go yard (1988)

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 17:30:02 -0400, Chris Frazier wrote:

>I've still never seen or heard the phrase used. And 18,000 Google hits
>doesn't necessaily make it so.

I hear it often enough from TV commentators (on ESPN and Fox). Seems to
have gotten popular in the early '90s-- here are two more early cites (the
parenthetical glosses suggest the expression was still new):

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1992 _Post Standard_ (Syracuse, NY) 10 Aug. D5/5 "Knowing he can go yard
(hit one out), you have to make a good pitch," Leiter said.
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1993 _Atlanta Journal-Constitution_ 1 Apr. G1 (Nexis) "Pressure's on the
pitcher," somebody hollered. "He's getting nervous." Several teammates
yelled encouragement. Another chimed in, "She's going yard [home run]."
-----


--Ben Zimmer