Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1913-12-27
SOME BASEBALL SLANG
Experts Have Lingo Which often
Confuses the Layman.
Denizens Of Press Box Bring Into Use
Certain Phrases Peculiar to Game
Describing Technlealitles
of Contests.

Baseball has its own language.
Baseball experts, the world over, have
a lingo which often confuses a lay
man. These denizens of the press
box, the boys behind the screen, must
needs mix EN- up" in setting before
friend reader all the potent facts of
yesterdays contest. They bring into
use certain phrases peculiar TO the
game in describing technically what
happened on the greens.
Most of the red-blooded rooters are
Jerry to these phrases; others are
sadly at sea and seem to think the
writers are infiicting upon them a
cross between Esperanto or Eskimo,
which is not the whole truth by sew
eral parasangs. Just by way of setting
the real facts before those baseball
enthusiasts who find themselves mired
while battling with the vernacular a
few commonplace terms-that is COM
monplace among the players-are
herewith appended, with synonyms
used by writers who grow weary of
using the time-honored, straightaway
Kings English:
Inning-A round period, session,
canto, frame, chapter
Ball-A pill, globule, horsehide,
leather, spheroid. agate.
To Hit the Ball-Swat, clout crown,
slam. wallop, drive, bang, knock,
thump. whack, larrup, pole, peel-off,
Curve the Ball-Hook, bend, slant,
sink, twister. roundhouse.
Under-Hand Raise-Business of de-
livering the ball to batter by using a
motion while arm is operating at the
pitchers side.
Under-Hand Raise Balls-Another
method of delivering the ball, starting
the swing of the pitching arm in the
vicinity of the knee.
Overland Pitching-The act of
starting the delivery from a point
above the head
Spitball-Elmer Stricklett original
ed this mode of twirling, by salivating
the ball before pitching. Either side.
arm or overland method may be
used. When pitched properly the ball
takes peculiar and battling jumps APP
preaching the batter.
Knuckler-Some pitchers, notably
Eddie Summers, Lew Richie and Ed
die Cicotte. have achieved fame by
pitching this sort of ball The knuck-
les of the pitching hand are used in
grasping the ball before delivery, and
bewildering curve of the slow, float
ing type follows.
Hook, or Fade-Away Slide-Base
stealers thoroughly schooled in the
art of running bases adopt this style.
In approaching the base they aspire to
steal the runners lead to one side,
momentarily disconcerting the player
about to stab him with the ball, and
in falling thrust one foot in hook man
ner to one or the other side of the
base.
To Win-To cop, frisk, grab. annex,
compile, register, nail, bag, land, salt
away, put on ice, sting or maui who
ever happens to be tie opposing
party.
To Lose-To tumble. skid, slip, take
walloping, a drubbing, to be man
handled, trimmed whaled, scuttled,
riddled. badly bent, bumped, slaugh-
tered, nosed out, sent to the clean
ers, counted out or laid on the cooling
board.
"Pep"-Displaying fighting spirit,
zest, determination, renewed life, to
keep up an incessant fire of talk while
on the field-a player like Buck Wea-
yer has pep" Listen carefully to the
White Sox shortstop when the other
fellows are batting against Galatians
pitchers. Then you'll be Jerry or hep
to-"Pep."
Pitching Box-Rifie pit, firing line,
peak, slab, hill, knoll, knob. turret,
rubber or crest.
Home Plate-Marble, dock, counting
pan, scoring iron.
Any Base-Sack. corner hassock.
station, precinct, or in referring to
second base one might say the half
way mark.
Seout-An ivory hunter; one who
seeks diamond phenoms.