CHRISTINE AMMER
SOUTHPAWS & SUNDAY PUNCHES
AND OTHER SPORTING EXPRESSIONS
Copyright Christine Ammer 1992 Trust, 1993
ISBN: 978-1-61842-261-3
PREFACE
The box score's in , but don't jump the gun and leave our white hope out of the money. So let's keep the ball rolling, right down to the finish line, and we'll have a field day.
These three sentences contain nine idioms from sports, and that's not a ballpark figure! They may not be a model of elegant prose, but they show how terms from sports have become part of everday speech.
All of the six hundred or so terms in this book are associated with sports -- most actually originated in one or another sport -- but they have acquired far more extensive meaning. For example, a southpaw now simply means a left-handed person, whether or not he or she has ever picked up a baseball. Similarly, hit and run now just means leaving the scene of a motor-vehicle accidren, and most wearers of boxer shorts don't realize they are so called because prizefighters first wore them.
For the derivation and history of these words and phrases, I relied on the standard sources used by most lexicographers, especially the Oxford English Dictionary (abbreviated OED in the text) and the work of modern linguists such as Eric Partridge, John Ciardi, and William Safire. I also consulted the work of numerous sportswriters and sportscasters, from Grantland Rice and Red Barber to John Madden.
I am deeply indebted to the many sports-minded friends and acquaintances who originally inspired this project and generously shared their expertise. Among them are my former tennis partners of many years' standing, especially Lee Hatfield. Special thanks also are due to family friend and all-round athlete Jorge Rodriguez; hockey expert John J. McWeeney; soccer coach Robert T. Hartshorn; my late husband and best singles opponent, Dean S. Ammer; our younger son and baseball player Dave Ammer; and our older son John Ammer, hiker, backpacker, canoeist, and tennis enthusiast. This book is much better for their help Its errors and shortcoming are solely my own.
-- Christine Ammer
CONTENTS
PREFACE
A
ace, to
across the board
against the clock
ahead of/behind the count
ain't over till it it's over: see IT AIN'T OVER TILL. . .
Alibi Ike
Ali shuffle
all-out
all over but the shouting
all-star
all the way, to go
all-time
also-ran
amateur
anchorman/woman
angling
Annie Oakley
après-ski
armchair quarterback
asist, an
at bay
A team
ahlete's foot
athletic supporter: see JOCKSTRAP.
B
backpack, toto
back-pedal, to
back to back
bait, to
ball boy
ballpark, in/out of the
ballpark figure: see BALLPARK, IN/OUT OF THE
ball's in your court, the
bare-knuckle
baseball cap
baseball diplomacy
bat around, to
batting average
batting order
battle royal
Bat two for three, three for four, etc.
bean,, to
beat around the bush, to
beat the bushes for, to
beat to the punch, to
"Because it's there""
beer and skittles, not all
behind the eightball
below the belt
bench, on the
bench jockey
big game
Bigger they come (the harder they fall ), the
big hitter
big league
bird-dog, to
black belt
blanket finish
bleachers
blind-side, to
block, to
blow-by-blow
boat people
bob and weave, to
body blow
body English
boner
bookie
bowled over, to be
Bowling Green
boxer shorts
box score
break cover, to
breaks, the (lucky)
breeze (through), to
Bronx cheer
buck fever
bullpen
bull's-eye, to score a
bush league
butterfingers
by a nose
C
caddie
caddie cart
Call 'em as I/you see 'em
call the game, to
call the shots, to
call the signals, to
can't hit the broad side of a barn
can't lay a glove on (someone)
carry the ball, to
catbird seat, (sitting) in the
catch-as-catch can
catch-up, to play
caught in a squeeze play: see SQUEEZE PLAY.
cauliflower ear
center court
champ, champion
change of pace
charley horse
cheap shot
cheerleader
Chinaman's chance: see NOT A CHINAMAN'S CHANCE
choke, to
circus catch
clay pigeon
cleanup hitter
clinch
close call, a
close counts only in horseshoes
close finish
clutch hitter
come up smiling, to
come up to scratch, to
connect, to
counterpunch, to
count out, to
cricket: see NOT CRICKET
curve, (throw) a
cut corners, to
D
daily double
daisy-cutter
dark horse
dash, hundred-yard
dead heat
deck, to
decoy
designated hitter
Dick Smith
dirty pool
disabled, list, on the
Don't look back, something might be gaining on you
doubleheader
double play
down and out
down but not out
down to the wire
dop one's guard, to
drop the ball, to
dunk shot
E
early innings, it's
easy out, an
end run
end zone
enter the arena, to
extra innings
F
face-off, a
fair game
fair play
fake out, to
fall short (of the mark), to
false start, a
fan
fancy Dan
fancy footwork
fanny pack
fast break
featherweight
fencing
field, to
fielder's choice
fill the gap, to
finish in/out of the money: see under MONEY.
finish line
first base, get to
first string
fish, to
fishing expedition
fish or cut bait
fish story
flag on the play
flake, flaky
flat-footed, to catch/be caught
flat-out
flooding the zone
floored, to be
flying start
football, a (political)
football knee
foot in the bucket, to have one's
footwork: see FANCY FOOTWORK
forward pass
foul ball
foul off, to
.400 hitter
free-for-all
free-wheeling
from pillar to post
from start to finish
from the word go
front runner
full count, the
full-court press
fumble on the play
G
game, to be
game isn't/ain't over till it's over:
game plan
gamesmanship
game, set, and match
Garrison finish
gate-crasher
get a rise out of someone, to
get in a huddle: see HUDDLE.
get/set/start the ball rolling, to
get the hook, to
get to first base: see FIRST BASE.
give someone a leg up: see LEG UP.
give someone his/her head, to
glass jaw
go all the way: see ALL THE WAY.
go for it
golf ball
golf cart
golf widow
good innings
good loser/sport
go the distance, to
go to bat for, to
go to the mat, to
grand slam
grandstand play, to make a
ground rules
H
hail Mary play
halftime
Hall of Fame
handicap
handler
hand-off
hands down
handsprings, to do
hang up the gloves, to
hardball: see PLAY HARDBALL.
hat trick
have one's innings, to
have something on the ball: see on THE BALL.
haymaker
head start
heads up
hear footsteps, to
heavy hitter
heavyweight
"He shoots -- he scores!"
hidden ball trick
high dive, to take a
high five
high-sticking
hike: see TAKE A HIKE.
hit-and-run
hit or miss
ht the mark
hold with the hare and run with the hounds, to
hole-in-one
home run
homestretch
home team
hook , line, and sinker
horse player
horse race
horses
hot-dog, to
hot hand
how you play the game
huddle
hurdle, to
I
I call 'em as I see 'em: see CALL 'EM.
"I'm the greatest""
in at the death/finish
infighting
in full cry
Inning, innings
in play
Inside game, the
inside track, the
in someone's corner, to be
instant replay
Interference: see RUN INTERFERENCE, TO
in the bag
in the ballpark: see BALLPARK
in the long run
In the money: see under MONEY.
in there pitching, to be
in the running, to be
in the same league, to be
in the swim
in your face
iron man
it' ain't over till it's over
it's a whole new ball game: see WHOLE NEW BALL GAME.
it's your ball/catch
Ivy League
J
jinx
jock
jockey for position, to
jockstrap
jump the gun, to
K
karate chop
keep the ball rolling, to
keep your eye on the ball
kick off, to
killer instinct
kingpin
knock-down drag-out
knockout
knock the ball over the fence
know the score, to
L
late inning
lateral pass
lead the field, to
lead with one's chin, to
left at the post
left field: see OUT IN LEFT FIELD.
left hook
leg up, (give someone) a
let the side down, to
level playing field, a
lightweight
line of scrimmage
lineup
little old lady in tennis shoes
locker-room
long shot, a
loser: see GOOD LOSER.
Lou Gehrig's disease
low blow
lucky break
M
magic number
main event
major league
major player: see PLAYER
make the cut, (not) to
marathon
mascot
meal ticket
minor league
miscue
miss the mark, to
moment of truth
Monday-morning quarterback
money, to finish in/out of the
mop/wipe the floor with, to
morning glory
Most Valuable Player:
move, a
move the goalposts, to
moxie
muff, to
muscle-bound
muscleman
MVP
N
name of the game, the
neck and neck
neutral corner, in a
never change a winning game
new ball game: see WHOLE NEW BALL GAME.
nice guys finish last
nineteenth hole
ninth-inning rally
no harm, no foul
no holds barred
no pain, no gain
no runs, no hits, no errors
no skin off my nose
not a Chinaman's chance
not cricket
not in one's league: see IN THE SAME LEAGUE.
O
oddball
odds-on favorite
off and running
off base
offside
off the hook
off the mark: see MISS THE MARK.
off the wall
old college try, (let's give it) the
Olympic-size
on deck, to be
one-on-one
one that got away, the
one-two
on one's toes, to be
on the ball, to be/have something
on the button
on the fly
on the nose
on the ropes
on the sidelines
on track
on your mark
open season on
outclass, to
outdistance, to
out in left field, (way)
out of bounds
out of one's league: see IN THE SAME LEAGUE.
out of the money: see under MONEY.
out of the running
P
pacesetter: see SET THE PACE.
palooka
paper chase
par for the course
parry, to
penthouse
pep talk
percentage play, a
phenom
photofinish
pinch hitter
ping-pong, to
pitch for, to
pit stop
"Play ball!"
play ball with, to
play-by-play
play catch-up: See CATCH-UP.
player
play fair, to
play hardball, to
playing against air
playing fields of Eton, the
playing games
playoff
play the ball as/where it lies
play the field. to
play the game, to
poach, to
pole position: see under INSIDE TRACK
poolroom (atmosphere)
poor sport/sore loser
pop-up
power hitter
power play
pro
psych(ed) out, (to be)
pull no puhches, to
pull one's weight, to
punch drunk
punching bag
punch line
push comes to shove, if/when
put one's oar in, to
put on the gloves, to
put up your dukes
Q
quarterback, to
R
rabbit punch
racehorse
racing form
rain check
rain out, to
razz, to
real McCoy, the
rebound
relay
rhubarb
ride, to
ride the bench, to
right off the bat
ringer
ringside seat
riposte
rodeo
roll with the punches, to
root for, to
rought-and-tumble
roundhouse
rub of the green, the
rugby shirt
run but you can't hide, he/you can
run for one's money, to have/give (someone) a
run interference, to
runner's knee
running mate
running start
run-off
run out the clock, to
run to ground, to
run with the ball, to
S
safe by a mile
sandlot
sand trap
saved by the bell
say it ain't so, Joe
score
scratch, to
screwball
scrimmage, to
second, a
second-guessing
second-string
second wind
send to the showers, to
set the pace, to
seventh-inning stretch
shadow boxing
shoo-in
shoot the gap. to
shotmaking
showboat
shutout
sideline, to: see ON THE SIDELINES.
sit on the ball, to
sitting duck
sitting on the pole: see under INSIDE TRACK.
skate, to
skate on thin ice, to
skate the wing hard, to
ski mask
slam dunk
slaphappy
slap shot
sleeper
slugger
snookered, to be
snow bunny
softball
sore loser: see POOR SPORT.
southpaw
spar, to
spectator sport
spitball
split decision
sport, a
sporting chance
sports car
sportsmanship
springboard
spring training
sprint
squeeze play
stalking horse
start from scratch, to
starting gate, (at) the
stay the course, to
sticky wicket
stiff-arm, to
stonewall, to
straight from the shoulder
stranglehold
strike(s) against, to have a/two
strike out, to
strike zone
stymie, to
sudden death
Sunday punch
Super Bowl
swimmer's ear
swing for the fences, to
switch-hitter
swordplay
T
tackle, to
tag team
take a hike
take a rain check: see RAIN CHECK.
take the count: see DOWN BUT NOT OUT.
talk a good game, to
tank, to
teamwork
tee(d) off, to (be)
Tennis, anyone?
tennis elbow
textbook play
That's the way the ball bounces
thoroughbred
.300 hitter/class/man
three strikes against you, to have
throw in the sponge/towel, to
throw off the scent, to
throw one's hat in the ring, to
time out
Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance
titleholder
toehold
toe the line/mark/scratch, to
toe-to-toe
touch (all) base(s), to
touché
track record
training, to be in
triple threat
tug of war
turning a hair, without
two strikes against: see STRIKE(S) AGAINST.
U
ugly customer
unassisted: see ASSIST.
under the wire
up, to be
upshot
up to scratch: see COME UP TO SCRATCH
V
volleyball diplomacy
W
Wait till next year
walk a tightrope, to
walkover, a
warm up, to
Way to go!
white hope
whitewash
whole new ball game, a
wide of the mark: see MISS THE MARK.
wild goose chase
wild pitch
win hands down: SEE HANDS DOWN.
"Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing"
"Win (this) one for the Gipper"
win on points, to
win some, lose some, (you can)
wipeout
wipe the floor: see MOP UP THE FLOOR.
with the gloives off: see BARE-KNUCKLE.
workout
World Series
wrestle to the ground, to
XYZ
yacht club
"You can/could look it up"
You can't win 'em all
zone defense
A
ace, to
To do extremely well; to get high marks. Although the noun ace was used in dice-playing as early as the 13th century, when it began to signify a throw of one, it was not used to describe an outstanding performer until World War I. The French called an airman who had shot down ten enemy planes as, a term quickly translated into English (ace) and applied to other kinds of expert. However, a century earlier an ace meant a winning point scored at racquets and badminton, and in the late 19th century it began to be used to describe an unreturnable stroke in these older racket sports and in tennis -- particularly an unreturnable serve.
By the 1920's the expression had taken verbal form, to ace, meaning to serve an ace. And in the mid-20th century it began to be used figuratively, to score high in any endeavor. Smart students might be said "to ace their final exam."
An ace still means an unreturnable serve in tennis, as well as a hole-in-one in golf. In baseball it generally means the best pitcher on a team. At least one writer believes this last sense was derived from Asa Brainard who pitched for the Cincinnati Red Stockings. In 1869 that team won 56 out of a total of 57 games, using only Brainard as their pitcher, and, the writer claims, his name came to mean a good pitcher and was shortened to "Ace."
"The way his horses ran could be summed up in a word. Last."
-- Groucho Marx, Esquire, 1972
across the board
Applying to all individuals, groups, or categories. The term comes from betting on horse races, where it signifies a combination bet on every winning possibility, that is, win (first place), place (second place), or show (third place). By the mid-20th century it was extended to other endeavors, particularly those involving money, such as an across-the-board price reduction (for all items being sold), a wage increase (for all employees), or tax reduction (for all brackets).
against the clock
In competition with the passage of time, so as to finish faster than anyone else, or by a certain time.
This term comes from various athletic races in which the competitors are not lined up against one another but are timed individually, and the winner is the one with the best (fastest) time. This procedure is followed in contests ranging from running marathons, which follow a prescribed street course, to Olympic ski and skating races. In the mid-20th century the term began to be transferred to other endeavors, particularly those that involve meeting a deadline. For example, "The writers were working against the clock to come up with a new episode for L.A.Law" (The Bulletin, 1990).
ahead of/behind the count
In an advantageous/disadvantageous position. The term comes from baseball. A pitcher is said to be ahead of the count if he has thrown more strikes than balls. The reverse is true for a batter ahead of the count (more balls than strikes have been called). Conversely, a pitcher is behind the count when the umpire has called more balls than strikes, a situation similarly reversed for the batter. The term is used figuratively as well, as in, "Marge has not only made up the assignments she missed but she's way ahead of the count in her reading."
ain't over till it it's over: see IT AIN'T OVER TILL. . .
Alibi Ike
A person who constantly makes excuses for his or her shortcomings or failures. This term comes from the title and main character of a popular short story by Ring Lardner. Published in 1924, it tells of a ball player named Frank X. Farrell who is constantly making excuses for himself, and never accepts responsibility for his mistakes. The story was made into a motion picture in 1932 with Joe E. Brown playing Alibi Ike, which helped establish the general use of the name as a term for a self-exonerating fast talker. However, it is heard less often today.
Ali shuffle
Exceptional nimbleness of foot. The term refers to boxer Cassius Clay, who adopted the Islamic name Muhammad Ali. Heavyweight champion from 1974 to 1978, Ali was famous for his fast talk (see I'M THE GREATEST) and his outstanding footwork. See also FANCY FOOTWORK.
all-out
Using all of one's strength or resources. Although the term was used as an adverb meaning "entirely" or "completely" as long ago as 1300, the present adjectival meaning of making an immense effort dates only from late-19th-century America and was originally used in athletics, particularly in races or other feats of physical exertion. "Irvine...was willing...to 'go all out,' as he put it, in an utmost attempt to reach the top," wrote E.F. Norton in his Fight for Everest (1925). Today we transfer such an effort to just about any enterprise. For example, one might make an all-out effort to produce a fuel-efficient automobile or a highly successful dinner party.
In cricket, incidentally, the term has a totally different meaning: a team that is "all out" is retired because each batsman has been dismissed.
"So we won the first game. Some of the other players may have felt it was all over but the shouting, but I wasn't one of them. I thought the Red Sox were a good team."
-- Yogi Berra on the 1949 pennant race (Yogi, It Ain't Over. . .1989)
all over but the shouting
The result of a contest or an action appears to be certain. This term originated in 19th-century British sports; the OED cites its first use in Charles J. Apperley's Life of a Sportsman 1842). It soon was applied to other kinds of contest, particularly elections, and continues to be so used.
all-star
Consisting of the most outstanding performers. Although the word "star" was used for stage celebrities in Britain as long ago as 1779, it was first applied to outstanding athletes in the United States in the late 19th century and soon crossed the Atlantic. The first
all-star game featuring the outstanding baseball players of the year from the American and National Leagues, took place on July 6, 1933, in Chicago's Comiskey Park, and thereafter became an annual event. At first the all-star players were chosen by the fans; later the managers made the selection, and still later the players joined in the vote. Since 1970 this honor has been accorded by the fans, who vote by balloting. The term "all-star" soon was applied by advertisers to all varieties of entertainment, which purported to present an all-star cast, and continues to be used in this way.
all the way, to go
To carry something to its conclusion. Although in Britain this term was used figuratively from the early 20th century on, in America it has definite associations with football, where it describes any play that scores a touchdown. Thus a player carrying the ball over the goal line is said to have gone all the way. By the mid-20th century the term also became a slang expression for performing sexual intercourse (as opposed to merely engaging in its preliminaries).
all-time
Unsurpassed; the greatest. This term originated in American sports in the early 20th century, and eventually became an actual listing of athletes. Babe Ruth was the first to make the all-time list. (When shortstop Johnny Logan was asked to name the greatest player ever, he came out with "I'll have to go with the immoral [sic] Babe Ruth.") However, the expression was soon transferred to other enterprises, such as an all-time high in automobile production, or used more loosely, as in an all-time favorite popular song.
also-ran
An unsuccessful competitor; a loser. The term comes from horse racing, where it is applied to a horse that either finishes out of the money (in fourth place or lower) or does not finish the race; it sometimes also is applied to a horse that is not expected to be among the top winners. The expression dates from the 1890's and comes from the racing results published in newspapers, which list for each race the horses that win, place, and show, followed by the rest under the heading "also ran." It was transferred first to athletes who did poorly in competition and later to losers of other contests (such as elections), as well as more broadly to persons who had little or no success in any field.
"Amateur: one who plays games for the love of the thing. Unlike the professional, he receives no salary, and is contented with presents of clothes, clubs, rackets, cigarettes, cups, cheques, hotel expenses, fares, and so on.
-- J. B. Morton, Beachcomber (1974)
amateur
One who cultivates a particular field of endeavor as a hobby or pastime. Today the word may also imply that such an individual is inexperienced or unskilled in the enterprise, that is, not good enough to be paid for it. Such a person is often called a rank amateur. Although the term was first used (about 1780) to describe individuals with a fondness for the arts (it comes from the Latin amare, "to love"), it was very soon thereafter used in sports, at first (about 1800) to distinguish gentlemen spectators from the participants in prizefights and then for athletes who participated for the fun of it -- that is, gentlemen who did not have to earn their living.
It is this 19th-century meaning that long persisted in athletic contests, notably in tennis, where amateurs were players not paid to play and professionals received prize money and other forms of payment. Only amateurs were allowed to take part in grand-slam events (national championships) and Davis Cup competition, until 1968, when the distinction was officially eliminated. By then it had already been blurred, with players advertising or promoting various brands of equipment and receiving free training, travel expenses, and the like (see the quotation above). The distinction also persisted in the Olympic Games, which were confined to amateurs until recently. However, in these sports "amateur" did not usually have the disparaging connotation of inexperienced or inept, only unpaid vs. paid. In 1982 Jack Kelly, Jr., Vice President of the U.S. Olympic Committee, said, "Let's be honest. A proper definition of an amateur today is one who accepts cash, not checks" (Sports Illustrated, Feb. 8, 1982).
"The anchorwoman asks, 'If we use our imagination about West Virginia....'"
-- Bill McKibben, "Reflections" (Television), The New Yorker, March 9, 1992
anchorman/woman
American name for the host of a television news program (the British prefer "presenter"). Although an anchorman once denoted the sailor in charge of a ship's anchor, a usage now obsolete, in the early 20th century it was transferred to the end man in a tug-of-war, who secures the rope by tying it around his body. Somewhat later, in the 1930's, it also was used for the last person to race on a relay team. The TV anchorman, dating from the mid-1950's, was derived from these sports expressions and, like them, preserves the original literal meaning of anchor as a device that provides a firm hold for otherwise wandering or floating parts. By about 1970 the word anchorwoman came into use for women television hosts.
"She... did angle for me."
-- William Shakespeare, All's Well That Ends Well 5:3
angling
The act of trying to obtain something by sly or artful methods. This term, of course, is a figurative form of "fishing," as in "fishing for a compliment." (Although the word "fishing" refers to what has been a serious food-gathering occupation for thousands of years, "angling" is used more for the sport of fishing, and hence earns a place in this book.) Literally angling means the art or skill of catching fish with a rod, line, and hook, which may or may not be baited. The word itself comes from the Old English angul, for "hook." By the late 16th century the term was used figuratively, by Shakespeare and numerous other writers, as well as continuing to be used literally. Perhaps the earliest famous proponent of the sport was Izaak Walton, who wrote, "God never did make a more calm, quiet, innocent recreation than angling" (The Compleat Angler, 1653).
Annie Oakley
A free ticket to a performance of some kind. This American colloquialism was first used for free tickets to baseball games, and later was extended to free passes to stage performances or any other event. The name is that of a real-life 19th-century Western sharpshooter, Annie Oakley (1860-1926). For four decades she starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show and showed off her skill by throwing a playing card in the air and shooting holes through all the pips. Because holes were punched in free tickets to prevent their resale, they resembled the target cards, whence the name.
après-ski
Describing a species of clothing, entertainment, and other pursuits appropriate after a day on the ski slopes. This term, French for "after ski(ing)," entered the English language in the early 1950's promulgated mainly by advertisers of clothes, restaurants, night clubs, and the like who were hawking their wares to the winter-resort crowd. A decade later it gave rise to such variants as aprèsgame ("after the game") parties and après-swim ("after swimming") coverups (for bathing suits).
armchair quarterback
A kibitzer; a critic who allegedly knows better than either the participants or the experts. The word "armchair" has been used in Britain for sideline critics since the late 19th century; the OED cites a Times-Register entry of 1886 that has Mr. Chamberlain sneering at "arm-chair politicians." The addition of "quarterback," however, is purely American, referring
to the leadership role of the football quarterback, and dates from the first half of the 20th century. See also MONDAY-MORNING QUARTERBACK.
"He usually played second cornet back of Oliver's lead, an alternately delicate assist and blasting support."
--Barry Ulanov, A History of Jazz in America (1952)
asist, an
An act of helping or support. This expression originally came from baseball, where it was first used in the 1870's in the specific meaning of helping a player either to score or to put out an opponent. As Arthur Guiterman put it, "He may not score, and yet he helps to Win/Who makes the Hit that brings the Runner in" (A Poet's Proverbs, 1924).
The term later began to be used with a similar meaning in numerous other sports as well -- basketball (a pass that leads directly to the receiver's scoring), hockey (tipping or passing the puck to a teammate who scores a goal), lacrosse (passing to a teammate who scores without having to evade an opposing player), etc. Moreover, assists are credited to individual players and are noted in the record books.
A related baseball term is unassisted, which began to be used about 1880 for a player making a putout without help. While an unassisted double play is fairly spectacular, the much rarer unassisted triple play is still more dramatic. According to the Baseball Almanac, by 2009 it had occurred only fifteen times in major-league play.
Although today the use of the noun assist is largely North American, it occurred from the late 16th to early 17th centuries in Britain, where, however, it has largely died out.
at bay
Cornered; in great distress. This term comes from the sport of hunting, where it is used in two ways. Standing at bay describes the position of the hunted stag (or other animal) when it is cornered and faces the pursuing hounds. To keep/be kept at bay refers to the position of the pursuing hounds. The word itself comes from the Old French adjective abai, meaning "barking," an association that has been totally lost in the figurative term in current use. This usage, incidentally, has been around since the late 16th century. Edmund Spenser had it in his A View of the Present State of Ireland (1596): "All former purposes were blanked, the governor at a bay, etc."
"The not-so-secret secret of this year's Democratic Presidential campaign has been the reluctance of the party's A team to take the field."
-- R. W. Apple, Jr., New York Times, Feb. 16, 1992
A team
The top tier of personnel available. The term comes from baseball, where it means the team made up of a club's best players. Also, during spring training, a ball club may divide the players into A and B teams for purposes of practicing against each other. The term A team was adopted by the military, specifically the U.S. Special Forces, where it signifies a hand-picked unit of twelve men, and is also used more generally for the top individuals in any organization. Also see FIRST STRING.
ahlete's foot
A contagious fungus infection affecting the skin of the feet. The popular name of this unpopular disorder, which dates from the 1920's, refers to the fact that the fungus thrives in the warm, humid conditions of locker-rooms and gyms, where the infection is frequently spread. It is also called ringworm of the feet, or, more technically, tinea pedis. Although not considered a serious disorder, athlete's foot involves itching and scaling, and can be unpleasantly persistent despite treatment with antifungal ointments.
athletic supporter: see JOCKSTRAP.
B
backpack, toto
To maneuver outside a space shuttle with the aid of a portable life-support system. This 1960's transfer of a hiking term was coined for American astronauts. The sports usage of the expression, current in the United States since about 1910, is a graphic description of an undertaking -- carrying needed items in a pack on one's back -- that certainly predates the term by many years. Possibly it originated as a translation of the German equivalent, rucksack, which was adopted into English about the mid-19th century. That word continues to be used on both sides of the Atlantic, although to American outdoor aficionados it tends to denote a smaller, always frameless knapsack as opposed to the larger, often frame-equipped backpack.
"Frank tried to take charge, backpedaling quickly to the center of the room so he was next to his wife and facing Carver."
-- John Lutz, Hot (1992)
back-pedal, to
To reverse course; to stop. Before bicycles were equipped with hand brakes, pressing down and back on one pedal as it rose was the standard way to stop. By about 1900, only a few decades after the invention of this mode of transport, the word backpedaling was being used figuratively to mean reversing or retreating from one's previous stand, and it continued to be so used long after the early coaster brakes had been replaced by hand brakes.
In addition to its figurative use, back-pedaling also has a literal meaning in several other sports. In boxing, it means retreating or backing away from one's opponent in the ring. In football, it means running backward while facing an opponent or a play in progress, a maneuver often executed by defensive backs who are guarding the opposing team's receivers.
back to back
Two consecutive events. The term originated about 1900 in baseball, where it means two consecutive hits of the same kind -- for example, back-to-back homers (home runs hit by two consecutive batters). It was transferred to any similar situation, as in "The agent sold two of Mark's plays back to back."
bait, to
To tease, harass, or torment. The term comes from an ancient and cruel sport in which an animal such as a bear, bull, or badger was chained up, and dogs were set to attack it (the word bait comes from Old English and German words for "bite"). The earliest references to such baiting date from the 14th century. Bears actually were bred for baiting, and the spectators would bet on the outcome -- that is, how many dogs would be killed before the bear was torn to pieces. Bull baiting was also common, the breed called bulldog being especially bred for it; it was slightly more humane, in that only one dog was set on the bull at one time (numerous dogs would be used against a bear). Badger baiting also was a popular sport. Nevertheless, Parliament outlawed bear baiting in 1835. The term baiting was used figuratively by the mid-17th century and is still so used today, as, for example, "The boss has an unpleasant way of baiting his secretary."
ball boy
A flunky; one who performs menial tasks. The term originated around the turn of the 20th century. In America it meant, in both tennis and baseball, the individual, usually a boy or young man, who was charged with retrieving balls for the players (or, in baseball, for the umpire); in Britain it designated only the tennis-ball retriever. The term continues to be used, although from the mid-20th century on girls also performed this function, giving rise to the term ball girl. By the mid-20th century the term was transferred to individuals performing similar tasks in other arenas, but this usage is not widespread. Also, today bat boys are more common than ball boys in baseball, although some teams have ball girls to retrieve the ball in foul territory.
"If people don't want to come to the ballpark, nobody's going to stop them."
-- Yogi Berra, It Ain't Over (1989)
ballpark, in/out of the
A rough estimate; within a reasonable range. The transfer of ballpark, specifically meaning a baseball field, to general terminology dates from about 1960, and the word is used in two principal ways. In or out of the ballpark signifies that something is either approximately accurate (in) or is beyond a reasonable range (out). A closely related term, ballpark figure, means a roughly accurate approximation; it has been used since about 1970.
The transfer alludes to the fact that a ballpark is of necessity an enclosed space. Incidentally, the word ballpark has been exclusively used for a baseball field since the turn of the 20th century; it is never used for any other sports arena, at least not in North America.
ballpark figure: see BALLPARK, IN/OUT OF THE
ball's in your court, the
It's your turn; it's up to you. This term comes from tennis, where it signifies that it is the opponent's turn to serve, return, or otherwise play the ball. A British equivalent is "the ball's at your feet," which comes from football (soccer), and has been in use much longer. Lord Auckland used it figuratively in a letter of about 1800: "We have the ball at our feet."
bare-knuckle
Rough, without niceties. The term comes from boxing, where until the late 19th century most bouts took place without boxing gloves. The first generally recognized bare-knuckles champion in the United States was Paddy Ryan. In the first recorded fight, he won by knocking out Joe Goss of England in the eighty-seventh round; both he and Goss had placed bets on the outcome. Two years later, in 1882, Ryan was knocked out in the ninth round by John L. Sullivan, who was the last bare-knuckles boxing champion. His reign lasted a decade, until 1892.
Although opinion is divided, some authorities believe that bare-knuckle bouts were actually less brutal and injurious than boxing with gloves. According to Harry Carpenter, "The glove is there to guard the hand from damage, not add to its power. Therein lies the demarcation line between boxing today and boxing yesterday" (Boxing: An Illustrated History, 1982). Nevertheless, the figurative use of bare knuckles has survived, as in "Enter [Vice-President Dan] Quayle, the feisty finger-pointing, scrappy conservative in search of a bare-knuckles brawl" (Boston Globe, June 11, 1992).
Under the London Prize Ring Rules, whenever a contender was down, whether or not he had been hit or had simply fallen down, he was allowed thirty seconds before being called out. In effect a fighter could rise and immediately fall down again, getting thirty more seconds of rest, repeating the process until he felt able to resume fighting. The Marquis of Queensberry Rules, which came into general use in 1892, required the use of gloves, as well as three-minute rounds and a limit of ten seconds after being knocked down.
"Baseball caps are high style these days. Just ask Karl Lagerfeld, who designs coutour versions for Chanel. . . . Not since the emergence of the T-shirt has there been such an above-the-waist mega-fashion spanning both sexes, all incomes,and every age."
-- Gail Banks, oston Globe Magazine (May 3, 1992)
baseball cap
A cap with a deep visor that usually bears some name, slogan, or other emblem. A basic part of the baseball uniform since the 19th century, it became a generic name for that kind of cap by the mid-20th century. In sports the cap displays the name or emblem of a particular team. In general use, however, it has become a vehicle for advertising just about any product, saying, or organization and also is available without any inscription. The version with a tractor company logo also became known as a gimme cap, because farmers often told a tractor salesman, "Gimme one of those."
baseball diplomacy
American efforts to ease international tensions. This term was coined in 1971 by East Europeans expressing their more or less shocked reaction to President Richard Nixon's announced plans to visit the Republic of China, with which the United States had had virtually no formal relations since the Communists took it over after World War II. It was translated into English (from its first appearance in Polish and Hungarian newspapers) but never came into wide use in America. The reference to baseball here is a synonym for "American" rather than to any specific features of the game. See also under PING-PONG..
bat around, to
To consider various alternatives in a haphazard way. The term comes from baseball practice, or more likely, from a sandlot or pickup baseball game, and is used chiefly in North America. In the late 19th century it also had another meaning, to move or wander about in idle fashion. William Dean Howells used it in this way in a 1907 letter to Mark Twain: "She was in England...batting round with two other girls and having a great time." This usage is still current but is not very common.
"Hitting is the hardest thing in baseball....Ted Williams said that it was the hardest thing in sports, because if you did it three times out of ten you were very good."
-- Yogi Berra
batting average
One's record of success or failure. The term comes from baseball, whose devotees are particularly addicted to record-keeping. To calculate the batting average, divide the number of base hits by the number of official times at bat and carry the result to three decimal places. ("Official times" are only those when a batter hits the ball or strikes out; walks and sacrifices do not count.) Thus 1.000 would be a perfect batting record, and it has never been attained. Nevertheless, the figurative term, batting 1.000 (pronounced "one thousand" despite the decimal point), is used to describe someone who has a perfect record or has achieved a flawless performance.
The literal term has been in use since the 1860's. The highest batting average ever achieved in a single season was .438 by Hugh Duffy of the Boston Beaneaters in 1894. At this writing the last average over .400 was .406 by Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox in 1941, and as Berra points out above, Williams himself considered anything over .300 extremely good.
In cricket the batting average is calculated by dividing the number of runs a batsman has scored by the number of completed innings he has had; thus 2,400 runs in forty innings would mean a batting average of 60.
batting order
A fixed sequence of events. This term, too, comes from baseball, where the order in which the players go to bat is determined at the beginning of a game and may not be changed. In cases of substitution, the substitute goes to bat in the order of the player he replaces.
The figurative use of batting order is strictly American. Britons would consider it a cricket term with a necessarily different meaning, since in cricket the order of batsmen is less rigidly fixed. They come to bat only once during an innings (which often constitutes an entire match), and the order of those who have not yet batted can be changed in the course of the innings.
"Though Luther, Zwinglius, Calvin, holy chiefs, Have made a battel Royal of beliefs."
-- John Dryden, The Hind and the Panther (1687)
battle royal
A general fight; a heated argument. The term comes from cockfighting, where it is used for a fight involving several combatant cocks (not just two). In such a fight the single surviving cock is the victor.
The term has been used figuratively since the mid-17th century and continues to be current even in places where cockfighting is now a rarity or completely unknown.