The touching reason Dallas Keuchel accidentally honored Lil Dicky with his Players' Weekend nickname
You wouldn’t really expect “Dallas Keuchel” and “Lil Dicky super fan” to be used together in a sentence, but when Players’ Weekend nicknames came out last week, it appeared at first that the Astros ace is just that.
Keuchel’s jersey is set to read “David Burd,” which is Lil Dicky’s real name. The rapper was honored.
.@kidkeuchy I see you!!! what an honor!!!!!!!!! I need an autographed version of this thing! https://t.co/yBhjtOYvu1
— LD (@lildickytweets) August 10, 2018
However, Keuchel told The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan that he intended no such thing – but added that it was a “cool” surprise. Instead, he’s honoring longtime Astros clubhouse attendant David Burd, and didn’t know about the Lil Dicky connection before he made his pick. The 57-year-old Burd goes by the nickname “Tweety” himself.
Keuchel wanted to give recognition to someone who never asks for any.
“I think just in my seven years here, he’s probably the lone guy who doesn’t like any recognition at all,” Keuchel said. “He’s easily embarrassed by anybody calling his name out in any public setting. And he’s just been an integral part of the clubhouse. He’s always here. He’s always doing something.”
Burd has been with the organization for 29 years, and was suspicious of Keuchel when he found out about his tribute.
“I don’t know if he’s up to something or he wants something down the road,” Burd said. “I’m serious! I mean, it would be an honor [for him] to do that. But I just found out about this last Friday.”
Keuchel has yet to talk to Burd personally about bearing his name on Aug. 24-26, but MLB had to ask permission to use it, so it won’t come as a surprise.
The ace could have just gone with “Tweety,” which Burd has used since middle school. But there’s another bird to accidentally honor with that one.
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