"Ish Ga Fret" (I should worry) in 1914 baseball article

[Sam Clements]

Gerald,
I just found a cite from the Sheboygan Press, Sept. 23 1913, giving the
result of a bowling tournament, where

[     "The Ish-go-bibble bowling team defeated Freddy Heerman's
Colts......<snip>  Ish-ga-bibble--(meaning "I should worry.")   ]

So the "ga" was used in Wisconsin at that time.  Hope this helps.  I'll try
some earlier hits.

Sam Clements


----- Original Message -----
From: "Gerald Cohen" <gcohen at UMR.EDU>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Sunday, September 07, 2003 7:18 PM
Subject: "Ish Ga Fret" (I should worry) in 1914 baseball article


> Here's another oddity I've come across in the 1914 baseball columns
> of the _San Francisco Bulletin_: "Ish Ga Fret" (= I should worry;
> actually expresses just the opposite). "Ish" looks like (dialectal)
> German; "Fret" is English "fret" (worry); but what is "Ga"? Might
> there be some connection with "ish kabibble," for which HDAS gives
> 1913 as the first attestation and which has the same meaning (I
> should worry = I don't care)?
>
>     The item appears below my signoff.
>
> Gerald Cohen
>
>
> [San Francisco Bulletin]:
> March 18, 1914, p.11/5-6; 'Does Mr. Overall Really Know His Own
> Mind?'; col. 5: "But whether Overall comes or goes, [Seals manager]
> Howard has no occasion to worry.  The signing of new talent which
> graces the pitching staff of the club this season has made Howard a
> member of the Ish Ga Fret society and he can easily afford to assume
> the dictatorial position in the matter with Maier
> [I.e., if Overall goes to the Venice club, Maier will have to pay
> dearly for him].
> But rest assured, if Overall goes to Venice, the San Francisco club
> will not suffer."
>