Writing a girl's name in the newspaper

Why does a high school girl need to conceal her identity? I would hope that people actually know who Monster is.

Also, real name, especially for high school kids. Once you go pro, the lines get blurred but high school kids are not yet deserving of a nickname.

 

I think the general tone of this thread is correct. Most of the time, you never use nicknames because it could get you in trouble. Someone could be nicknamed by his/her peers for negagive reasons. Say, someone was nicknamed "Dutch" by his friends because of an unfortunate Dutch Oven experience at a party that plummeted the kid into a meth habit or an eating disorder. Someone could be subimitting that name in a box score to play a practical joke.

I kid only because I care.

But there are exceptions. As someone eluded to, Magic Johnson is Magic Johnson, not Earvin, and Tiger is Tiger, not Eldrick. It's what people who know them call them, so we should use that nickname in stories. If a person is a public figure who has been introudced and referred to almost exlusively by a nickname, then roll with it.

We had a coach in our area whose first name was Martin, but no one called him that. Everyone knew him as Junior, so that's the way it appeared in our section. A local golfer in the recreational briefs section referred to as "Lefty?" uh, no. It's entirely possible someone nicknamed him lefty because they caught him waxing his carrot with his left hand at the 19th hole. He's not a public figure. So you go with his real name.

Beanie Wells has been on record as saying that except for select family members and coaches, everyone refers to him as "Beanie," so that's perfectly acceptable. It's what people know him as.

As far as the original athlete in the opening post in this thread is concerned, I think Psycho did the right thing by not offering her true nickname. The topic is not about her; it's about the useage of nicknames. And having watched her play, I must say her nickname should be, "Assist Machine."

And please, go easy on Psycho. He's young, new to the buiz and a bit wet behind the ears, but he's someone I believe will be an asset to our industry, something we desperately need at this juncture.

 

Thanks editorhoo

 

I've covered several kids over the years that went exclusively by their nicknames since they were tykes, and we ran em in print. it's what teachers call em, so good enough for me. the three I'm thinking of (male swimmer, football player and softball player), I don't think anyone even knew their real names. but, no, if it's just a fun little nickname they throw around at practice, no reason to use it at all.

 

Kudos to Psycho for asking the girl and putting her real name in the story. Now you just have to have a conversation with the editor/desk and say that she prefers to go by her real name.

But y'all can call me Beast.

 

I'd like to see a newspaper story that refers to "Magic" Johnson when he was in high school.

 

Not to digress, but somewhere along the line Tiger did the actual, legal paperwork that changed his first name from Eldrick to Tiger.

 

That's how my uncle is referred to as well. And I'm sure he's not the same Martin that you know.

 

Fetch me a beer, newbie.

(The old memes are still the best. )

 

Did he now? Is there a story about it?

 

Larry Wayne Jones Jr. is amused.

 

Last year Mizzou football had a "Pig" and "Ziggy" on its defense. Cornelius "Pig" Brown had always gone as Pig. I think it was a nickname from his family gave because it looked like he ate like a pig as a baby. Coaches and SIDs told the media to call him Pig, but road media would always call him Cornelius or have Cornelius "Pig" Brown.
Evander "Ziggy" Hood is Ziggy because his grandma couldn't say Evander, so she called him Ziggy.
I just checked MU's Web site and they have Cornelius and Ziggy on their profiles, but SIDs and coaches would always say go by the nicknames.
I remember multiple papers doing stories early in the season about how the guys got the unusual nickname so that they got the story out there and readers would know why they were using Pig and Ziggy the rest of the year.