Query: "lead his left scissors"

[Gerald Cohen]

      The quote below is from the newspaper  _The San Francisco Bulletin_
(March 24, 1913, p.16/6)  and contains the words "lead his left scissors."
The reference is to the manager of the S.F. Seals  (a minor league baseball
team) having to reduce his squad to the prescribed number for the start of
the regular season.

      But why "lead" here, and why "left"? Would anyone have an idea?
Here's the quote:

 "As matters stand now Manager Del [Howard] is prepared to lead his left
scissors this week and lop off six or seven members of the squad.  In all
twelve must be gotten rid of, but Del has plenty of time to sift the list
down to the last remaining unfortunate."

---Gerald Cohen



gcohen at umr.edu