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What is Dixie Dean's first Name?

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I was texted by a friend of mine last night (he was at a quiz!):

"What is Dixie Dean's first name?"

I replied with "William".

Then later when he said "Are you sure?"

I replied with "yes, full name is William Ralph Dean!"

So my friend put down the answer "William" — which was marked incorrect.

As the quiz host said, his FIRST name was actually "William Ralph" ... NOT just "William".

Is this correct?
Peter Griffin, Lancs Posted 25/01/2010 at 06:15:49

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Jamie Rowland
1 Posted 25/01/2010 at 14:24:24

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I was under the impression that Ralph was his middle name.

But I suppose that there is no such thing as a middle name — they are ’first names’... i.e. in court, at a wedding etc. you are addressed by your first names...

So perhaps the quiz master was correct.

Albert Dock
2 Posted 25/01/2010 at 14:32:39

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I have a copy of Dixie’s birth certicate which I have before me. This contains the original entries photocopied.

At 325 Laird Street, Birkenhead to William and Sarah Emma (formerly Brett) Dean a son William Ralph born 22 Jan 1907. Registered 4 March 1907.

I would suggest that the quizmaster is both a pedant and a koppite and should be dealt with accordingly.

Shaun Brennan
3 Posted 25/01/2010 at 14:59:34

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The quiz master is a bit of a tit. Seems like a trick question.

Doddy please defend him.....

Michael Kenrick
Editorial Team
4 Posted 25/01/2010 at 14:55:08

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This is probably a stretch but his father’s name was William Dean. It was perhaps unusual back then to have a middle name; my old man didn’t have one... but he called his first son Robert Stanley, which again I think was the fashion — to name the first son after the father but to add what I always thought was a middle name.

In the two books I have, they alternate between William, William Ralph, and Dixie — which was already his nickname when he signed for Tranmere aged 16. I would say the quizmaster is wrong.

Eugene Ruane
5 Posted 25/01/2010 at 15:12:24

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Was the Everton chairman John ’Moores’

I was playing Trivial Pursuit and my mate said it was ’Moops’

Lee Smith
6 Posted 25/01/2010 at 15:19:07

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My question is, did your friend get kicked out of the quiz for such an outrageous attempt at cheating???!!!!!

Shaun Brennan
7 Posted 25/01/2010 at 15:34:50

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Ha ha ha, Lee Smith you are absolutely right. His friend must have been a Kopite if he was cheating.

Tony Williams
8 Posted 25/01/2010 at 15:38:53

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Logically, the lack of any hyphen would show that his first name was William, simply because there is a gap between William and Ralph. "It is", there are two words in that comment and no amount of arguining would suggest that it is all one word so William (space) Ralph can never be construed as a "first" name, only First "names"

Fran Mitchell
9 Posted 25/01/2010 at 15:49:14

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Eugene Ruane: blatant attempt of Seinfeld plagiarism.

Tony Williams: spot on.

Mark Stone
10 Posted 25/01/2010 at 16:06:49

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Cheating little begger. There’s the same group on a table near us at the quiz every week and they’re always all sitting there texting/googling on their phones. Drives me up the bloody wall.

Phil Bellis
11 Posted 25/01/2010 at 16:19:50

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That was my first thought — "cheating kopite bastard".

We’ve solved the cheating problem on our quiz night by appointing a Wyatt Earp (or is that Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp)-type bouncer. He makes you hand over your mobiles, notebooks, palmtops, laptops when you enter the bar and you don’t get them back till you leave town on the next stage.

Anyone looking dodgy is frisked in a severe and often invasive manner by Gay Nige; women, of course, being incapable of cheating, are exempt.

Andy Hegan
12 Posted 25/01/2010 at 16:58:46

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Eugene, great reference, Fran missed the point.

Trevor Lynes
13 Posted 25/01/2010 at 20:28:49

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Quiz masters can be very correct!!!

I had the same experience with W C Fields... I answered William Claude Fields and I was told it was William Claude Dukinfield... so there!!

I reckon that there should be a fourth official...........

Dick Fearon
14 Posted 25/01/2010 at 22:20:37

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Here in Oz, it is common for the middle name to be used. but even a lot of Australians were staggered when G W Bush greeted our prime minister as John. We all thought his name was Malcom when in fact that was merely his middle name.

I take this opportunity to wish Timothy Joel Cahill all the best for Australia Day. Come on Auzzie come on!

Steven Pendleton
15 Posted 25/01/2010 at 22:44:59

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Eugene, nice touch of Seinfeld thrown in there. Gold Eugene, Gold!!

Steven Pendleton
16 Posted 25/01/2010 at 22:45:58

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Oh yeh, and Fran, ’no posting for you!!!’

Dennis Stevens
17 Posted 25/01/2010 at 23:42:04

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"Bill"

Eugene Ruane
18 Posted 26/01/2010 at 10:09:30

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Hullo..........(with a slight sneer).....Mitchell

Fran Mitchell -spot off!

When you recognised the Seinfeld reference, did you mentally exclaim ’"Ah-HAR!! GOT HIM!"

To ’plagiarise’ Seinfeld, would be like...um...me writing a sitcom and using their plots and characters.

What I did was (nb: in the context of discussing the correct name of a famous Everton figure) use a correct name gag from Seinfeld.

Some got it.

You did and yet....you didn’t.

This I reckon makes you 85% David Puddy, 15% crazy Joe Davola.

Mike McLean
19 Posted 29/01/2010 at 05:53:14

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Seinfeld sucks, but to the question. First name William. The quiz master is wrong. No, Michael, it wasn’t at all unusual "back then" to have a middle name.

If you know your history, the playground of the 19th and early 20th century is lettered with middle namers.

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