[pogo101]

AFAIK, "spearchucker" was a respected surgeon, by everyone, and it apparently referred to his prowess as a college QB.

To pick a nit, no: he said in the film (in response to an admirably direct question about the nickname's origin), "I used to throw the javelin."

[boop]

I'll accept that, as I don't recall that exchange.

I still think that the nickname was perjorative, even in the early '50s.

But like everything else in that period, he probably didn't really take offense to it.

I imagine he thought it was funny and didn't get riled up about it.

I mean EVERYONE had a nickname. Hawkeye, Trapper, etc.

It's like being in the Mafia. You haven't made it until you have some moniker like "The Chin", Johnny two-times", The Plunge", "Joe Bananas", you name it.