It seems odd to think about, but there are definitely some socks out there that are more famous and influential than most of us out there. When you think about how little appreciation the average pair of socks get, maybe this will change your mind or at least give you a boost at sock based trivia.
Kurt Schilling’s Bloody Sock
In the 2004 Kurt Schilling had surgery to repair a ruptured tendon in his ankle and was fully expected to be done for the rest of the season. Instead of sitting out and resting a surgically rebuilt ankle, doctors braced the area of the surgically repaired tendon with a wall of stitches and Schilling went on to pitch in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series where he ruptured his stitches and famously finished the game with the bloody sock. If that doesn’t seem tough enough, he simply had it sutured shut and pitched again in Game 2 of the World Series only for the wound to open again.
Lamb Chop
Lamb Chop was a sock puppet created by Shari Lewis who were the main characters of Lamb Chop’s Play-Along, a children’s show that ran on PBS from 1992 to 1997. Through the influence of her show Lamb Chop was given the opportunity to speak before Congress on the issue children’s television protections. After Lamb Chop retired from television she began performing shows primarily for the US military and was made a three star general.
Mr. Socko
For those of you old enough and so inclined to remember professional wrestling in the 90s, Mr. Socko is going to be a name you probably haven’t thought about in a long time, but will remember how a gym sock with a face drawn on it became a celebrity in certain circles. Mr. Socko was the creation of the wrestler Mankind and was simply a sock with a face drawn on it that Mankind would have conversations with and occasionally stuff down the mouth of his opponents as a finishing move.
Socks the Cat
Alright, this one probably breaks the spirit of this one a little bit, but Socks the Cat was a celebrity in the 90s. Socks was the official First Pet to the Clinton family and was often seen on correspondence from the first family. Children who visited the White House were guided by an animated version of Socks along the official tour. Socks managed to get enough fame to become a point of contention with a Republican Representative over the use of staff and resources to handle all of the mail addressed to Socks. After the Clinton’s left the house Socks moved in with the Presidential Secretary, Betty Currie until he passed away.