Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-23
LANGUAGE OF SPORTS
IT'S USE In DESCRIBING EVERY
DAY LIFE INCREASING.
Technical ; Terms of Base Ball and
Horse Racing Commonly
. Used.

toih the new 1ork Irtbune.
Almost every sport and game has In
creased the colloquial vocabulary of the
English language and though many of the
terms for whose application to daily occur
rences various sports and pastimes are re-
sponsible are not to be found In diction-
aries. their use is constantly increasing on
the tips of many tongues. They may be
slang. but slang In these days is a part OF
the language
Base ball. the national game of America.
has taken lions share in thus adding to
the expressions one hears In everyday con-
versation. Three times and OUT origi-
nally meant the failure of batsman to hit
the ball. Now it is applied to any failure:
1t may be in love. it may be in business. A
"muffer." first ball player who dropped
the ball after 1t was In his hands. is now
any one who cannot keep his mental or
physical grip on things concrete or other
wise. base hit is applied to any sue
cessful venture. and the term "a ht.' most
frequently heard in relation to public per-
formers on platforms. draws its meaning
from the base ball diamond HE made a
home run of it, is often heard relative to
the career of some successful business man.
Fingers distorted at the joints by accident
are called base ball fingers and are fire.
quently marks of identification. The glass
arm of the pitcher now applies to any
crippled arm
Grand Stand Play.
"a grand stand play" is an act performed
to bring forth applause. and is often
used to characterize political moves as it 10
double plays. The caught at the home
plate" of the base ball field is synonymous
with the falls at the last ditch of the
hunting field Now both expressions de-
scribe the failure of that which had every
appearance of success. Got his base on
balls refers to some lucky wight who.
through no effort of his own, achieved
much sought goal
Reaching the goal typifes the gratifi-
cation of llfe'S ambition, even as IL spells
success on the foot ball or polo field.
"Bowled over is taken direct from the
cricket field A person knocked down by a
street car one in business who succumbs
to a superior rival IL like the fallen wicket
To Rugby foot ball is owed the expression
the lineup" whether 1t Is used to de-
scribe those at ticket office window or
the wal flowers at a dance. A foul
tackle is taking unfair advantage of a
rival in everyda.- life just as 1t is on the
gridiron.
Horse racing has given words innumer-
able to colloquial speech. Made a run
away race of it, signifies one who is far
ahead of all rivals Needs toe weights"
is often heard In talk about person who
Is carried away by a sense of his own inn
portance. A bad break traces its origin
to the trctting track. Give him his head
10 oiiotHSI way VI say luB Let MIN take
his own course" The race track frequenter
would call a deceiver an 'in and out rider"
A ringer" is the most common expression
used to signify one who is sailing under
false colOrs, and "a dark horse" as often
stands for a political candidate concerning
whom little is known, it does for horse
whose pedigree and merits are mysterious.
Shes a high stopper" remarks one of a
woman who excites his admiration or to
express the same meaning in another race
track form. she says. "Shes a thorough
bred Takes the bit In his teeth" is a
way of explaining how a person refuses to
heed advice. The word ''jockeying'' con-
veys instantly the meaning of maneuvering
to gain certain position.
Second Wind.
Got his second wind comes from the
running track to characterize one who has
recovered fast ebbing courage, just as "a
squirt" refers to an increase of effort in any
direction.
How often one hears the exclamation.
It's your move" without thinking that
the game Of checkers is responsible for the
poets position stands pat" as the poker
player does when the dealer gives him a
full house before the draw. Cards and
card games, indeed. are as prolific in in
creasing the vocabulary as sports "As
black a spade" hes not ace high"
give us new deal all round" lost in the
shuttle, you're trump" "he played his
best bower" these and hundred more
terms technically used in card games have
their place in expressing the joys and sor-
rows, work and play of everyday life.