Tex-Mex (1963, 1969); Bowl of Cherries; Switch Hitter

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   A bunch of baseball, food, whatever, from NEW YORK TIMES full text.

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TEX-MEX

   The term "Tex-Mex" is earlier, but I'm interested in the name as applied to food.  I don't know what DARE will have.

   11 August 1963, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 214:
   Star of the evening was her Texas or Tex-Mex chili.
("Never Too Hot for Chili" by Craig Claiborne--ed.)

   7 March 1969, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 32:
_Dining Out Where the Menu Is "Tex-Mex"_
By CRAIG CLAIBORNE
(...)  And it has Tex-Mex food--that highly seasoned and imaginative Texas version of Mexican cooking--of a very high order.

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LIFE IS JUST A BOWL OF CHERRIES

   Later, according to Forrest Gump, "life is like a box of chocolates," because you never know what you're going to get.  Unlike "Yes, we have no bananas," there's no indication this term pre-dates the song.

   6 September 1931, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 96:
   ...on the program for a group of tunes in the modern tempo. (...)  Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries.

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SWITCH HITTER

   OED has 1948.  Baseball came before sex, in this case.

   24 July 1928, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 15:
_2-Handed Pitcher Gives Up_
   _Before Amibextrous Batter_
(...)   All went well until Wilson, a switch hitter, came to bat.

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WASTE BALL, WASTE PITCH

   18 October 1910, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 11:
   Only twice during the game was the hit-and-run play tried and in both cases the catcher called the turn, signaled for a waste ball, and the runner was easily thrown out at second.

   10 July 1947, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 29:
   According to his story he threw two curves to Spence for strikes and then came through with what he hoped was a waste pitche.  Apparently, though, Mr. Spain is not very good at spelling.  Waste pitch became waist pitch.  He threw that hard, straight one waist-high or higher.  Spence lashed it out to right center for what was to be the winning run in a 2-1 ball game.

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DON'T STICK YOUR NECK OUT

   12 November 1936, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 42:
   "If the leaders and owners of the American System are too lazy to wash their dirty dishes, too selfish to be intelligent, too timid to stick their necks out in defense of free enterprise and constitutional government, who will defend it?" he asked.
(Representative Samuel B. Pettengill of Indiana--ed.)

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UNACCUSTOMED AS I AM TO PUBLIC SPEAKING

   10 June 1927, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. RP2 photo caption:
"UNACCUSTOMED AS I AM TO PUBLIC SPEAKING":
   EDDIE CANTOR
Says a Few Words to the Graduates of the Winter Camp fo Anemic Children.

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COME AND SEE MY ETCHINGS

   The TIMES didn't help on this.

   22 August 1948, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. BR13:
   "A little tea, a little chat" is a variation on the theme of "come and see my etchings."

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PIKE'S PEAK OR BUST

   Like "tit for tat," only different.

   12 April 1873, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 3:
   The fascination was so great that I am persuaded if I had found another one I should have deserted my comrades and camped on the spot in the reckless spirit of "Pike's Peak or bust."

   26 March 1895, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 5:
   _Pike's Peak or Bust!_