Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-20
BASEBALL TERM
IS ORIGINATED
HOW CHARLEY HORSE BECAME
DIAMOND PHRASE
Famous Chicago Player Refused to
Wager on Sure Thing at Race
Track and Goe Even With
Fellows

Hugh Nichol, the old-tlme ball player,
and now baseball coach at Purdue uni
versity, while discussing odd sporting
phrases with some of his charges re-
Gently remarked
did you ever hear how the term
Charley Horse originated? 1t was
coined by Joe Quest back in the sum-
mer of 'S2 when l was playing with the
Chicago team. It's q race horse story.
and It happened this way: Chicago was
having a n off day.
There was racing down on the south
side, and some of the boys took great
interest in 1t. Tom Burns, then play
ing short for AnSon Corcoran and
Goldsmith, the pitchers, and Ned VIII
hanson followed the ponieS to some
extent.
THE tip had gone out the night be-
fore that horse named Charley was a
sure winner for that afternoon. If
that horse had any other name I've for
gotten it. Those of us who didn't care
so much for the jumpers were persuad-
ed to lay down few dimes by those
who did, and we were all in with the
exception of Joe Quest.
mo amount of argument could in
duce him to bet copper on that horse.
We all got permission to go to the
track and all lined UP in the betting
ring when our horse Charley was due
to start. Quest, in the meantime, had
been getting some lively chatting for
his unwillingness to bet on what was a
dead sure thing.
"The horses got away to a good start
and Charley jumT ed to the lead Every
stride he increased it and through the
backstretch he was dozen lengths to
the good. Joe Quest became the CEN
ter of a ring of jolliers
Mike Kelly, afterward the $4,000
beauty, whacked Joe over the head
with his cane and every man of that
dozen or more slapped. him on the back
and merrily jostled him around In
their joy over sure killing. Joe was
doing what he could toward watching
the race.
"In the last turn Charley stumbled,
went lame in his right hind leg, and the
field closed up. Quest threw fit:
Look! Look' he shouted, as almost the
first horse passed Charley Look at
your old Charley horse now And he
kept it up. The horse finished outside
of the money, and we didn't hear the
last of our Charley horse the rest OF
that day.
ut was during the progress of the
game the next day that the term came
TO be dpplleQ 10 Dali pay .. Wo "Oh
hooked up with New York on the old
lake front grounds. Corcoran and Kelly
were working. Capt. Anson was or
| first, Quest, Burns and Williamson
were playing the infield, and Flint
Gore and myself were in the outf1eld
We had the Giants ga and were at bat
Quest was down the left coach line ant
was doing a famous job. Joe always
was a good coacher.
GORE had raped out a single ant
Villa arnson was up. He was pretty
sure hitter, but Gore was a good sprint
er and Quest figured he could do the
| trip to second and he sent him away.
| About half way down Gore stepped into
| a pocket and sprung strain, just the
way the racing pony had done the DAY
before. and Quest sang out:
"There's your old Charley horse-he'd
have made it all right If it hadn't been
for that old Charley. .Lorse.' Gore was
nailed, but the term Stuck He had the
Charley horse for couple of weeks
afterward, and it's been called by that
name ever since"