The Power Of A Name
Before coming to the Big Apple, Giancarlo Stanton made his MLB debut for the Florida Marlins back in 2010 and he went by another name.
The behemoth of a man is best known for launching monstrous home runs out of stadiums with exit velocities that would break a radar gun. But if you ask the casual fan what Stantons’ original name was, many of them would have to use a lifeline.
Why The Name Change?
Stanton, whose full name is Giancarlo Cruz Michael Stanton went by Mike during his adolescence because educators and classmates alike couldn’t pronounce his surname.
He continued to go by Mike in his stint in the Minor Leagues as well as the first two seasons in the show before eventually returning to Giancarlo at the start of the 2012 season.
When he informed the media and fans alike that he was going with his birth name going forward, it was a shock to his parents. Stanton felt it was time to be an adult. As Stanton left his childish name behind, he realized how important it was to him and his family and decided to reembrace his birth name.
The man wasn’t ashamed of his first name as he had Giancarlo stitched and embroidered on all his equipment ranging from bats, gloves, and everything in between.
How Did The Name Come About?
Born to Parents Michael Stanton of Irish descent and Jacinta Garay of African-American and Puerto Rican ancestry, Stanton’s parents fell in love with Italian movies and names that accompanied them and decided to give their son an Italian forename.
Originally Garay wanted to name her youngest son Fidel after the Cuban Prime Minister!
If Stanton thought he was having a hard time with teammates and coaches butchering Giancarlo, Fidel would have gotten it even worse. Can you imagine playing in Florida around the sizeable Cuban population with that name?
The Yankees slugger has grown up with various names. He responds to Cruz when he is around his mother or Mike when he is around his father. The Yankees organization and the fanatics surrounding the team hope he responds to a championship as they believe the name Giancarlo has a RING to it.
Giancarlo Stanton's third home run of the season gives the Yankees a lead! pic.twitter.com/ufwAvldR46
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) April 18, 2021
Check out the man with many names as the Yankees embark on a two-game series with the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, April 20th.
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