"Dem Bums!" - How the Dodgers got their Nickname

The Dodgers were probably Brooklyn's most beloved institution. More than a baseball team, they were s source of pride (and more than occasional anguish) amongst all residents of the borough, who displayed a fierce loyalty to the boys who played at Ebbet's Field.

Most of us know that the Dodgers took their name from the fact that so many trolley lines criss-crossed Brooklyn at one time that its residents were sometimes called "Trolley Dodgers." But the source of their affectionate nickname is lesser-known. I have heard it suggested that the term was in affectionate reference to the quantity of alcohol which some of the team's members would consume. The real credit, however, goes to a largely unknown sports fan known to radio audiences only as "The Spirit of Brooklyn."

The Depression years were about as good for Brooklyn baseball as they were for the economy in general. One particular fan, who always had a seat behind home plate, became so disgusted at his team's performance that he took to yelling "Ya bum, ya!" (that's 'You bum, you," for those overseas readers not familiar with Brooklyn accents), whenever a player made a mistake.

The games were broadcast over radio, and sports announcer Sid Mercer took to labeling the anonymous fan "The Spirit of Brooklyn." Soon the nickname caught on, with cartoonist Willard Mullin creating a character of a bum to symbolize the team. Later a five piece band of amateur musicians from Greenpoint, calling themselves The Dodgers Sym-phony, took to performing comical songs from the stands while dressed in bum attire. When an umpire came onto the field they would begin playing "Three Blind Mice," and an opposing pitcher who was knocked out would find himself serenaded with "The Worms Crawl In. The Worms Crawl Out."

In 1955, as every Brooklynite knows, the Dodgers made their home town proud by winning the World Series. For many of us, it was the greatest moment in Brooklyn history since the opening in 1883 of a bridge which led to that certain little island which Walt Whitman dubbed "Gomorra across the East River." Alas, even the fierce loyalty and love of an entire city could not stem the market forces of major league sports, and in 1957 Dodgers President Walter O'Malley (boooo) moved the team to California. Every few years since then we have heard rumors of the beloved Bums returning to their rightful home, but it has never came to be. Brooklyn suffered some tough times since the Dodgers left, but has in recent years has made a mighty rebound in many areas. Prospect Park is being renovated; the Coney Island Mermaid Parade is again held each year and the Downtown area has seen a tremendous renaissance. But the town will never be the same without Dem Bums.