living in a tree

[Douglas G. Wilson]

At 12:10 AM 4/19/01 -0500, you wrote:
>White Sox announcers John Rooney and Ed Farmer tonight noted that
>ballplayers will say "He's living in a tree" about someone who is
>going through a great fielding streak, gobbling up every ball
>anywhere near them.  Rooney and Farmer were mystified as to the
>metaphorical origin of the phrase--I would assume the ballplayers are
>likening the streaking player to a squirrel, but of course I could be
>wrong.  Anybody got any other ideas?

A brachiating arboreal primate such as an orangutan or a chimpanzee, with
very long, strong arms. Or maybe Tarzan.

-- Doug Wilson