End of ADS-L Digest - 9 Jan 1998 to 10 Jan 1998 *********************************************** Subject: ADS-L Digest - 10 Jan 1998 to 11 Jan 1998 There are 3 messages totalling 184 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. High Ball; Moonshiner; Cracker Jack; Chickened Out; --NOT!; Coon; et al. 2. High Ball; Moonshiner; Cracker Jack; Chickened Out; --NOT!; Coon; et al. 3. asbestos...? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 11 Jan 1998 08:08:32 EST From: Bapopik Subject: High Ball; Moonshiner; Cracker Jack; Chickened Out; --NOT!; Coon; et al. "Millennium Bug" is the word of the year. I have a lot of bugs in my apartment, but I haven't the time to find them now. Maybe in a few days. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- HIGH BALL I was asked a long time ago if I have "high ball" (drink in a tall glass) before 1898. I spotted a few in my files on illustrated baseball language. 24 May 1890, National Police Gazette, pg. 7, cols. 1-2. "One ball" is shown as a man taking a drink. "Two balls" is a mother with two kids. "Three balls" is the pawnbroker sign. 14 June 1890, National Police Gazette, pg. 6, cols. 3-4. "A missed ball" is a man taking another's drink. 21 June 1890, National Police Gazette, pg. 7, cols. 3-4. "A high ball" is a man reaching for a drink, handed to him from a high window. "A ball over the fence" is a drink handed over the fence. 12 July 1890, National Police Gazette, pg. 7, col. 2. "One ball!" is a man taking one drink. 16 August 1890, National Police Gazette, pg. 7, cols. 3-4. "A waste ball" is someone pouring out the good stuff. "A high ball" is someone drinking while standing on a ladder. "A low ball" is someone drinking while sitting in the gutter. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- MOONSHINER This is not the earliest "moonshine," and I don't have the OED handy for "moonshiner," but it's still helpful (to answer Tom Dalzell's query). It's from the New Orleans Daily Picayune, 29 May 1887, pg. 4, col. 1: The "moonshiners" are not boys who shine the moon. They are men who make whisky and cut up their shines in the mountains when the moon is full. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- CRACKER JACK The RHHDAS has 1895 and Dickson's BASEBALL DICTIONARY (Which I'm late submitting to--why isn't he online? Why did I have to introduce myself to Christine Ammer the other day at ADS and tell her I've antedated hundreds of her stuff?) has 1908!! "Cracker jack" wasn't rare in baseball; the term was used before the food(?) product. This is from the Kansas City Journal, 17 May 1888, pg. 2, col. 5: The Derby was a fair race, but the Brooklyn handicap was a "Cracker Jack." This is from the New York Sporting Times, 11 July 1891, pg. 5, col. 2: Shannon is putting up a beautiful game at second base. He is the cracker-jack of the association, all points considered. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- CHICKENED OUT The RHHDAS has 1934! This is from the Cincinnati Times-Star, 17 May 1888, pg. 2, col. 3: "Chickened out" is a new name for a foul given by a local "Fan." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- --NOT! This is from the Cincinnati Times-Star, 26 July 1888, pg. 2, col. 2: Of course "White Wings" was mourned because he was hissed. Yes he did--NOT!!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- COON "Coon" for Cubans? In the same article, Cincinnati Times-Star, 26 July 1888, pg. 2, col. 2: The Cuban Giants shut out the Athletics early in the week with Blair in the box. The "coons" made two runs themselves. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR In my notes I have "wait till next year" in the Kansas City Star, 15 October 1888, pg. 2, col. 6. This beats my previous posting, which beat the Brooklyn Dodger usage. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------- THE NATIONAL GAME Gotta go off to Cooperstown. I'll be giving a baseball lecture next month. Paul Dickson has the New York Herald, 8 July 1865, for "the national game." That's very early, although someone traced "the national pastime" to 1857! This is from Harper's Weekly, 15 October 1859, pg. 660(? Copy is cut off), col. 3: Our people, or "that pure and reformed part of them" (as one of the old Episcopal collects says) which advocates athletic excercises, excuse the general neglect of cricket in this country by saying that base-ball is our national game.