"adornment of the hardware" query

[Joe Pickett]

Or maybe just "hanging up" (an adornment) or his spikes (the hardware). The
adornment doesn't have to be on his person, though presumably it might when
he leaves the clubhouse for the last time.


Joe Pickett




Joe Pickett <Joe_Pickett at HMCO.COM>@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on 12/19/2000 12:10:28
PM

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How about being fired or retired, i.e. by hanging his spikes ("the
hardware") around his neck?

Joe Pickett






"Peter A. McGraw" <pmcgraw at LINFIELD.EDU>@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on 12/19/2000
11:41:54 AM

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Could it simply be the writer's clumsy metaphor for the proverbial gold
watch bestowed at retirement?

--On Mon, Dec 18, 2000 4:43 PM -0600 Gerald Cohen <gcohen at UMR.EDU> wrote:

>
>   Would anyone have any idea what "adornment of he hardware" means in the
>   passage below?  It's in a baseball column of the _San Francisco
>   Bulletin_, April 8, 1913, p.14, col. 1. The general context is one in
>   which the manager is debating which of his players to release in order
>   to bring the roster down to its required size.  But it is not at all
>   clear how "adornment of the hardware" fits into this context.  Any
>   suggestions/leads/etc. would be much appreciated.
>
>
> ---Gerald Cohen
>
>  "[Manager] Del is known to be at a loss as to what to do with Joe
>  Wagner.  Joe was at first threatened with an adornment of the hardware,
>  but then it became known that he was suffering from a growth on his leg
>  which necessitated removal and which was undoubtedly responsible for his
>  slowness at second.  Since his recovery he has been stinging the ball on
>  the nose, and there is a possibility that he will prove a man of
>  sterling worth to the club. He at least merits a trial."



****************************************************************************


                               Peter A. McGraw
                   Linfield College   *   McMinnville, OR
                            pmcgraw at linfield.edu