Hail Mary (1972)

[Alice Faber]

Jesse Sheidlower said:
>On Thu, Dec 04, 2003 at 04:48:51AM -0500, Bapopik at AOL.COM wrote:
>>
>>     15 January 1972, SPORTING NEWS, pg. 8, col. 2:
>[...]
>>     "He was parallel to the ground, his feet in mid-air and he
>>threw a pass to
>>  Pat Donnelly, who made a one-yard gain.  Afterward, I asked if he really saw
>>  Pat or if he was throwing it away.
>>     "He said, 'Let's just call it my Hail Mary Play.'"
>
>I find this and Sam's quote interesting, in that my conception
>of a Hail Mary play involves a pass that's not only unlikely
>to be completed, but also, long/high. A 70-yard bomb into the
>end zone with one receiver surrounded by the entire defense,
>say. Similarly with other sports.

In addition to the "desperation, long heave" aspect of a Hail Mary, I
think it also involves time running out in the half (or the game).
--
 =============================================================================
Alice Faber                                             faber at haskins.yale.edu
Haskins Laboratories                                  tel: (203) 865-6163 x258
New Haven, CT 06511 USA                                     fax (203) 865-8963