nicnames recalled by prune

Memorable Nicknames

The Old Gang

Ken “Lily Lully” Ollila Slim Ala responsible for this one

Walter “Slim” Ala Was actually slim as a kid

Bob “Hobby” Johnson A fast potato picker: my cousin

Daniel “Shadow Johnson Ate 28 pancakes prepared by Irene Lasanen, one sitting

Roy “Cow” Mukka CHS Ass’y: David Oja from Mohawk asked him “What do you say, Cow? “Moo” he said

Gordy “Jukka” Mukka Not really a nickname, middle name must have been “Jack”

Ken “Nipple” Holland May have taken him a long time to wean

Marianne “Squirt” nee Sturos Goes way back

Peterson

Jim “ Jebba” Peterson At least for a short time, heard Pete refer to him as this once

George “Buddha” Peterson More permanent

Helen “Lana” Torola Permanent

Bob “Bubba” Torola A tough but kind man

Allen/Ullen “Stinky” Torola Best forgotten, but truly a classic

Dave “Diggy” Jokela Smart mathematician

Lyman “Button” Oja Grandma must have thought he was cute

Fred “Joffee” Juopperi I’m responsible. Called him “Choppy Molace” after a character in a children’s story while playing street hockey under the street light @ corner of Iroquois & 7^th in winter of ‘46/47. Johnny Aalto heard it as “Joffee” and it stuck.

John Paul “Dumpa” Kastelic “Who’s coming at Christmas?” “Tan-ta-ta is coming,” he said when he was about two years old

Gerry “Moonabuck” Murtonen A good one

Eldred “Junior” Mugford After more than 70 yrs, still holding down the fort @ Iroquois St.

Lawrence “Honey” Hamm A big kid, could really clobber a soft ball. Broke my bat one time, fixed it with nails and electrical tape. Broke again with 1^st swing

Others from Around Town/Florida Location

Bob “Agates” Makolin

Roy “Oozie” Makolin

Don “Donuts” Laurie

Jack “Sprat” Solmonson Somewhat hackneyed but good enough

Delmar “Yummo” Phelps

Ken “Prune” Luke Thanks to me. Head shaped more like a prune than my own, natural color to boot

Gary “Porky” Brusso

Les “Lungy” Randell

Paul “Pallo” Randell

Kenny “Beggar” Ruonavaara

William “Pikku” Karien

? Snooky Korvonen Unafraid of heights

Rambaultown/Swedetown/Miscellaneous

Paul “Kirby” Frantti Steady as a rock

Jim “Jimbo” Kargela Same class ’53 in high school as Pete, Lana, Ellen and I

George “Yuffo” Kargela Jimbo’s younger brother

Gene “Puggie” Baroni Referred to by Elmer Harmala as “The flying Tackler”. We skunked Rambaultown in sandlot football with Ullen calling the plays (Can still see that front tooth peg with round knob at end, tooth missing.) Puggie made up for it on the Copper Kings

Edwin “Hybo” Harmala Youngest of six, “E’s, 3 girls and three boys in that order

Norman “Bubbles Niemi A good guy, good natured and tough. His looks belied it.

? “Aahpoo” Niemi Bubbles’ older brother

? “Yawgo” Staricha

? “Submariner” Suppelsa A kid from Detroit in our Miss Inch 4^th grade, Chas. Briggs. He had a pointed chin, making him look just like “The Submariner” in the comic book, at least according to Pete and myself

James “Cuba” Crevola In Pete and my Art Nobles (I’ll box your ears off if I catch you running down the hall again) ’49 ancient history class. Pete called him this once to me; probably the one and only one time referred to as “Cuba”

Comments

“Uusii”, “Heikki”, “Kalla”, “Ikky”,etc., are too generic to even mention. But some guys are unique in that they were for the most part only recognized by their nicknames. The bicycle-riding “Hollywood” is one such example. Another is “Heinie” the German who you’d see wearing an old army uniform. You never knew if he had a load in his pants when he got on the bus. All you could do was stand back.