Zob (1909-1920)

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 23:23:56 -0400, Douglas G. Wilson <douglas at NB.NET> wrote:

>Here are a few examples of "zob" =
>"fool"/"chump"/"slob"/"gink"/"jazzbo"/"galoot"/"guy". From N'archive.
>
>----------
>
>_Nevada State Journal_ (Reno NV), 1 Oct. 1909: p. 5(?):
>
><<If Ketchel would secure for himself one sparring partner who knew
>something about the art of boxing he would get more benefit from him
>than he does from the whole camp of zobs that he now has with him.>>
>
>[Ketchel: middleweight champion]
>
>----------
[snip rest of cites]

Interesting that it was used in boxing that early on. In a 2003 posting,
Gerald Cohen suggested that "zob" originated in baseball (based on cites
from 1911 and 1913, then the earliest). This could still be the case.

The Oakland Tribune is always a good place to look for obscure baseball
slang. Turns out there was a Pacific Coast League umpire known as "Zob"
O'Connell -- he became notorious after a bad call against the Oakland
team, and his nickname became something of a joke afterwards...

-----
Oakland Tribune, May 11, 1908, p. 9/3
Oakland Teams Loses Both Games to the Angel Nine.
Bad Decision by 'Zob' O'Connell Gives Morning Contest to Champs.
...
A great throng saw the morning contest, and had umpire "Zob" O'Connell
been of keen eyesight the home team might have won.
-----
Oakland Tribune, May 11, 1908, p. 6/1
A San Francisco wag has christened Heney's goat "ZOB." That's some name, eh?
-----
Oakland Tribune, May 18, 1908, p. 6/1
We would like to remind the Oakland baseball club that they can never win
a pennant by losing two games in one day.
In the meantime, a certain legal gentleman is still offering large and
luscious rewards for the return of his good goat, "Zob."
-----

It's a bit doubtful, though, that this is the origin of "zob", since
N-Archive doesn't turn up any further usage in the Oakland Tribune's
baseball coverage until 1914:

-----
Oakland Tribune, Jan. 31, 1914, p. 11/2
[end of verse about Oakland baseball team]
Says Malarkey to us: "Your brain pan, poor zob,
Is an unholy object to view
But hitch to this truth, outside of my work
I ain't got a darn thing to do!"
-----

One entertaining "zob" cite in the Tribune is a story about the "zob
fish", evidently the piscine equivalent of the legendary "snipe"...

-----
Oakland Tribune, Nov. 6, 1917, p. 16/6
Exciting Zob Fish Hunt Ends Disastrously.
Nick Johnson, 1010 Crescent street, Berkeley, has seen the mysterious zob
fish.
This is a privilege accorded to but few persons along the Pacific Coast,
for the zob fish is most elusive. It is known by its ears, which it
wiggles, and the peculiar tune it makes by sawing its right fin over its
backbone. Some persons say the Sailor's Hornpipe was a transcription of
the epic of the zob fish, but that has never been proven.
Johnson always wanted to see this wonderful zob fish. Last night he heard
there was one in the water at the foot of Franklin street. There is only
one way to hunt the zob fish — one way recognized by savants. That is to
hold the nose with the right thumb and forefinger and jump into the water.
Then the hunter must go down three times and call "help!" as loudly as
possible. This always frightens the zob fish so that it comes to the
surface and is easily caught.
The Berkeley man did all these things. The estuary police patrol launch
was in the offing, and the officer in command had never heard of the zob
fish. So when Johnson called "help" the police thought Johnson was
drowning and pulled him into the launch and carried him away to the
Central Emergency Hospital. There they pumped out the zob fish hunter and
sent him home, but his friends say he is going to get that zob fish before
Christmas.
-----


--Ben Zimmer