# Origin of the term "Texas Leaguer"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-texas-leaguer/45927>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 16, 2000, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-texas-leaguer/45927 "2000-12-16T18:45:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![guitarmax\_99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f19dbf/32.png) [@guitarmax\_99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guitarmax_99)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-texas-leaguer/45927/1 "2000-12-16T18:45:59Z")

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Does anyone know how the term “Texas Leaguer” came about? I thought I was actually pretty knowledgable about baseball, but recently someone asked me about this and I realized I was stumped.

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-texas-leaguer/45927/2 "2000-12-16T18:50:49Z")

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I don’t have the Dickson baseball dictionary with me, but I believe “Texas Leaguer” which is synonymous with a weak pop fly to the outfield is supposed to symbolize the ability of a minor league hitter to hit a ball that far.

A major leaguer would hit the ball over the fence, but a Texas Leaguer is too weak.

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**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-texas-leaguer/45927/3 "2000-12-16T19:39:13Z")

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While I’m thinking about it, BobT, how about a “can of corn.”

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**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-texas-leaguer/45927/4 "2000-12-16T19:48:43Z")

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[Can of Corn](http://www.word-detective.com/122099.html#canofcorn)

> [@](#):
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> According to Paul Dickson, “can of corn” was first used back in 1896 to describe a fly ball hit so high that the fielder has time to stand directly under the falling ball. The standard theory traces the term to old-fashioned grocery stores, where canned goods were stored on high shelves and pulled down with a long pole. An experienced store clerk would have no trouble catching the tumbling can, thus the term.

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**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-texas-leaguer/45927/5 "2000-12-16T21:09:23Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by guitarmax\_99 \*  
> \*\*Does anyone know how the term “Texas Leaguer” came about? I thought I was actually pretty knowledgable about baseball, but recently someone asked me about this and I realized I was stumped. \*\*

Parks in the old Texas League, once an independent minor league, tended to have immensely large outfields, partially because the ball flies so well in Texas you need the fences set well back, and partially because there’s just a lot of room in Texas.

Having more room to cover, outfielders would play deeper in TL ballparks than normal to cut off more liners, choosing to give up more short bloop singles in favour of preventing the triples and inside-the-park home runs that the huge ballparks would give up. The very frequent bloop singles spawned the term “Texas leaguer.”

Or so they say. 🙂

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-the-term-texas-leaguer/45927/6 "2000-12-16T23:43:37Z")

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As to Texas Leaguer, earliest cite I can give is 1906 _Cin. Inquirer_ “Many fans are unaware that the expression ‘Texas leaguer’ originated in Houston.” I know this doesn’t answer the question.