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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. Baseball is a team sport in which a player on one team (the pitcher) attempts to throw a hard, fist-sized ball past a player on the other team (the batter), who attempts to hit the baseball with a tapered, smooth, cylindrical stick called a bat. ...
American English (AmE) is the dialect of the English language used mostly in the United States of America. ...
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. Slang, is the non-standard or non-dialectal use of words in a language of a particular social group, and sometimes the creation of new words or importation of words from another language. ...
Jargon is a type of terminology which is used in conjunction with a specific activity, e. ...
Baseball slang is particularly used to describe the level of physical intimacy achieved in a relationship (e.g., "I got to first base last night"). Although the terms are listed below as well, the baseball euphemism article gives a fuller description of baseball slang when used in this context. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...
One subject often used as a metaphor for physical intimacy, especially to describe the level of intimacy achieved in intimate encounters or relationships, is the game of baseball. ...
The following are common American slang terms, each of which derived from baseball jargon or baseball slang: The following is an alphabetical list of selected unofficial terms, phrases, and other jargon used in baseball, and explanations of their meanings. ...
A
- AAAA -- Term used for a player who is too good for AAA, the highest level of Minor League Baseball, but not good enough for Major League Baseball. The idea is that, if there were a Minor League level higher than AAA, such a player would belong there. Many utility players fall into this category. Pronounced "Quadruple A".
A Class A California League game in San Jose, California (1994) Minor baseball leagues are North American professional baseball leagues that compete at a level below that of Major League Baseball. ...
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in professional baseball in the world. ...
In baseball, an utility player is a player who can play several different positions. ...
B - Ballpark figure, in the ballpark, and out of the ballpark -- A ballpark figure is an estimate. If the estimate is "in range", it is "in the ballpark"; if it is "out of range" it is "out of the ballpark." If the estimate is totally off, one can say, "not even in the right ballpark." Though the word ballpark can apply to a number of sports stadiums, it is implied that the park is a baseball park. Out of the ballpark can also mean to do well; see home run. This is a slang term more commonly used outside of baseball culture.
- Batting 1000 or batting a thousand -- Getting everything in a series of items right. In baseball, someone with a batting average of one thousand (written as 1.000) has had a hit for every at bat in the relevant time period (e.g. in a game).
- Bean -- As a verb, to strike in the head. In baseball, a bean ball is a pitch intentionally thrown at a batter's head. The word bean as a noun is old-fashioned slang for head. It now is commonly used to signify any pitch that hits a batter, not just in the head.
- Big league, as in "you're in the big leagues now" -- Important, major, the highest order. Major League Baseball, the highest level of professional baseball, is sometimes called the big league or big leagues.
- Break, as in "them's the breaks" or "tough break" -- In baseball, the curved path of a curveball is called its break. A batter who is trying to hit a curveball has to be aware of its break, and the ball may appear to suddenly veer in another direction. In common usage, break means luck or fortune, or just the way things happen. If someone "gets a good break", it means they got lucky.
- Brush-back -- To subvert or threaten verbally. In baseball, a nickname for any pitch intended to establish a pitcher's command of the inside portion of the strike zone, usually involving throwing a pitch near or at a hitter who may be covering that portion of the strike zone, in affect, making the strike zone smaller, something pitchers hate.
- Bush-League -- to be without novelty or couth. To be seen as amateur or plain.
- Bye bye baby -- the signature home run call of former San Francisco Giants announcer Russ Hodges.
B Batting average is a statistic in both baseball and cricket measuring the performance of baseball hitters and cricket batsmen, respectively. ...
The term hit can refer to any of the following: in marketing, a success involving (sudden) popularity of and demand for a particular item, such as a song that reaches the hit parade in archery and in target shooting, striking the exact desired spot, commonly the center of a target...
In baseball statistics, an at bat (AB) is used to calculate other data such as batting average. ...
This article is about a recreational activity. ...
In the game of cricket, a ball that does not bounce and passes the batsman at or about head height. ...
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the highest level of play in professional baseball in the world. ...
Curveball Pitch Curveball Pitch The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a grip and hand motion that induces extra rotation on the ball causing it to break, to fly in a more exaggerated curve than would be expected. ...
Major league affiliations National League (1883-present) West Division (1969-present) Major league titles World Series titles (5) 1954 • 1933 • 1922 • 1921 1905 NL Pennants (20) 2002 • 1989 • 1962 • 1954 1951 • 1937 • 1936 • 1933 1924 • 1923 • 1922 • 1921 1917 • 1913 • 1912 • 1911 1905 • 1904 • 1889 • 1888 West Division titles (6...
Russell Patrick Hodges (June 18, 1910 at Dayton, Tennessee - April 18, 1971 at San Francisco, California) was an American broadcaster who did play-by-play for several baseball teams, most notably the New York and San Francisco Giants. ...
C - Can of Corn -- a routine pop-fly that is caught without much difficulty
- Cover your bases, cover all the bases -- Ensure safety. In baseball, a player covers a base by standing close to it, ensuring a runner can not reach it safely. Also, a G-rated way of saying "CYA".
- Curveball, as in "she really threw me a curveball" -- A surprise, often completely and totally unexpected. The curveball is a pitch in baseball designed to fool the batter by dropping unexpectedly. See also break.
CYA can refer to: Internet slang for see you an acronym for cover your ass the Canadian Yachting Association the California Youth Authority, renamed California Division of Juvenile Justice in 2004 This page concerning a three-letter acronym or abbreviation is a disambiguation page—a list of articles associated with...
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 - 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. Among American youth, it refers to kissing someone on a date. Similiary, to get to second base and to get to third base vaguely refer to more sexual acts, though some people may have very specific definitions of what each term means. Finally, to reach home means to have sex.
- Go for extra bases -- to strive for greater results, most commonly with sexual acts.
- "Going, going, gone!" -- Dramatic description of anything departed. This phrase is used when a home run is hit by baseball announcers such as Mel Allen.
- Golden Sombrero -- Striking out four times in a single game - quite a feat!
- "Grab Some Pine, Meat!" -- In other words, you've just struckout, go sit down. ('Pine' referring to the traditional material of the bench in the dugout.) Mike Krukow.
For other uses of the phrase see Home run (disambiguation) In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run for each runner who was already on...
Mel Allen (February 14, 1913 - June 16, 1996) was an American sportscaster. ...
Michael Edward (Mike) Krukow (born January 21, 1952 in Long Beach, California) is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. ...
H - Hardball, play hardball -- Tough, aggressive. Refers to the comparison between balls in baseball and softball. Baseball is generally considered the more difficult game.
- 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.
Softball is a team sport in which a ball, eleven to twelve inches (28 to 30. ...
I - "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). 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!"
- "It's deja vu all over again!" -- Another famous yogiism. It's a redundant way of saying "Here we go again!" It has come into general circulation in the language to describe any situation which seems to be observably repeating itself.
Yogi Berra on his 80th birthday Lawrence Peter Yogi Berra (born May 12, 1925) is a former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who played almost his entire career for the New York Yankees. ...
Yogiisms are quotations by Yogi Berra, who, besides being a baseball player, was also famous for fracturing the English language in provocative, interesting ways. ...
Earl Sidney Weaver (born August 14, 1930 in St. ...
Yogiisms are quotations by Yogi Berra, who, besides being a baseball player, was also famous for fracturing the English language in provocative, interesting ways. ...
K - Knock the cover off the ball -- to succeed beyond expectation.
L - Left field, as in "that insult really came out of left field" -- Unusual, unexpected, or irrational. Rumored to originally 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. Less commonly, someone "plays out in left field" if they do not contribute to a team. This usage stems from the common perception (probably partially derived in children's sandlot and Little League games) that a left fielder usually is among the worst on his team in fielding skills, and may be considered a liability on defense. Another legend is that the phrase originates from Chicago's old West Side Park which had a mental hospital located behind left field. Visiting players came to refer to something as odd to be 'out in left field.' The flaw in that story is that Cook County Hospital was behind third base, not left field.
- Lou Gehrig's disease -- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), named after the famed New York Yankee whose affliction with the fatal disease brought it to national attention.
Yankee Stadium is the home stadium of the New York Yankees, a major league baseball team. ...
For the band named Babe Ruth, see Babe Ruth (band). ...
This person is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with motor neurone disease. ...
Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) East Division (1969-present) Major league titles World Series titles (26) 2000 • 1999 • 1998 • 1996 1978 • 1977 • 1962 • 1961 1958 • 1956 • 1953 • 1952 1951 • 1950 • 1949 • 1947 1943 • 1941 • 1939 • 1938 1937 • 1936 • 1932 • 1928 1927 • 1923 AL Pennants (39) 2003 • 2001 • 2000...
N - "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 seems well-deserved.
Leo Ernest Durocher (July 27, 1905 - October 7, 1991), nicknamed Leo the Lip, was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. ...
O - Off base -- Out of line, working on faulty assumptions. In baserunning, being off base is a mistake that could lead to the runner being put out.
- Out of left field -- See left field.
P - Petey -- a scrape or "raspberry" on the knees or elbows, caused by sliding hard against the clay of the baseball diamond. This nickname can be attributed to Pete Rose and his aggressive sliding technique
- Play ball -- To cooperate. Before every baseball game, the umpire shouts "play ball" in order to start the game.
- Put it on the board, YES! -- A signal for a homerun by Chicago White Sox announcer Ken "Hawk" Harrelson.
Peter Edward Pete Rose Sr. ...
R - Rain check -- In the event of cancellation of any event, an invitation that may be renewed at a later date. Baseball games that are cancelled or interrupted due to rain are typically rescheduled. In that case, the ticket stub itself is the "rain check".
- Ride the pine -- to be not involved in the situation or task; to not participate. Usually refers to a player of lesser-perceived ability, who does not usually see action in a game unless it has been effectively decided.
S - "Say it ain't so!" -- An expression of disbelief. A reference to the Black Sox scandal of 1919, when the Chicago White Sox lost the World Series on purpose. When Shoeless Joe Jackson was implicated in the scandal, an apocryphal story says that a young fan approached him and said, "Say it ain't so, Joe!"
- 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 New York Giants — Carl Hubbell and Christy Mathewson (who called it the "fadeaway" pitch).
- Second base/get to second base -- General reference to advancing physical intimacy with a member of the opposite sex. Commonly used in question form ("Did you get to second base?"). A positive reply typically implies that more than kissing has occurred. Outside of a sexual context, this can mean advancing beyond the first step in a given process, such as landing a job interview when one merely expected to schedule one.
- The Show -- Baseball played at the highest level (which is Major League Baseball). Major League Baseball, the highest level of professional baseball, is sometimes called The Show. The phrase "He's going to The Show" indicates that a player is being called up from the minor leagues to a Major League Team and may get a chance to show his stuff and become a permanent player at that level.
- Southpaw -- A left-handed person. Traditional (though unprovable) 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 east or northeast of home plate. Thus, a right-handed pitcher's throwing hand would throw from the north side of the pitcher's mound, and a left-handed pitcher from the south; accordingly, a left-hander was called a "southpaw".
- Step up to the plate -- To rise to an occasion in life. Refers to when a player must approach home plate to take a turn at batting.
- Strike, as in "strike out", "three strikes, you're out", "a strike against you", "he was born with two strikes against him", etc. -- In baseball, a strike is when the batter fails to hit a good pitch. A batter with three strikes is out and stops batting. The word strike has crept into common English usage to mean a failure or shortcoming. When a person has "gotten three strikes" and "struck out", they have failed completely. See also A swing and a miss.
- 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.
- A swing and a miss -- An attempt and subsequent failure. One way to get a strike. See also strike.
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1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...
The World Series is the championship series of Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada, the culmination of the sports postseason each October. ...
Shoeless Joe Jackson, 1919 Joseph Jefferson Shoeless Joe Jackson (July 16, 1889 – December 5, 1951) was a left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Philadelphia Athletics, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox. ...
City East Rutherford, New Jersey Other nicknames Big Blue, G-Men Team colors Royal Blue, Red, Gray, and White Head Coach Tom Coughlin Owner Wellington Mara and Preston Robert Tisch (both now deceased) General manager Ernie Accorsi Fight song {{{song}}} Mascot {{{mascot}}} Local radio Flagship stations: WFAN (660 AM) Announcers...
Carl Owen Hubbell (June 22, 1903 - November 21, 1988) was a left-handed screwball pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the New York Giants in the National League from 1928 to 1943. ...
Christy Mathewson of the New York Giants at West Side Park in Chicago, Illinois. ...
The Sun is the spectral type G2V yellow star at the center of the solar system, in the Milky Way galaxy. ...
Home plate is the final base in baseball and related games that a player must touch to score. ...
Bisexuality in human sexual behavior refers to the aesthetic, romantic, and sexual desire for people of both genders and/or for people of both sexes. ...
T - Touch base, as in "we'll touch base at the meeting" -- To ensure everyone has the same information. In baseball, a player who is touching a base is not in danger of being put out. May also be a military term.
- Throwing asprins -- throwing fastballs, the idea being that the white baseball is moving so fast that it is too small (like an asprin) to see and hit.
W - Whole new ball game / brand new ball game ; whole 'nother ball game -- In baseball, an announcer says "it's a whole new ball game" when the trailing team ties the score (usually after the trailing team has been behind by several runs), referring to the fact that both teams are right back to where they started at the beginning of the game. In common usage, a "whole new ball game" or "brand new ball game" signifies a drastic turn of events. A "whole 'nother ball game" signifies something completely unrelated, different, or irrelevant.
- Walk-off home run -- In baseball, when a hitter hits a game-winning home run, it is often described as a "walk-off home run," a term coined by pitcher Dennis Eckersley to describe what happens when a batter produces the game-winning run. The losing team walks off the field.
Dennis Lee Eckersley (born October 3, 1954 in Oakland, California), nicknamed Eck, was a Major League Baseball player elected to Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004 (his first year of eligibility). ...
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