OED appeals list

[GSCole]

I'd thought that the earliest cite for 'wife beater' was one that I
found for December 1996.  But, a quick search with Google - Groups found
earlier cites.

Searching on "wife beater" AND shirt ----
>From soc.motss newsgroup, 6 April 1994, [wife-beater undershirt]:
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=+%22wife+beater%22+AND+shirt&hl=en&lr=&scoring=r&as_drrb=b&as_mind=12&as_minm=5&as_miny=1981&as_maxd=31&as_maxm=12&as_maxy=1996&selm=2o048p%24cpo%40mizar.usc.edu&rnum=9

Numerous other combinations, with the above search.

Searching on "wife beater t-shirt" ----

>From alt.gothic, there is a 13 March 1996 usage:
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=+%22wife+beater+t-shirt%22&hl=en&lr=&scoring=r&as_drrb=b&as_mind=12&as_minm=5&as_miny=1981&as_maxd=31&as_maxm=12&as_maxy=1996&selm=4i79s6%244pm%40vixen.cso.uiuc.edu&rnum=2

>From alt.cosuard, there is a 24 October 1996 usage:
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=+%22wife+beater+t-shirt%22&hl=en&lr=&scoring=r&as_drrb=b&as_mind=12&as_minm=5&as_miny=1981&as_maxd=31&as_maxm=12&as_maxy=1996&selm=54oind%24998%40hermes.acs.unt.edu&rnum=1

There are probably earlier cites, with a mention of wife-beater, but in
reference to a garment.

George Cole
Shippensburg University