[Ads-l] monkey in the middle (1952)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Great work BZ and everyone. It is natural to wonder why  "piggy in the
middle" became "monkey in the middle". Perhaps the change was
influenced by the name of another scenario called a "monkey chase"
from the domain of baseball.

[Begin Wikipedia excerpt]
A rundown, informally known as a pickle or the hotbox, is a situation
in the game of baseball that occurs when the baserunner is stranded
between two bases, also known as no-man's land, and is in jeopardy of
being tagged out.
[End Wikipedia excerpt]

I have found some newspaper citations from 1905 to the 1940s which use
the phrase "monkey chase" to describe a rundown. Unfortunately, I've
only found it in Wisconsin newspapers.

There are some similarities between "monkey in the middle" and "monkey
chase" scenarios, but there are also some important differences. The
"monkey" is typically between two other players who toss an item back
and forth.

While engaging in "monkey in the middle" the "monkey" wants to
intercept the ball; while engaging in a "monkey chase" the "monkey"
wants to avoid being near the ball.

Date: August 18, 1905
Newspaper: The Menasha Record
Newspaper Location: Menasha, Wisconsin
Article: Menasha 5 Nenah 2
Quote Page 1, Column 4
Database: Newspapers.com

[Begin excerpt]
Bendt doubled into left field and Tuehscherer scored. Larsen was sent
out to run for Bendt who had Injured his leg at practice and after
stealing third he was caught in a monkey chase in an attempt to steal
home.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Mon, Jan 27, 2020 at 1:19 PM Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Mon, Jan 27, 2020 at 12:04 PM Wilson Gray <hwgray at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Never heard of "monkey in the middle," before. However, like Mark, I am
> > unfortunately familiar with "keep-away" from my early grade-school years,
> > During The War, ca.1943-1945.
> > BTW, is monkey in the middle a variant of "man in the middle"?
> >
>
> I believe it's actually a variant of "pig(gy) in the middle." OED3 has
> examples for "pig in the middle" from 1887, though from the definition it
> sounds like the game started off much rougher: "A children's game in which
> one player is encircled by others and must attempt to escape; a chasing
> game in which players must cross from one side of an open space to the
> other without being stopped by an opposing player; (now chiefly) a ball
> game, usually for three players, in which the middle player tries to
> intercept the ball as it passes between the other two. Also: the player in
> the middle in any of these games."
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 27, 2020 at 12:52 AM Mark Mandel <markamandel at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > I do not like the memories this brings up in me.
> > >
> > > I knew the expression all too well as a schoolboy in New York in the
> > 1960s.
> > > After school some of my classmates would play this "game" (also called
> > > "keep-away") with my hat or other possession snatched from me, yelling
> > > "Monkey in the middle!" as they threw my property to each other over my
> > > head and I ran frantically between them, trying in vain to reach one of
> > > them before they could throw it out of my reach.
> > >
> > > MAM
> > >
> > > On Sun, Jan 26, 2020, 6:08 PM Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > The children's game "monkey in the middle" is in OED3 (Sept. 2002
> > update)
> > > > from 1980. Here are some cites from New Jersey newspapers in the '50s.
> > > >
> > > > ---
> > > > https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43065809/monkey_in_the_middle/
> > > > Belleville (NJ) Times, July 24, 1952, p. 6, col. 6
> > > > Mrs. Virtue, one of our directors, made up some five bean bags, and
> > > taught
> > > > us the game "monkey in the middle." It sure has had great success and
> > is
> > > > enjoyed by youngsters of all ages.
> > > > ---
> > > > https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43065650/monkey_in_the_middle/
> > > > Verona-Cedar Grove (NJ) Times, July 28, 1955, p. 2, col. 5
> > > > Despite the heat wave the children seemed to have quite an active week
> > on
> > > > the Forest Avenue playground. Although checkers, kings, Chinese
> > checkers.
> > > > Mad Maze, Lucky Shot and horseshoes were the most popular, there were
> > > still
> > > > some badminton, softball, dodge ball, spud and Monkey in the Middle
> > > games.
> > > > ---
> > > > https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43053896/monkey_in_the_middle/
> > > > Courier-News (Plainfield, NJ), June 11, 1957, p. 25, col. 1
> > > > More than 200 children and their parents participated in the annual
> > > picnic
> > > > and field day of the Hebrew Institute held Sunday at Green Brook
> > Park...
> > > > Awards in games were as follows: Relay -- Jay Cherlow, Jack Ruden,
> > Larry
> > > > Sletzinger, Joel Taub, Jonathan Lippman, Mark Hitzig, Marilyn Siegel;
> > nut
> > > > potato race, Jay Lichtenstein; Monkey in the Middle, Joy Herzog...
> > [etc.]
> > > > ---
> > > > https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43059206/monkey_in_the_middle/
> > > > The Millburn & Short Hills (NJ) Item, July 11, 1957, p. 6, col. 4
> > > > The middle age group have a variety of games: volley ball, relay races
> > > > (which are very exciting), giant steps, monkey in the middle, red
> > light,
> > > > red rover, and checkers. The wee ones have two favorite games, which
> > they
> > > > play constantly: Simon Says, and Duck, Duck, Goose.
> > > > ---
> > > >
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
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