Query: 1913 "trained to the minute"

[Douglas G. Wilson]

At 09:33 PM 11/26/2001 -0600, you wrote:
>         I came across "trained to the minute" (= fully trained,
>expert) in a 1913 baseball article. But why "to the minute" here?
>Would anyone have any ideas on this?

It's still a current expression. Used in horse racing, also other sports,
also military. Used in modern Australia, NZ, UK, and even US:

http://www.cyberhorse.net.au/vrc/bill/1105melbcup.shtml
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/stories/s52850.htm
http://www.diggerz.org/~adaa/zptsd.htm

http://nzrugby.com/rugbynow/nov02_01.html
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Dome/7036/tauranga.html

http://www.ascot-authority.co.uk/shergarcup/Yokoyama_and_flores.html
http://www.observer.co.uk/osm/story/0,6903,445894,00.html

http://www.suntimes.com/output/horse/feldpks24.html
http://www.drf.com/home/crown2001/kd/derby_recaps.html

I think it was once more common in the US than it is now. I don't know what
it means ... maybe "trained right up until the moment of the action/event"?

-- Doug Wilson