Bodie

Ping Bodie was Babe Ruth’s first roommate when Ruth joined the Yankees in 1920. His real name was Francesco Pezzolo; the flag on the pin is emblematic of his Italian heritage. He acquired his nickname from the sound of his bat striking a baseball. His last name, Bodie, was the name of the town where he group in Northern California. Bodie was not shy about his athletic talents.  Some baseball fans of Italian heritage were displeased that Bodie disavowed his own heritage by changing his last name to avoid ridicule. Instead of calling him “Bing,” they called him “Ming.” A fracturing of two vulgar Italian words, minchia meaning “diminished manhood” and minchione meaning a loud-mouthed fool or idiot.

Ping Bodie’s real name was Francesco Pezzolo; the flag on the pin honors his Italian heritage. He acquired his nickname from the sound of his bat striking a baseball. His last name, Bodie, was the name of the town where he grew up in Northern California. Bodie was boastful about his athletic ability. While playing for the Athletics he said, “I and the Liberty Bell are the only attractions in Philadelphia.” Some baseball fans of Italian heritage were displeased that Bodie disavowed his own heritage by changing his last name to supposedly avoid social ridicule. Instead of calling him “Bing,” they called him “Ming,” a fracturing of the vulgar Italian slang “minchione,” meaning loud-mouthed fool or idiot.