End of ADS-L Digest - 13 Jan 1998 to 14 Jan 1998
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Subject: ADS-L Digest - 14 Jan 1998 to 15 Jan 1998

There are 10 messages totalling 394 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

 1. Berry; Pudding; Pie
 2. Ringer; Deuces take 'em
 3. email/irc MA thesis survey
 4. "911" as a verb? (3)
 5. Metcalf on C-SPAN
 6. english novels
 7. "as best as I can remember"
 8. "level the playing field"

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Date:  Thu, 15 Jan 1998 04:59:03 EST
From:  Bapopik <Bapopik[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AOL.COM>
Subject: Berry; Pudding; Pie

BERRY

   The DA and RHHDAS have "berry" from 1887 as a baseball term meaning "an
easy opponent, something easily done, a cinch."
   This is from SPORTING LIFE, 28 April 1886, pg. 5, col. 3:

   THE opinion is pretty generally expressed that Baltimore will not be a
"berry" for anybody this season. We trust they have'nt set the pace too fast
to last.

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PUDDING

   I don't have the next, unpublished "P-Z" RHHDAS handy. I've previously
posted material (a money "pot," for example) that may or may not be helpful.
   This is from SPORTING LIFE, 5 May 1886, pg. 4, col. 5:

   NOT A "PUDDING."
The Macon Club Astonishing Its Rivals by Its Strong Play.
   MACON, Ga., April 28.--Editor SPORTING LIFE:--The readers of THE SPORTING
LIFE doubtless remember the poor playing of the Birmingham, Ala., Club in the
Southern League last year, which won for that club the title of being the
"pudding" of the League, inasmuch as every club that played them easily won
the game.

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PIE

   The DA has "pie" meaning "something quite easy, a treat, a cinch, also
_easy as pie_," from 1889. It's a sporting quote from OUTING.
   This is from SPORTING LIFE, 26 May 1886, pg. 8, col. 1:

   LATHAM's base-running is said to be simply wonderful. He has several
times ran in from third with the catcher under the bat. As for stealing
second and third, it's like eating pie.

   This is from SPORTING LIFE, 15 September 1886, pg. 5, col. 3:

   THE St. Louis Maroons are no longer "pie" for the other League clubs. It
takes hard work to down them now.

   The RHHDAS has the similar "piece of cake" from 1936 and "cake" from
1911, but I also have an 1886 "cake" somewhere near my "pie."
   Notice that it's EATING pie, not BAKING pie--which might not be easy.
Actually, eating pie might not be easy, either. Say you're in Houlihan's, and
someone offers you the apple pie...