Antedating of "Hail Mary pass" (1974)

[Sam Clements]

I screwed up.  M-W DOES have it, as a second meaning, thereby deftly
avoiding the first useage-cite-problem-thingy.

SC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sam Clements" <sclements at NEO.RR.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 10:06 PM
Subject: Antedating of "Hail Mary pass" (1974)


> Not in M-W or OED, unless I missed it.
>
> RHDAS has from 1982.
>
> From the Gettysburg (PA) Compiler, August 29, 1974:  page 14, col. 7:
>
>      <<Everyone is back from the team that won the National Conference
West
> before losing at Dallas, 27-16, in the playoffs on what Cowboys'
quarterback
> Roger Staubach calls "a couple of Hail Mary pass plays."  >>
>
> So did Staubach originate this phrase?
>
> If you aren't from the US, this is a desperation pass, whether football or
> basketball.  Probably comes from football.
>
>  Sam Clements
>