he ran like a train and added: “We ought to call him Choo Choo.” A triple-threat tailback, Choo Choo became a two-time All-American at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up who led the Tar Heels to three bowl games between 1946 to 1949 in what is still known as the “Justice Era.” A statue of this legendary Tar Heel stands at UNC today. Choo Choo also played four years in the NFL with the Washington Redskins (now Commanders).
Wray “The Train” Carlton
Growing up in Wallace, Wray Carlton was inspired by Choo Choo, his football hero at UNC. In the 1950s, Carlton was an all-around star running back like Choo Choo, though not at UNC. He went to Duke University, set a career rushing record and made the All-Conference and All-American teams. Carlton says he became “The Train” when a teammate saw him break a long run in practice and announced “there goes the night train from Wallace.” The Train kept rambling on the football track after college, playing eight seasons with the Buffalo Bills. A two-time All-Pro, he was a key component on two American Football League title teams (before the NFL-AFL merger in 1970), and ranked among the top 50 Bills of all time.
David “Skywalker” Thompson
David Thompson, with a 44-inch vertical jump and extraordinary talent, played basketball in a stratosphere above the crowd. An all-time great, he led North Carolina State University to the 1974 NCAA title, and was a three-time All-American, National Player of the Year and a five-time All-Pro. NC State unveiled a David Thompson statue earlier this year.
Michael “Air” Jordan
Michael Jordan may now be a household name, but this player gained the nickname “Air Jordan” after an All-American career at UNC, in part from his high-flying altitude on the basketball court and incredible skills. After hitting the game-winning shot on UNC’s 1982 national championship team, Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles — with an MVP award each time — and was a 14-time NBA All-Star.
James “Bonecrusher” Smith
A Magnolia native, James Smith got his nickname as a heavyweight boxing champion in the Army, according to a James Sprunt Community College story. “I used to rush in on an opponent… break his jaw or rib, sometimes a nose,” James explained in a 2019 post on the college’s blog. “Someone shouted the name ‘Bonecrusher’… the name stuck and I kept it.” Smith, a James Sprunt and Shaw University graduate, won the professional WBA boxing title in 1986 and 1987. But the man who once knocked people down later helped people up as an ordained minister who worked to steer youth away from crime and drugs.
Orlando “Tubby” Smith
Orlando Smith’s nickname didn’t have anything to do with his physique. One of 17 children, he reportedly found great enjoyment bathing in the family washtub and thus was dubbed “Tubby.” Later, he gained acclaim in basketball, playing and coaching. Smith made All-Conference at High Point University, where he later coached. Overall, he led five schools to the NCAA Tournament, including Kentucky, which won the 1998 National Championship and 10 conference titles (five tournament, five regular season). Along the way, Tubby and his wife Donna raised three sons who played college basketball. They also started a foundation in Kentucky to assist underserved youth. He’s even won an Olympic medal!
Tim “The Big Fundamental” Duncan
One of the best players in basketball history, Tim Duncan was amazingly efficient and productive while applying the fundamentals. At Wake Forest University from 1994 to 1997, he helped Coach Dave Odom’s Demon Deacons win two ACC Tournaments and earned All-America honors and a National Player of the Year award. During his 19-year professional career with the San Antonio Spurs, he was a two-time NBA Player of the Year, 15-time All-Star and 13-time All-Defensive team selection, three-time NBA Finals MVP and winner of five championships with the San Antonio Spurs.
Dexter “LoveBoat” Williams
Williams, who grew up in Raleigh, didn’t make his high school varsity basketball team, but he never gave up. He developed into a two-time All-American at Clinton Junior College (S.C.), set 3-point shooting records at Hampton University and later traveled with Athletes In Action and the Harlem Globetrotter Legends. “I love people and I want people to see the love of Christ in me,’’ says Williams, who gave himself the nickname. “I wanted to give them a boat load of the love of Christ.” Williams is still doing that, blending his ball-handling tricks before various audiences and serving as an “ambassador” for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes since 2009.
This article originally appeared in the December 2024 issue of WALTER magazine.
