Ben Blood of the Binghamton Senators carries a marvelous name for a hockey player.
Once in a while you take notice of a person, pinpoint their profession, and feel the need to declare, “Of course!” I am convinced there are those among us who are destined to become what we become from the moment we are born to certain parents. Genes?
Well, sure, but that is not my point this time around.
I’m talking names.
Dr. Pullano, a dentist for the entire family.
For example, there’s a family dental practice prominently placed on Brewerton Road in Mattydale, N.Y., that is run by a dentist who is blessed with the name Dr. Pullano. Every time I drive past his sign, I think how very appropriate this career choice has been. And then I imagine the sighs of relief from Dr. Pullano’s patients after they hear: “It’s only a little cavity. A filling will fix it.”
When I’m out east of Syracuse, tooling through Earlville, I always take note of a joint called Von Bank Collision. The way I figure it, somehow, some way, somebody pulled a fast one on him and switched the “o” and the “a.” Mistake on his birth certificate, perhaps. Van Bonk, now that’s somebody who was born to open a collision shop. Von Bank, that’s somebody I’d expect to become either a safe-maker or a pool shark.
Dr. Hook became a rock singer. Golf was out as a profession.
In golf, a gentleman by the name of Ken Green was a pretty good pro for a nice stretch. Dr. Hook? He simply could not become a golf pro. He had to become … a lead singer for a 70s band called Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. (He had hits with the songs “Sylvia’s Mother” and “The Cover of Rolling Stone,” kiddies.) Yes, Dr. Hook wore an eye patch, but that pirate thing didn’t pan out as well as rock ‘n’ roll.
In any case, there I was with my dear wife Karen in the Onondaga County War Memorial on Friday night, watching the considerable pre-game whoop-de-do they put on before the Syracuse Crunch goes out there to play some hockey. (Now that’s a pretty good name for a hockey team, if you’re still following the bouncing puck at home.)
The name on the back of the jersey of a player for the visiting Binghamton Senators caught my eye as he sat fidgeting at the end of the bench, waiting for the game to begin. I had to run off to snap this photo.
Above, you can see Blood. I think Ben Blood has the perfect name for a hockey player. Destiny prevails again.
For you now lies this challenge:
Click comment and make your mark by contributing to a list of people who just had to do what they do once their names became official.
Mark Bialczak 
How about a column on just great names in sports. Here’s a couple God Shamgod, Vida Blue, Hawthorne Wingo, Boumje Boumje, and my favorite I.M. Hipp.
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How about last night Colts LB Angerer? Others off the top of my head Homer Bailey,Tommy Field, Scott Diamond, Josh Outman, Prince Fielder, Rollie Fingers in baseball. Usain Bolt, Takeo Spikes, Quentin Jammer, Tiger Woods, and Tim Duncan. In the way back machine Margaret Court, George Best who was the best in his day. My favorite was a hurdler named Marina Stepanova. A ways back but I always cracked up when they announced her name. She was actually one of the top hurdlers say mid 80’s. And my buddy just chimed in and claimed there was a tennis player named Anna Smashnova. LOL I don’t believe that Miroslav Satan ever played for the NJ Devils. Too Bad. And Mark how about current isles GM Garth Snow? HA!
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That about covers all of the sports names, right, MC? You enthusiastic, as always!
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You’re right…I think before he was picked up by Pittsburgh, there was talk of him going to the Devils. Wishful thinking I guess.
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Tess Stress – for smoking cessation, and Dr Jabbs who always needed blood!
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Very good ones, dear wife. I hear that Dr. Jabbs had to choose between boxing and blood-taker!
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ooh ooh….my favorite (speaking of hockey)…New Jersey Devil Miroslav Satan….how appropriate is that!
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So appropriate, DJ. I remember that Satan seemed to be everywhere you looked some games.
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Dr Sweet…the North Syracuse dentist…
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Great one, DJ! He can’t lecture his kids about having a Sweet tooth, can he?
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Ok Mark you asked for it … Current baseball relief pitchers Outman and (my fave) Grant Balfour. How did HE get drafted?? Minor league hockey player named Cliche (pron. Kleesh) … A dentist sign in Columbus, seen yesterday, Angela (?) Gum, DDS. And there’s a Syracuse fertility doc, last name ….. Blank. No joke. Look forward to seeing more like this!!
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Now that’s what I’m talking about, Jim! Great names, all, near and far. I wanted to put great Islanders forward from my day, MIke Bossy, in my blog, but then I remembered that he wasn’t the captain during that great decade of hockey. Clark Gillies and Denis Potvin both wore the “C.”
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The weather guy for Charlotte TV station WCNC-TV is Larry Sprinkle. Yes, it is his real name.
http://www.wcnc.com/on-tv/bios/69489282.html
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That’s a great one, Jerry. Thank you!
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