Antedating of "Perfect Game" (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Mullins, Bill AMRDEC]

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

>
> Sam,
>
> Well, if you had no hits, no errors, a walk or two, and no other men
> reaching base, that would be a perfect game in its current meaning
> "with the exception of a walk or so."  I wonder, however, if there was
> an earlier, general meaning of "perfect game" meaning a really well-
> pitched game, and it was applied to a no-hit, no-walk, no-error, etc.
> game, would this be a citation for the current meaning, or merely a
> citation for an earlier sense that coincidentally described a game also
> meeting the current fixed, technical meaning?
>
> Fred Shapiro
>

Lee Richmond pitched the first of what we know as "perfect games" on 6/12/1880.  Searching for "perfect game" in newspapers of the period show that the phrase was often used as Fred speculates above -- a well pitched game (and the referred-to games were often far from "perfect" -- multiple hits, walks, bases on errors, runs, etc.).

I think the June 1907 cite that Fred provided is merely an extension of that, and no more or less relevant than any other figurative use of "perfect game" in the development of the specific technical meaning we know today for the phrase.




>
>
> ________________________________________
> From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Sam Clements [SClements at NEO.RR.COM]
> Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 7:56 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: Antedating of "Perfect Game"
>
> How is" ...a perfect game with the exception of a walk or so..." a
> _perfect
> game_ in its current meaning?  I assume by "current": you mean the last
> 50+
> years?
>
> Sam Clements
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
> To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 19:34
> Subject: Antedating of "Perfect Game"
>
>
> > Here's a slightly earlier citation for _perfect game_ in its current
> > meaning (as a synonym for _no-hitter_, it is older than 1907):
> >
> > 1907 _Atlanta Constitution_ 5 June 9 (ProQuest Historical Newspapers)
> > (heading) Rube Pitched a Perfect Game With the Exception of a Walk or
> so,
> > and for Seven Innings Only Twenty-one Men Faced Him.
> >
> >
> > Fred Shapiro
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ________________________________________
> > From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Mark
> > Mandel [thnidu at GMAIL.COM]
> > Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 3:34 PM
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > Subject: perfect game (baseball)
> >
> > In explaining a recent baseball quotation to my sister, I had
> occasion
> > to seek definitions of "perfect game". OED's definition is fine
> >
> >> chiefly N. Amer. (a) Baseball a no-hitter in which the pitcher or
> >> pitchers of one team allow no hits or walks and there are no errors,
> such
> >> that none of the opposing team's players get on base;
> >
> > but the first citation
> >
> >> 1907 Chicago Sunday Tribune 23 July II.�  4/5 What is a *perfect
> game?..A
> >> perfectly pitched game would be where no one reached first base.
> >
> > doesn't jibe with ProQuest search:
> >
> >> Databases selected:�  ProQuest Historical Newspapers Chicago
> Tribune
> >> (1849 - 1987)
> >> No documents found for: (game) AND (perfect) AND PDN(7/23/1907)
> >
> > The citation is actually from *June* 23 [1]:
> >
> >>ANSWERS TO INQUISITIVE FANS.
> >>T P. Chicago Daily Tribune (1872-1922). Chicago, Ill.: Jun 23, 1907.
> p. A4
> >>(1 page)
> >
> > Fourth item in the column:
> >
> >> Ottumwa, Ia. -- [...] (4) What is a perfect game?� � � �
> [signed] "RED."
> >>
> >> �  [...]�  (4) A perfect fielding game is an errorless one, a
> perfect
> >> batting game would be where every batter made a clean hit, every
> time at
> >> bat; a perfectly pitched game would be where no one reached first
> base.
> >
> > Nevertheless, the expert, "T.P.", evidently doesn't consider "perfect
> > game" to be a term of the art of baseball.
> >
> > We get closer in October [2], but still no cigar.
> >
> >> Most Perfect Game of Series. [section head in story]
> >> ... no faster or more nearly perfect game has been seen during the
> >> series.
> >
> > [1] T P.�  (1907,� June� 23). ANSWERS TO INQUISITIVE FANS.�
> Chicago Daily
> > Tribune (1872-1922),A4.�  Retrieved May 24, 2010, from ProQuest
> > Historical Newspapers Chicago Tribune (1849 - 1987). (Document ID:
> > 403483001).
> > Document URL:
> >
> http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=403483001&sid=9&Fmt=1&clientId=3748&
> RQT=309&VName=HNP
> >
> > [2] I E (SY) SANBORN.�  (1907,� October� 13). WORLD'S PENNANT
> STAYS IN
> > CHICAGO� :Cubs Finish Series by Inflicting Humiliating Shutout on
> the
> > Detroit Tigers. HONOR MORDECAI BROWN. Three Fingered One Gets Chance
> > at Last and Cinches Championship for the West Side by 2 to 0. TOTAL
> > FOR SERIES. WHAT THE CUBS GET. WHAT THE TIGERS GET. Cubs' Feat
> Without
> > Precedent. Honor to the Three Fingered One. Chance Looks On at
> Combat.
> > Those Tigers Died Hard. Champions to "Exhibit" Today. Victory Gives
> > Cubs $32,960. Most Perfect Game of Series. Tigers Make Vicious Fight.
> > Cobb Buried in Disgrace..� Chicago Daily Tribune (1872-1922),1.
> > Retrieved May 24, 2010, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers Chicago
> > Tribune (1849 - 1987). (Document ID:� 403637311).
> > Document URL:
> >
> http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=403637311&sid=9&Fmt=2&clientId=3748&
> RQT=309&VName=HNP
> >
> > m a m
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org