# Baseball terminology used throughout society **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [July 23, 2014, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-terminology-used-throughout-society/693858 "2014-07-23T18:42:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-terminology-used-throughout-society/693858/21 "2014-07-24T14:10:46Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > Bush League - and act or behavior that is amateurish or subpar > > ETA: got ninja’d on bush league!!! Swing and a miss. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2014, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-terminology-used-throughout-society/693858/22 "2014-07-26T11:03:57Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > I’ve heard British and Australian movie characters say “in the ballpark”. Many of us (Oz) would use and understand the majority of terms mentioned, simply by being Americanisms, hence a lot of exposure to them. If asked to think about their origin, we’d probably come up with baseball, but there’s not a strong association with baseball. IMO. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-terminology-used-throughout-society/693858/23 "2014-07-28T00:41:03Z")
“Southpaw” is from boxing and (and doesn’t mean lefthanded, it’s the stance) ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-terminology-used-throughout-society/693858/24 "2014-07-28T00:47:15Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > “Southpaw” is from boxing and (and doesn’t mean lefthanded, it’s the stance) Isn’t the left foot the forward foot in the stance? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-terminology-used-throughout-society/693858/25 "2014-07-28T01:25:37Z")
No. Try it yourself. A southpaw stance where the boxer (I’m also presuming a batter) has his right hand and right foot forward. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-terminology-used-throughout-society/693858/26 "2014-07-28T02:05:53Z")
Doesn’t that mean his left hand will be able to deliver harder punches, because the arm is fully extended, thus maximizing power? ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-terminology-used-throughout-society/693858/27 "2014-07-28T03:41:34Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > “Southpaw” is from boxing and (and doesn’t mean lefthanded, it’s the stance) Several websites claim that it originated in baseball and was later used in boxing. I’m not sure myself but that’s what they say. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-terminology-used-throughout-society/693858/28 "2014-07-28T04:45:01Z")
According to the Online Etymological Dictionary, [southpaw](http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=southpaw&allowed_in_frame=0) was used in boxing before it was used in baseball. The explanation I’ve always heard for “southpaw” in baseball is that diamonds are usually set up so the pitcher faces west, so his left hand is on the south side. I don’t know why it would refer to a left-handed stance in boxing, but the dictionary does have an earlier citation. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-terminology-used-throughout-society/693858/29 "2014-07-28T23:14:48Z")
“You’re out” - you just lost, especially with respect to failing to meet some quantitatively measured metric. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-terminology-used-throughout-society/693858/30 "2014-07-28T23:16:11Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > … > Three strikes law (usually in terms of, a third felony results in a longer jail term) > … Or, using “strike” in general to mean a goofup for which there is some penalty now, and a risk that future incidents may be more serious. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-terminology-used-throughout-society/693858/31 "2014-07-28T23:29:05Z")
“Pinch-hitter” - somebody who comes in to work for somebody else. “Switch hitter” - a bisexual “Pitcher” or “Catcher” - sexual positions ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2014, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-terminology-used-throughout-society/693858/32 "2014-11-19T18:11:16Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > “Southpaw” is from boxing and (and doesn’t mean lefthanded, it’s the stance) Back in the 50’s I watched the weekly game of the week every Saturday that I could. (on CBS??) Dizzy Dean was the color man and told a story about a manager telling a stupid baseball player to use his left hand or watch the left hand of an opponent which happened to be on the Southside of his body, aka “soffpaw”. I forget the names of the player and manager and the exact story. Sample of 'ol Diz on YouTube: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQcHPw0lqpI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQcHPw0lqpI) “The Doctors X-rayed my head and found nothing” - Dizzy Dean [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-terminology-used-throughout-society/693858.md?page=1)