List of baseball players with three names

Stars known by three names accounted for all responses in a category on a popular game show last week, and I correctly identified three of them. Van Halen’s David Lee Roth was the musical answer, while Billy Bob Thornton and Joe Don Baker were the two actors I recognized.

For some reason I had anticipated that the category would include a sports figure that fit the description, but the other two responses were not athletes. Upon reflection, I understood why no sports stars appeared, as I could only think of a handful that had three names.

These are the best examples in baseball, enough to complete a lineup.

First baseman Willie Mays Aikens

The famously named slugger helped propel the Kansas City Royals to a pennant and multiple playoff appearances.

Second baseman, Billy Jo Robidoux

Primarily a left fielder, Robidoux would be asked to fill in at second for our three-name team.

Shortstop, Chin Leng Hu

Having spent most of his career with the Dodgers, this infielder gave announcer Vin Scully to call Hu out on first as he reached base.

Third baseman Jim Ray Hart

With over a hundred home runs in his career, Hart was one of the San Francisco Giants’ power hitters of the 1960s.

Left field, Wily Mo Pena

He broke into the majors with Cincinnati, who a few years later traded the underachieving slugger to the New York Yankees.

Center Garden, Shin Soo Choo

After several excellent seasons in both Cleveland and Cincinnati, Choo signed a lucrative free agent contract to play for his current team, the Texas Rangers.

Right field, John Ford Griffin

With a sweet left-handed swing, Griffin hit over .300 in two different stints with the Toronto Blue Jays in the early 2000s.

Receiver, John Ryan Murphy

He backed up Joe Mauer for one season with the Minnesota Twins, who sent him to the Arizona Diamondbacks several years later.

Starting pitcher, John Henry Johnson

Over a ten-year span, the lefty spent time with Boston, Texas and Milwaukee, but his best season came when he posted eleven wins for the Oakland A’s.

Relief pitcher, Ryan Rowland Smith

Seattle relied on this guy to be the Mariners’ lefty bullpen specialist for four years, returning in 2014 to enjoy a comeback year with the Arizona Diamondbacks.