John Boccabella

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John Dominic Boccabella was a major league baseball catcher, infielder and outfielderr during 1963-1974, with the Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos and San Francisco Giants.

Boccabella became known as a utility player. He achieved some additional popularity just because of his name. When he first came up to the Cubs from their farm team in Pocatello, Idaho the San Francisco native was nonetheless dubbed "Boccabella from 'Pocatella'" by the Cubs radio announcers. When his career blossomed as a "super-sub" (frequent substitute) on the expansion Expos, public address announcer Claude Mouton would call attention to his name, at each at-bat, by enunciating each syllable with a florid style: "John... Boc-ca-BEL-la".

Lou Brock's patented combination umbrella and hat paid witting or unwitting homage to this player also, being named the "Brock-a-brella".