Baseball slang
Paul Dickson says in his introduction to The New Dickson Baseball Dictionary, "The influence of baseball on American English at large is stunning and strong." No other sport has contributed so richly to American English as baseball.
Slang terms (as distinct from jargon) have evolved a usage and meaning independent of baseball and are often used by those with little knowledge of the game. Many of these terms are deeply entrenched in the American psyche.
The following are common American slang terms, each of which derived from baseball jargon or baseball slang:
- the breaks -- luck and good fortune
- bush or bush league -- amateurish, unprofessional, or inferior. The term was originally a slang reference to minor league baseball, with the implication that something was not ready for wide exposure and competition.
- can of corn -- an easy accomplishment
- charley horse -- a muscle cramp in the lower leg
- curveball -- a surprise. The curveball is a pitch in baseball designed to fool the batter by dropping unexpectedly.
- drop the ball -- to fail in one's responsibilities. A reference to fielding, when catching a fly ball is expected to be easy.
- foot in the bucket -- to act timidly
- get to first base, second base, third base, hit it out of the park -- various degrees of sexual conquest.
- "going, going, gone" -- dramatic description of anything departed. This phrase is used when a home run is hit, most famously by baseball announcer Harry Caray. More: You can put it on the board YES...IT's high it's far andddd it's outttttaaa herrreee
- hit and run -- anything that strikes quickly and then abruptly departs. This originally refers to a play in which a base runner starts to advance to the next base when the ball is pitched (similar to a stolen base), with the batter instructed to try to hit the ball (to prevent the runner being thrown out).
- "It ain't over 'till it's over" is a famous quotation from baseball player Yogi Berra; one of many yogiisms
- jim-dandy -- admirable or superior
- left field -- unusual, unexpected, or irrational
- Lou Gehrig's disease -- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), named after the famed New York Yankee who had the disease
- muff -- to screw up [transitive]
- "Nice guys finish last" -- a misquote of a statement made by Leo Durocher
- offbase -- out of line, working on faulty assumptions. In baserunning, being offbase is a mistake that could lead to a runner being put out.
- out in left field -- odd, out of it, space-case
- out of left field -- an argument or claim that appears difficult to imagine without prior knowledge
- pinch hitter -- substitute. In baseball, having another player take one's place at bat is a pinch hitter.
- rain check -- in the event of cancellation, an invitation that may be renewed at a later date. Baseball games are cancelled for rain, but must be rescheduled.
- rhubarb -- a noisy or heated argument
- "Say it ain't so, Joe!" -- an expression of disbelief. A reference to the Black Sox scandal of 1919.
- screwball -- eccentric, zany, or crazy. The screwball is a pitch that is intended to behave erratically -- it "breaks" in the opposite direction a curveball would break. (This pitch has a bad effect on the arm and is not often used.) Its most famous users were both New York Giants--Carl Hubbell and Christy Mathewson (who called it the "fadeaway" pitch.)
- southpaw -- a left-handed person. To avoid the sun shining into the eyes of a batter during the afternoon, every ballfield was built with center field aligned due east of home plate. Thus, a right-handed pitcher's throwing hand would point north when he stood facing the batter; accordingly, a left-hander was called a "southpaw".
- step up to the plate -- to rise to an occasion in life. Refers to taking a turn at bat.
- strike out -- to fail completely
- swings both ways or switch-hitter -- bisexual
- walk -- an acquittal given to a defendant
- whole new ball game -- a new start
See also
