"In the Ballpark" Idiom Meaning, Origin & History | Superduper English Idioms
Channel: Superduper English Idioms
Date: 2020-09-29

0:00 - How to Say, “In the ballpark…”
0:16 - Examples of “In the ballpark…”
1:01 - Meaning of “In the ballpark…”
1:33 - Origin of “In the ballpark…”
3:29 - More Examples of “In the ballpark…”
4:09 - Conclusion

“In the ballpark…”

You may have heard someone give an estimate or guess that was, “in the ballpark,” or not an exact or precise figure.

“The cost to hire movers is in the ballpark of $4,000 - it’s a lot cheaper if we do it ourselves!” your partner might tell you after getting a quote.

Maybe you’re buying a new computer and tell the salesperson, “I want to spend in the ballpark of about $1,000.”

“There are in the ballpark of about 10,000 ant species in the world and they can be found in every continent except Antarctica!” your kid cousin might be telling you.

As you can see, the idiom, “in the ballpark,” or sometimes simply, “ballpark,” means that a number is not definite, only somewhat accurate, or is a best guess, an estimate.

A “ballpark”, as you may know, is a field, park, building or stadium that is used to play baseball.

Some online sources believe that the idiom, “in the ballpark”, originated with sportscasters or commentators who would give a quick estimate of the number of attendees during a ball game.

According to Carl Burnett via Quora, however, “in the ballpark” originates with NASA and the US Air Force in the early 1960s…

… when the target for a rocket splashdown or missile test would not be a single point, but rather a large area akin to a ballpark.

Knowing the “ballpark” for the price of things or the number of things is helpful every time and always beats vague descriptions; such as expensive, cheap, a lot, a little, a long time, a short time, etc.

Your idea of a long time or a short time might be very different from someone else’s and if you don’t have a “ballpark figure”, you won’t be able to make an informed decision.

“The Kiri tree is the world’s fastest growing tree, it’ll grow big enough to provide shade very quickly,” an employee at a tree nursery tells you…

… “What is the ballpark number of years I can expect to wait for the tree to get big?” you ask. “About five to seven years,” comes the reply. You choose to build a pergola instead.

“Can you give me a ballpark figure for the monthly loan payment I could expect?” you might say as you negotiate a business loan at the bank.

Maybe your company is waiting for an overseas shipment, “The shipping company has given us a ballpark estimate of about one more month.”

“This temple is in the ballpark of at least several hundred years old,” a tour guide might tell a group of visitors.

So, the next time you want to know the approximate, rough, broad or general price or number of something, don’t forget to ask for an answer that’s “in the ballpark.”

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References: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-origin-of-the-ball-park-expression-meaning-a-rough-range