The 26 best nicknames for a home run, ranked
Home runs: Everybody (well, almost everybody) loves them. And, everybody's got a different name for them. Dingers and big flies. Jacks and yicketty yaks. The list is seemingly endless.
Luckily, we're here to bring some order to the chaos.
We've assembled what we believe to be 26 of the most common nicknames for a home run, and then ranked them in ascending order according to a very rigorous, highly scientific methodology. (Read: We like funny words.) Disagree with our list? Have a term you love that we left out? Be sure to let us know @Cut4.
(One quick note: Specific qualifiers like "tape-measure" or "upper-decker" weren't considered here -- only general terms that can serve as a stand-in for any home run.)
26. Poke
It's fun to say, and everyone likes using poetic understatement.
25. Goner
That ball is a goner. Good bye, ball.
24. Four-bagger
This one is a solid construction, but a bit too literal -- it makes a home run sound like just another base hit.
23. Shot
You usually only hear this one combined with some sort of modifier: a two-run shot, or a shot to left field. If a word can't stand on its own, it gets downgraded slightly.
22. Went long
It's solid, but there are better phrases in this genre.
21. Blast
This one is also really fun to say, and it adds some fun rocketry connotations to the mix.
20. Went deep
As promised, the better version of went long.
19. Went bridge
One of Dennis Eckersley's many linguistic inventions -- "walk-off" is another -- even he's not quite sure where it came from, but it does have a certain ring to it.
18. Bomb
If a word is the genesis of a great nickname, like the Bronx Bombers, it's obviously rather strong.
17. No-doubter
Did you have any doubts at all that your favorite hitter just hit a ball out of the stadium? Of course you didn't! It's both useful and descriptive.
16. Oppo taco
The best baseball phrases are the ones that sound the most odd. Does it make sense? Not really, but that's why it's great.
15. Homer
This is probably the most common substitute for "home run" in the English lexicon, but while it might be well-worn, it still packs a delightful punch.
14. Jack
Simple? Sure, but there's something almost onomatopoeic about it that's too satisfying to ignore.
13. Long ball
A superior version of "went long," this phrase describes the home run ball itself, rather than the act of hitting it. That's a fun wrinkle.
12. Went yard (and its shorter relative, "went ya")
"The ballyard" is a fun and folksy phrase for a baseball stadium, and this is an equally fun and folksy phrase for a home run.
11. Gopher
As in "go four bases." Yes, it's kind of confusing, but what great jargon isn't at first glance?
10. Round-tripper
Just the right amount of old-fashioned (imagine this in the dulcet tones of Mel Allen and thank us later).
9. Yicketty/yak
We might need a whole separate ranking for Chipper Jones and his home run lexicon:
- Oppo boppo
Similar to oppo taco, but less likely to induce hunger.
7. Ding dong
Or, in the words of Pedro Martinez:
- Tater
Quick note: "Tater" is only acceptable when paired with the verb "mashed".
5. Jonron
The most common Spanish term for a home run, this one is loads of fun to say -- though we'd accept "cuadrangular" here as well.
- Moon shot
Fun fact: When the Dodgers first moved west, they were forced to play in the L.A. Coliseum, which played a mere 250 feet down the left-field line. One of the team's lefty sluggers, Wally Moon, changed his swing to lift high fly balls the other way, and "moon shot" was born.
3. Grand salami
Take it away, Dave Niehaus:
- Dinger
A classic for a reason: short, sweet, with the all-important hard "D" sound at the start.
1. Big fly
Surprisingly simple, but two words that absolutely sing when placed together. A perfect piece of baseball slang, the only thing that feels fitting after watching, say, Jim Thome send one 511 feet.