The Big Apple Battles Beantown!

No, we're not talking a new civil war (not yet, at least; that may be coming after the upcoming 2024 election farce). But recently I heard someone on TV refer to Boston as "Beantown."

I said, "Wife, why is Boston called 'Beantown'?"

"Boston baked beans," she replied.

Well, I probably could've figured that one out eventually, though I chose not to because I'm married to The Human Google. Sure enough, the intronets Google corroborated my wife's information, proving her right once again (one of these days I'll trick her up.) But travelling tip to the wise and wary: if you find yourself in Boston, don't call it "Beantown" to the locals, unless you're looking to get your arse kicked. Apparently, they hate it.)

My wife hit me back with "Why is New York called 'the Big Apple'?"

Excitedly, my fingers flew to Google, hoping to finally--FINALLY--one-up her on knowledge. Naturally, the answer isn't an easy one.

"Experts" don't readily agree on "the Big Apple's" secret origin story. (And to these "experts," I say, "Get a hobby.") My favorite (since debunked) myth has the moniker being coined because there was an infamous madam who ran a brothel named Eve. What would make the most sense, of course, would be the term being coined because New York state is America's top apple grower. But nosiree! It has nothing to do with fruit.

The most widely accepted explanation comes from a 1920's sports writer named John J. Fitz Gerald (who has already lost credibility with me because he pretentiously has four names. Oh, la-dee-dah!). While covering horse racing in New York, John J. Bla, Bla, Bla overheard two jockeys saying they were going for the "Big Apple," meaning the money/trophy/prizes. No real explanation given. Just accept it and move on.

Of course Mr. John J. Yadda-Yadda-Yadda took it and ran with it, cutting out the middlemen and the prize money, and began to refer to New York as the Big Apple. Check out his typical "sports writing:"

The Big Apple. The dream of every lad that ever threw a leg over a thoroughbred and the goal of all horsemen. There's only one Big Apple. That's New York.

Yow! No wonder the guy has four names! This is writing my high school teacher would've loved. But thanks to Mr. Etc., Etc., Etc., a New York tourist board snatched it up in the '70's for a huge promotional blitz and the rest is history. 

Which got me thinking about other famous American big city nicknames. There's "The Big Easy" for New Orleans, of course. This one needs no explanation since the locals prefer the easy life of partying (or maybe it began during prohibition when you could get booze easy-peasy). Either way, these guys aren't like those uptight Beantowners and adore their nickname.

Likewise, Las Vegas' moniker "Sin City" needs no explanation. Not with gambling, prostitution, and Frank Sinatra and his rat pack running rampant through the city. 

Seattle has a slew of nicknames. "Emerald City" is perhaps the most famous, due to all the greenery (but couldn't that hold true for a crapload of other cities, too? By the way, if anyone would like to mow and trim our "greenery," I'm open to offers.). It's also called "Rain City (not for me!)" and "The Coffee Capital of the World (thanks, hipsters!)."

I never knew Miami was called "The Magic City." Apparently, this came about because when immigrants first came to the land, they relied on the Miami River for abundant and easy-to-get food and POOF! Miami practically became a city overnight. (Of course now Florida history books will rewrite this: Miami is called "the Magic City" because white people magically rule!)

Naturally, I assumed Denver being dubbed "The Mile High City" was something smutty. No such luck; it's due to Denver's 5,280-foot elevation point. Boring. Next!

Philadelphia is "The City of Brotherly Love," a nice (albeit sexist?) little moniker named by a Quaker based on the Greek words for love (phileo) and brother (adelphos).

I know why Chicago is called "The Windy City," and trust me, you don't want to be there in the Winter.

All of this research made me curious about my city's nickname. Of course, my lil' suburb wouldn't have a nickname (unless it's "City of Remarkably Poor City Planning" or "City of Mutant Art"), but I wondered what Kansas City nicknames were out there.

"City of Fountains." Okay, we have a few, but I doubt more than any other big city. There's "Cowtown," which I find offensive (but I wouldn't go to blows over it like those blow-hard, bad boy Beantowners). "Cradle of Jazz" I kinda like, but doesn't "cradle" sort of imply that Kansas City was a baby in the creation of jazz? I think not! We should be the "Old Man Diaper of Jazz."

"Gateway to the Southwest" is kinda cool, I think, but it pretty much poo-poo's our city as a turnstile to Bigger, Better things found in the Southwest. And who came up with the ludicrous "Paris of the Plains?" Not only is it not even remotely accurate, but it's embarrassing. I have a bone to pick with the public relations firm that coined that monstrosity!

Then we have the "BBQ Capitol of the World." Well. I wouldn't argue, but try bringing it up to folks from Memphis or North Carolina or Texas or...

Finally, we have "The Heart of America." I'm going to rest on this one, your honor, not because we're the sweetest, nicest folks you'll find in America, but because we rest smack dab in the middle of the country. Case closed! (Now I'm going to go see if my wife knows all this...)

Speaking of geographical nicknames, 15-year-old Dibby Caldwell lives in a rural Kansas town nicknamed "Peculiar County." For good reason. Dibby's dealing with corpses that won't stay dead, witches, a mysterious killer, ghost dogs, a haunted tree, a hanging judge back from the dead, and something that flies the night skies of Peculiar County. Come on down and visit Peculiar County. Tell 'em the mortician's daughter sent ya. They'll be waiting...