# North American sports teams referred to by one letter **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 1, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327 "2012-09-01T01:17:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/1 "2012-09-01T01:17:31Z")
The A’s of Oakland, of course. But if someone says the O’s or the M’s won,I know they are talking about the Baltimore/Seattle MLB teams. Who else? The Jay’s is a stretch since it is usually spelled out. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/2 "2012-09-01T01:19:37Z")
The Js of course. (Toronto Blue Jays) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/3 "2012-09-01T01:20:42Z")
I refer to the Yankees using one finger. Does that count? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/4 "2012-09-01T01:24:31Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > The Js of course. > > (Toronto Blue Jays) Hehe,edited before I saw your post ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/5 "2012-09-01T01:25:39Z")
And you edited your comment with the Jays after I posted my response… touché ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/6 "2012-09-01T01:28:33Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > And you edited your comment with the Jays after I posted my response… > touché Yes, I see that,but I did not see your post. Do the papers in Toronto use J’s or Jays? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/7 "2012-09-01T01:32:42Z")
> [@MadTheSwine](#): > > Yes, I see that,but I did not see your post. > > Do the papers in Toronto use J’s or Jays? Always Jays. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/8 "2012-09-01T02:15:43Z")
I think A, O, and M may be it. The NY Giants are sometimes referred to as the G-men, if that counts. ---
**Author:** ![bmoak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bmoak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/9 "2012-09-01T03:32:52Z")
The Boston Bruins are referred to as the Bs. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/10 "2012-09-01T04:14:43Z")
The U (University of Miami Hurricanes) ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/11 "2012-09-01T04:51:46Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > The U (University of Miami Hurricanes) I’ve always thought this was a ridiculous nickname. They even have a U on the football helmets. I’m a little biased, since I can’t stand Miami’s football team. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/12 "2012-09-01T05:42:32Z")
The University of Minnesota teams (the Golden Gophers) have a big M logo, but the institution itself is known (at least in Da Cities) as Da Yoo. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/13 "2012-09-01T05:50:54Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I refer to the Yankees using one finger. Does that count? 😃 Yes. Also allowed is spitting after saying the name. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/14 "2012-09-01T05:54:29Z")
The Orioles are occasionally called the Os. There aren’t many that would be nationally recognized like the As and the Jays. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/15 "2012-09-05T20:32:11Z")
> [@bmoak](#): > > The Boston Bruins are referred to as the Bs. +1 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/16 "2012-09-05T20:52:38Z")
And occasionally the Celtics are called the C’s, but mainly by bored TV announcers, not fans. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/17 "2012-09-05T20:55:22Z")
How about 1.5 letters? University of Washington teams: U-dub ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/18 "2012-09-06T17:34:51Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > I’ve always thought this was a ridiculous nickname. They even have a U on the football helmets. I’m a little biased, since I can’t stand Miami’s football team. 😉 I think so too. Like who the hell wouldn’t be “The U”? ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2012, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-american-sports-teams-referred-to-by-one-letter/633327/19 "2012-09-07T12:19:21Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > The NY Giants are sometimes referred to as the G-men, if that counts. Likewise, the San Francisco Giants are occasionally called The G-Men. Not often, though.