# Sports slang around the world **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 14, 2008, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247 "2008-05-14T04:21:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/1 "2008-05-14T04:21:50Z")
I heard a song by the British band the Libertines that had a line about “an Englishmen in a baseball hat”. That suprised me that a country with little interest in baseball would use such a term. Americans often use baseball related terms like getting to first base, striking out, and pinch hitting. Do other countries use these terms? Are there any soccer/cricket/etc. sports terms used in everyday speech in other countries? ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/2 "2008-05-14T04:27:58Z")
Cricket related: To be hit for six To have a good innings ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/3 "2008-05-14T04:28:17Z")
Baseball caps are described in Australia as, well… “baseball caps”. There are a lot of cricket terms here that have found their way into the general lexicon: “That’s one has gone through to the keeper” [the keeper is like a shortstop] (the person was whooshed or caught off-guard) “He was hit for six” (he got utterly beaten - or - he went into shock when he heard the news) “Bowled him a googly” [a googly is a kind of ‘trick’ bowling action] (the person was caught off-guard) “He’s got a few runs on the board” (this person has a history of this activity - or - this person commands some respect because he’s demostrated an ability previously) Plenty more I can’t think of at the moment… ---
**Author:** ![movingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@movingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/movingfinger)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/4 "2008-05-14T04:51:35Z")
I guess “bowled him a googly” is equivalent to our “threw him a curve ball”. I’m surprised no one has mentioned “Hat trick” yet. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/5 "2008-05-14T05:20:42Z")
I used to have a rugby coach from New Zealand who said he was “punching above his weight”, when he was dating a very sexy bird. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/6 "2008-05-14T05:47:19Z")
Is “to score an own goal” from soccer? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/7 "2008-05-14T06:54:01Z")
[QUOTE=TheLoadedDog] the keeper is like a shortstop [/QUOTE] Catcher, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/8 "2008-05-14T07:32:05Z")
“Baseball hat/cap” is a very commonly-used term in the Uk to decribe, er, a baseball hat. The wearing of such these days is often associated with “chavs” or other people snobs (such as myself) like to feel superior to. Although I don’t know the song, I would guess that particular lyric is making a comparison with something that is “lower-class”, such as an Englishman wearing a baseball cap. Thanks to American teen movies, “getting to first base” and its cognates has become common parlance with younger (\<40?) generations over here, too. One from my sport, croquet: “to peg out” is a common slang term for “die”, and comes from croquet where you peg out to finish a game. I think there are others but I cannot recall them at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/9 "2008-05-14T08:25:18Z")
[QUOTE=Cunctator] Is “to score an own goal” from soccer? [/QUOTE] Yes. There are other soccer/football-related terms in German as well, such as “to show someone the yellow/red card,” based, of course, on the colors of the cards used for cautioning or disqualiying players. In German, baseball caps are referred to as such as well, although hardly anybody plays baseball here. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/10 "2008-05-14T10:32:20Z")
[QUOTE=Dead Cat] Although I don’t know the song, I would guess that particular lyric is making a comparison with something that is “lower-class”, such as an Englishman wearing a baseball cap. [/QUOTE] The line goes “There are fewer [sic] more distressing sights than that / Of an Englishman in a baseball cap”. Yes we call them baseball caps, because they’re an American item. There’s no English equivalent, which is precisely why we don’t have our own term for them! ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/11 "2008-05-14T12:22:38Z")
[QUOTE=Santo Rugger] I used to have a rugby coach from New Zealand who said he was “punching above his weight”, when he was dating a very sexy bird. [/QUOTE] In the USA, we would say, “He’s batting out of his league”…with the same meaning. (Batting = baseball.) ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/12 "2008-05-14T13:10:01Z")
He’s a bloody dropkick! Is a term I remember from Australia. I know it was bad thing but I can’t tell you why. He’s built like a front row forward, means he is a big chap, not always bad. ---
**Author:** ![rocksolid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@rocksolid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocksolid)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/13 "2008-05-14T13:11:14Z")
‘Curve ball’ is commonly used in the UK for something that takes one by surprise. I can’t think that comes from anywhere other than baseball. ‘Referee!’ is an exclamation signifying someone feels they have been dealt an injustice. ‘Grannied’ is probably a fairly localised slang for being thoroughly beaten, generally a whitewash, i.e. no score on losing side. I’m sure it started in sports (no idea which one) but can be applied to any thorough beating. It’s probably a very local thing but thought i’d throw in it for those that like weird and wonderful slang! ‘Below the belt’ is i assume pretty obvious and international? ‘The 19th’ is slang for clubhouse/bar in golf, again i’d assumed that was pretty international? ‘Snookered’ means generally screwed or stuck. ‘Behind the eight ball’ i sometimes hear and means the same as snookered. ‘Home straight’ again i assume obvious and international. ‘Slam dunk’ meaning ermm, not exactly sure…kinda something being decisive and definite maybe? ‘Off piste’ from skiing, meaning anything that strays from the subject, route etc. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/14 "2008-05-14T15:22:46Z")
“Below the belt” and “punching above one’s weight” both come from boxing. I’d assume both expressions are known at least in the Anglophone world. **Rocksolid** , “slam dunk” comes from basketball and it is often used to describe and obvious or easy course of action: “C’mon, man, she invited you to here place, poured you a drink, and slipped into ‘something more comfortable’? It should have been a slam dunk at that point!”. Also from basketball, “a lay-up” can be used in pretty much the manner as “slam dunk”. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/15 "2008-05-14T16:13:07Z")
[QUOTE=bordelond] … “slam dunk” comes from basketball and it is often used to describe and obvious or easy course of action: “C’mon, man, she invited you to here place, poured you a drink, and slipped into ‘something more comfortable’? It should have been a slam dunk at that point!”. Also from basketball, “a lay-up” can be used in pretty much the manner as “slam dunk”. [/QUOTE] Although they’re both worth two points, a slam dunk and a lay up are two different types of _scoring_, indeed. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/16 "2008-05-14T16:34:18Z")
Sorry, I tried to think of one, but I’m stumped. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/17 "2008-05-14T17:46:04Z")
Didn’t we do “stumped” before, and it turned out that it has that meaning in the US too and is nothing to do with cricket? Anyway, more from football: “Kick-off”, meaning the start of any event such as a wedding (“What time’s kick-off?”) “Early doors”, meaning early on in proceedings. Etymology unclear, popularised by TV co-commentator Big Ron Atkinson. “Playing away from home” - having an affair. I suppose that one’s not necessarily a football phrase. “Back of the net!” - Self-congratulatory exclamation of someone who has just performed some feat with aplomb. Imitative of TV commentators, especially the fictional Alan Partridge. “Move the goalposts” - change the rules or aims of a project half way through ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/18 "2008-05-14T18:19:12Z")
“early bath” (from the late and great rugby-league commentator Eddy Waring), meaning you have been made to leave a task sooner than you planned. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/19 "2008-05-14T18:29:28Z")
[QUOTE=bordelond] **Rocksolid** , “slam dunk” comes from basketball and it is often used to describe and obvious or easy course of action: “C’mon, man, she invited you to here place, poured you a drink, and slipped into ‘something more comfortable’? It should have been a slam dunk at that point!”. [/QUOTE] I always found it funny that a slam dunk is something that is supposed to be easy since it is something that 95% of the population could not do without a ladder. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2008, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247/20 "2008-05-14T18:54:57Z")
[QUOTE=Loach] I always found it funny that a slam dunk is something that is supposed to be easy since it is something that 95% of the population could not do without a ladder. [/QUOTE] Probably even fewer than that. I’m 6’0" and even when I was in excellent shape I didn’t have a hope of doing more than brushing the rim. There are a couple from motorsports: “pit stop” referring to a break of some kind, usually a piss break during a road trip, in my experience… that one’s universal, or at least known both in Britain and the US; “gentlemen, start your engines” - often used in the context of drinking or picking up women… “Jabroni” is a corruption of the (pro) wrestling term “jobber” - a guy who’s paid to lose, or “do the job”, a lot - which seems to have entered common parlance as a word for loser. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sports-slang-around-the-world/449247.md?page=2)