[Ads-l] pull(ing) (off) a PN (Ty Cobb) stunt

[Peter Reitan]

On July 23, 1870, the New York Mutuals beat up on the Chicago White 
Stockings in Chicago by a score of 9-0.  In the wake of the game, the 
name "Chicago" became a noun and a verb designating a scoreless game (or 
sometimes just a scoreless inning).

To suffer a "Chicago" was to experience a shutout.  To be "Chicagoed" 
was to be shutout.  To "Chicago" someone was to shut them out in a full 
game, or sometimes just an inning.

The Mutuals had defeated Chicago 13-4 earlier that month, and the 
Chicago newspapers talked a lot of smack about how badly they would beat 
up on the Mutuals in the rematch.  The New York Herald announced on July 
27th that "the word 'skunked' will not be used hereafter. 'chicagoed' 
will be the expression to signify what has been known heretofore as 
'skunked,' 'whitewashed,' 'goose egged.'  The Atlantics yesterday worked 
hard to 'Chicago' their opponents, and, as may be seen, they carried out 
their determination through five innings."

Ten years later, the name of Mike Kelly of the Chicago White Stockings 
became synonymous with sliding into base.  When playground slides became 
popular in the early 1900s, they were frequently referred to as "Kelly's 
slides."

I've written about him a bit previously in a post mostly about 
playground slides.

https://esnpc.blogspot.com/2017/08/cellar-doors-and-trolleys-history-of.html



------ Original Message ------
From: "Stephen Goranson" <goranson at duke.edu>
To: ADS-L at listserv.uga.edu
Sent: 2/8/2021 7:22:25 AM
Subject: pull(ing) (off) a PN (Ty Cobb) stunt

>---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       Stephen Goranson <goranson at DUKE.EDU>
>Subject:      pull(ing) (off) a PN (Ty Cobb) stunt
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>[14 Jun 1909] ....Cruikshank pulled off a Ty Cobb stunt. The first man up i=
>n the ninth hit a short fly to right, Cruikshank rushed in in time to grab =
>the ball and throw the runner out at first. The Courier, Waterloo Iowa 2/5]
>
>Lots of later (and maybe earlier) "Ty Cobb stunt" usages.
>
>Was Ty Cobb the earliest PN for such trademark stunts?
>
>Stephen
>
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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