Old baseball terms

[coxfan]

Here are some old terms no longer used in baseball:

1) "First division and second division": Before divisional play started in 1969, the term "first division" referred to clubs in the top four spots in the eight-club leagues (and the top five when there were ten-club leagues in the 60's.). Clubs in the bottom four spots were called "second-division" clubs; always in a derogatory way.

2)"Cellar": Before there were geographical divisions in 1969, there was only one last-place team in each league. The word "cellar" meant last place. When the Yankees briefly hit last place in the AL early in the 1959 season, the headlines screamed: "Yankees hit cellar!"

3) "Journeyman": Before free agency, players could change clubs only if traded. Since fan loyalty inhibited the trading of star players, a "journeyman" player was a derogatory term used for marginal players (utility or long relievers, etc.) who could be traded around a lot without being missed by the fans anywhere.

4) "Backed into a pennant" meant a team which clinched a league pennant, despite losing a game, through a loss by the second-place team.

5) In the 19th century, the word "hippodroming" was commonly applied to teams who were suspected of deliberately losing to extend a series, and thus get more gate receipts. ( Before league play, championships were often settled by "best-of" series between two teams.) This is why World Series receipts are shared with players only for the first four games as of the 20th century.

6) "Revolving":In the mid 19th century, before professional play was legal, players could change teams simply by resigning from one baseball club and joining another. When the top clubs got into fierce competition, top players would be induced (often by quasi-professional means) to change clubs multiple times during a season. This "revolving" was sharply criticized, but commonly practiced.

[slab0meat]

I still see/hear "cellar" and "journeyman"

[Jags Fan Dan]

A pitcher used to be called a hurler. I learned it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Aax2V7a3S4

[ironmanfan]

How about "double-header?"

[sox83cubs84]

How about "backstop" for a catcher, "tools of ignorance" for catchers' gear, and "flychaser" for an outfielder?

Dave Miedema

[cjw]

How about: "Toronto Blue Jays - playoff team"

[metsbats]

Twi-night is hardly ever heard since doubleheaders are rare.

How about "hot corner" for 3rd base?

[godwulf]

I still see/hear "cellar" and "journeyman"

So do I. "Cellar" now simply applies to whoever occupies the lowest spot in each division. "Journeyman" still seems to refer to a player who has changed uniforms a bunch of times, but I think any derogatory connotation has pretty much disappeared from the word.

A pitcher used to be called a hurler.

Hey, if you really want to go back in time, he was referred to as the "feeder". We're talking Elysian Fields territory.

How about "double-header?"

Last season, the Diamondbacks had to play a double-header at home, due to scheduling problems, and it was so popular with the fans that they went ahead this year and scheduled one from the outset, and plan to make it a yearly tradition.

[coxfan]

I seem to recall that around 1960, double-headers, with two games on one ticket, were done once a week (usually Sundays). That was soon replaced by the modern custom of only for postponed games; and requiring two tickets.

[sox83cubs84]

"World Series Champion Chicago Cubs"

Dave Miedema