Ruppert’s Rifles (New York Yankees nickname)
American brewer, businessman, National Guard colonel and politician Jacob Ruppert Jr. (1867-1939) owned the New York Yankees baseball team from 1915 until his death in 1939. the Yankees were sometimes nicknamed “Ruppert(‘s) Rifles” or “Ruppert(‘s) Riflemen.”
“After the Ruppert rifles had shelled Curtis Fullerton from the mound in the second inning” was printed in the New York (NY) Tribune on April 28, 1923. “The Griffmen piled up a six-run lead over the Ruppert rifles” was printed in the New York (NY) Tribune on May 2, 1923. It’s possible that Bronx-born author, journalist, amateur naturalist and radio and television personality John Kieran (1892-1981), who wrote these Tribune stories and used the term often, coined “Ruppert rifles.” The John Kieran Nature Trail, dedicated six years after his death, runs along some of the most scenic areas of the Bronx’s Van Cortlandt Park.
“Bancroft Uses Four Twirlers to Stop Attack of Ruppert Riflemen” was a headline in the Hartford (CT) Daily Courant on March 19, 1925. “In addition to the powerful attack, the Ruppert riflemen have been turning in fine pitching performances” was printed in the Miami (FL) Herald on May 27, 1926. “Colonel Ruppert’s riflemen got off to a flying start in their half of the first inning, registering one run” was printed in the Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle on August 22, 1926.
The nicknames “Ruppert’s Rifles” and “Ruppert’s Riflemen” became historical after Jacob Ruppert’s death in 1939. New York Yankees nicknames after their manager, Miller Huggins (1918-1929), include “Hug’s Men” or “Hugmen,” and “Huggins’(s) Sluggers” or “Hug’s Sluggers.” The nickname “Bronx Bombers” also came into use in this period and is still used today.
Wikipedia: New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of two major league clubs based in New York City, the other is the National League (NL)‘s New York Mets. The team was founded in 1903 when Frank Farrell and Bill Devery purchased the franchise rights to the defunct Baltimore Orioles (no relation to the current team of the same name) after it ceased operations and used them to establish the New York Highlanders. The Highlanders were officially renamed the New York Yankees in 1913.
Wikipedia: Jacob Ruppert
Jacob Ruppert Jr. (August 5, 1867 – January 13, 1939) was an American brewer, businessman, National Guard colonel and politician who served for four terms representing New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1899 to 1907. He also owned the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball from 1915 until his death in 1939.
Starting out in the family brewing business, Ruppert entered the 7th Regiment of the New York National Guard in 1886 at the age of 19, eventually reaching the rank of colonel. While he was the owner of the Yankees, he purchased the contract of Babe Ruth and built Yankee Stadium, reversing the franchise’s fortunes and establishing it as the premier club in the major leagues. Ruppert was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in July 2013.
28 April 1923, New York (NY) Tribune, “Shawkey Is in Fine Form and Easily Subdues Cliancemen” by John Kieran, pg. 11, col. 6:
After the Ruppert rifles had shelled Curtis Fullerton from the mound in the second inning there was little semblance of a contest, as Bob the Gob held the enemy in subjection without wasting too much energy.
2 May 1923, New York (NY) Tribune, “Six-Run Deficit Fades When Hugmen Get Busy in Seventh” by John Kieran, pg. 14, col. 6:
On Mays, the aspiring heavyweight, and Hoyt, the tall boy from Flatbush, the Griffmen piled up a six-run lead over the Ruppert rifles.
Newspapers.com
14 May 1923, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 18, col. 1:
Big Crowd Sees Tigers
Defeat Yankees, 4 to 1
Detroit, May 14—Before the greatest crowd that ever witnessed a ball game in Detroit, the troublesome Tigers yesterday took a large chunk out of the budding winning streak of the invading New Yorkers and humbled the Ruppert Rifles by a score of 4 to 1, while 40,884 delighted taxpayers of the flivver city voiced their approval of the deed.
Newspapers.com
17 June 1923, Pittsburgh (PA) Press, Sporting Section, pg. 1, col. 6:
Yankees
Wallop
Browns
(..)
The deep sailor of the Yankee dinging staff held the enemy in total subjection until the Ruppert rifles were far out in front.
Newspapers.com
23 June 1923, Paterson (NJ) Evening News, pg. 6, col. 2:
YANKS WIN
OVER RED SOX
(...)
The Ruppert Rifles have winning ways away from home.
Newspapers.com
10 April 1924, Detroit (MI) Free Press, pg. 17, col. 5:
YANK VETERANS
WILL CONTINUE
AT SAME POSTS
(...)
Other contenders for the American league pennant are basing their hopes on local improvements, but such is not the case with the Ruppert rifles.
Newspapers.com
28 April 1924, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 16, col. 1:
Ruppert’s Rifles Shoot
Holes Through Macks
Newspapers.com
1 July 1924, Los Angeles (CA) Daily Times, “Many Happy Returns” by Feg Murray, pt. 3, pg. 3, col. 2:
“Sad” Sam Jones, the no-hit king of “Ruppert’s Rifles,” and Artie Nehf, hero of the 1922 world’s series, both were pitching their first game of the 1923 world series.
Newspapers.com
30 January 1925, Daily News (New York, NY), pg. 30, col. 4:
N. Y. YANKEES SEEK
INFIELDER, PITCHER
By MARSHALL HUNT
(...) (Photo caption.—ed.)
Colonel Ruppert Everett Scott
General of Ruppert Rifles; short-
stop who isn’t so awful.
Newspapers.com
9 March 1925, Daily News (new York, NY), pg. 25, col. 1:
RUPPERT RIFLES
SPEND WORKLESS
SUNDAY ON GULF
By MARSHALL HUNT.
Newspapers.com
19 March 1925, Hartford (CT) Daily Courant, pg. 13, col. 8:
Bancroft Uses Four Twirlers
to Stop Attack of Rup-
pert Riflemen.
Newspapers.com
27 May 1926, Miami (FL) Herald, “Sports Shots and Slants” by Howard S. Purser, pg. 12, col. 6:
In addition to the powerful attack, the Ruppert riflemen have been turning in fine pitching performances.
Newspapers.com
22 August 1926, Brooklyn (NY) Daily Eagle, “Tony the Silent Factor in Yanks’ 3 to 1 Triumph,” pg. 1C, col. 6:
Colonel Ruppert’s riflemen got off to a flying start in their half of the first inning, registering one run.
Newspapers.com
20 July 1927, Meriden (CT) Daily Journal, “Cubs Again Leading In National League,” pg. 4, col. 5:
The Ruppert riflemen got to Stewart, St. Louis southpaw, in the third inning and drove him out of the box.
Google Books
Baseball Team Names:
A Worldwide Dictionary, 1869-2011
By Richard Worth
Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc.
2013
Pg. 350:
New York (Mgr. Miller Huggins) Hug Men, (Team owner Jacob) Rupert’s Rifles, Huggin’s Sluggers YANKEES (Yanks)
Google Books
The 1928 New York Yankees:
The Return of Murderers’ Row
By Charlie Gentile
Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield
2014
Pg. 14:
The Yankees went by the Hugmen, Ruppert’s Rifles, or even the Manhattan Maulers. Although they played in the Bronx, they did not yet go by the Bronx Bombers.