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.
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The following are common American slang terms, each of which derived from baseball jargon or baseball slang:
B
- Bean -- To strike in the head. In baseball, a bean ball is a pitch intentionally thrown at a batter's head. The word bean itself is old-fashioned slang for head.
- Bench clearer -- A physical brawl. Refers to a fight between two teams onfield, in which the dugouts of both teams are emptied and everyone participates in a free-for-all. Originated from the semi-annual phenomenon of Boston Red Sox-New York Yankees fights.
- Big gun -- A dominant player, especially offensively. A "big gun" in baseball is a powerful hitter with an impressive batting average.
- Big show (or, just the show, the major leagues, or the majors) -- competing with others at the highest level of competition within any genre.
- Break open or break wide open -- When one team goes on a big offensive run, especially during the middle to latter stages of a tightly contested game.
- (the) Breaks -- Luck and good fortune. Or — more commonly — the way things happen, whether good or bad.
- Bush or bush league -- Amateurish, unprofessional or inferior, especially when bias (toward a sports team, political candidate, etc.) is involved. The term was originally a slang reference to minor league baseball, with the implication that something was not ready for wide exposure and competition.
C
- Can of corn -- An easy accomplishment; derived from a description for an easy outfield catch.
- Catch napping -- To catch off guard. Originally a term for when a pitcher or catcher throws to an occupied base and puts out a runner who is taking a lead and not paying attention to activity on the mound. Also "catch leaning" the thrown-out runner can also be said to be cut down or picked off.
- Charley horse -- A muscle cramp in the lower leg.
- Chin music -- A sock on the jaw. Refers to a beanball (see above) or knockdown pitch that passes close to the batter's jaw. May also come from gangster slang.
- Clear the bench -- Same as bench clearer (as in, a large brawl).
- Also, in a one-sided game whose outcome has been decided, to "clear the bench" means to remove a game's top players — i.e., starters and top substitutes — from the game and allow reserves (players perceived to have less ability) to play until the game is officially over. For instance, in a basketball game where one team is ahead by 30 points with three minutes left in the fourth quarter, fans may see one or both coaches "clear the bench."
- Clutch or In the clutch - The ability to do well when the pressure is on, or when it really counts (e.g. the bottom of the 9th, with bases loaded and two outs, when the team is about to lose). Refers to the controversial belief in the phenomenon of clutch hitting, an uncharted variable in baseball for which no reliable statistical formula has yet been devised.
- Crackerjack -- A really good player or team.
- Cup of coffee -- Had a brief fling with fame or success, but blew it. Reference to having played briefly in the Major or Minor leagues, as in "He had a cup of coffee once."
- Curveball -- A surprise, often completely and totally unexpected. The curveball is a pitch in baseball designed to fool the batter by dropping unexpectedly.
- Cut down —- A degrading, disparaging remark directed at someone or something. Reference to a player getting thrown out, either via a force play or while attempting to steal a base.
D
- Drop the ball -- To fail in one's responsibilities. A reference to fielding, when catching a fly ball is expected to be easy, often resulting in changing of the game's momentum.
F
- Fan -- A strong supporter of a person or organization. Originally a boxing term, those who followed or "fancied" the sport were called "the fancy"; the term was shortened to "the fans", adopted into baseball, and reinforced by its apparent connection to the word "fanatic".
- Foot in the bucket -- To act timidly or cowardly. A batter who steps away from home plate with his leading foot (usu. in fear of being struck by a pitched ball) instead of a straight-ahead stride is said to "step in the bucket."
G
- Get to first base -— To succeed in the initial step of something, such as getting a job interview or asking someone out on a date. To get to second base, get to third base, etc. means to succeed in something above and beyond the first step (e.g., instead of merely getting the job interview, the employer extends a job offer on the spot).
- "Going, going, gone!" -- Dramatic description of anything departed. This phrase is used when a home run is hit, baseball announcers such as Mel Allen.
H
- 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). Today, this phrase is most often used to describe a motorist who strikes another vehicle and departs the scene without leaving information (in an effort to avoid being detected or charged with a traffic offense).
- Home run -- as in hit a home run, hit it out of the park or knock it out of the park -- To succeed completely at something (opposite of strike out). In a sexual context, it means complete success at having sex, especially with someone desirable.
I
- In a jam -- To be in a bad, unenviable situation (such as having two or more committments at once and not immediately knowing what to do about it). Comes from when the offensive team has the bases loaded with less than two outs, and the pitcher must deal with the situation. To get out of a jam, then, usually means for a pitcher to cause the next batters in the lineup to either strike out; or hit into either force, routine or double/triple plays to end the inning without anyone scoring.
- In jeopardy -- A batter-runner or base runner at risk of being thrown out because a ball is in play. Probably comes from legal terminology.
- (the) Inning —- When everything seems to finally be coming together for someone to succeed at something long desired, only for something to go horribly wrong (especially when the goal is just about to be realized) and the end result is failure. Refers to a latter inning of a game when a team is on the verge of a huge victory, but a series of events allows the opponent (who is behind) to stage a big rally and eventually win, as what happened to the Chicago Cubs in the eighth inning of Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series vs. the Florida Marlins.
- "It ain't over 'till it's over!" —- A famous quotation from baseball player Yogi Berra; one of many yogiisms. In sports, it means that a game isn't over until time expires, the final out is registered, etc., and that the players need to stay mentally focused until the game is officially over. The term comes into play when a team has a large lead but then starts to let their guard down, especially when there is time left for the losing team to rally (and possibly win the game).
- In politics, this could mean that a candidate — especially one with a large lead — should not count on a victory until the final results are officially declared by an election official, particularly if precincts heavily favoring the opponent have yet to report.
- The original and self-evident adage, misstated famously by Yogi, is "The game is not over until the last man is out." Another variant was Earl Weaver's "The opera's not over until the fat lady sings!"
J
- Jim-dandy -- Admirable or superior.
L
- 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.
M
- Muff -- To screw up [transitive]; make a big mistake.
- "Nice guys finish last" -- A misquote of a statement made by Leo Durocher. Often taken to mean that people sometimes fail at something, even when someone is working hard, playing by the rules and success is well-deserved.
O
- Off base -- Out of line, working on faulty assumptions. In baserunning, being off base is a mistake that could lead to a runner being put out.
- Out in left field -- Odd, out of the norm. An irrational observation. Also, a misguided or adrift individual. Rumored to orginally describe fans who came to Yankee Stadium to see Babe Ruth (a right fielder) but who bought tickets for the wrong side of the field.
- Out of left field -- An argument or claim that appears difficult to imagine without prior knowledge. Or, something unusual that happens totally unexpectedly.
P
- Pick off -- To shoot and kill someone (an animal or person), especially from a distance; or to intercept something — such as a package or money shipment — often during a crime. Derived from a catcher who throws a baserunner out while trying to steal; or a pitcher/catcher who catches a baserunner taking a lead.
- Pinch hitter -- A substitute. In baseball, having another player take one's place at bat is a pinch hitter. To succeed, then, is to come through in a pinch.
- Put away or put a team away -- When one team goes on an offensive run, usually during the middle to later stages of a game, to seal the outcome before the game's natural conclusion. In this case, a comeback rally by the losing team is unrealistic.
R
- 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.
- Rained out -- When an outdoor event — sporting or otherwise — is cancelled or postponed to a later time because of the weather. A rain delay, on the other hand, means a game or event is stopped because of the weather, with the hopes it will continue later in the day.
- Related: lightning delay (when a thunderstorm forces an event to be postponed or cancelled).
- Rhubarb -- A noisy or heated argument between players or between one or more umpires and players. Can also refer to a difficult situation for a team to get out of.
S
- "Say it ain't so, Joe!" -- An expression of disbelief. A reference to the Black Sox scandal of 1919.
- Score -- Just what the name implies; to earn points toward a possible victory. In a sexual contest, it means to succeed in having sex, especially with someone desirable.
- Screwball -- Eccentric, zany, or crazy. The screwball is a rarely used pitch (because of its effect on the arm) that is intended to behave erratically -- it "breaks" in the opposite direction a curveball would break. 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. Traditional (though dubious) explanation of origin: 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 -- Tto rise to an occasion in life. Refers to taking a turn at bat.
- Strike out -- To fail completely at something.
- Swings both ways or switch-hitter -- Slang for bisexual. Refers to players who are capable of hitting as a left-handed or right-handed batter.
T
- Tinker to Evers to Chance -- An activity that routinely proceeds according to plan.
W
- Wait 'til next year -- Expression of hope and nihilism, used especially by fans of a perpetually losing sports team, especially during the waning stages of a losing season. This phrase was most notably used by Brooklyn Dodgers fans in the late 1940s and early 1950s until they finally won the 1955 World Series. More recently, it has been used frequently by Chicago Cubs supporters in reference to their various attempts to succeed since their last World Series champsionship in 1908, or their last World Series appearance in 1945.
- Walk -- An acquittal given to a defendant in a criminal trial.
- Whiffleball, whiff, whiff out -- When a pitcher strikes out a batter because the batter makes poor swings, OR when a batter makes a weak hit that goes straight to the mound.
- Whole new ball game -- A new, fresh start. Sometimes, this phrase is used when a team that had been behind by a large margin rallies in the latter stages of the game to either close the gap, tie the game or take the lead.