"little joe from kokomo" and "african billiards"

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Wed, 13 Jul 2005 14:16:45 -0500, Mullins, Bill
<Bill.Mullins at US.ARMY.MIL> wrote:

>The phrase appears in American Speech Vol. 7, No. 5 (Jun., 1932) as
>craps/dice slang.  Not in OED.
>
>"An Ex-Buck Private Goes Back to France" by Paul Adams (NEA Service
>(syndicate))
>Texas | Port Arthur | The Port Arthur News | 1927-04-10 p. 7 col 2.
>"How the galloping dominoes led by Little Joe from Kokomo would roll on
>that smooth linoleum on the floor of the smoking room on a liner such as
>those that will carry "The Second A. E. F." back to France!"
>
>"The Conning Tower"
>California | Oakland | The Oakland Tribune | 1925-01-22 p. 16 col 3.
>"As to the loud and boisterous language, Mr. Hugh Wiley says that Mr.
>Vitus Marsden's "Shoot six bits. I reads fo'. Little Joe from Kokomo.
>And I reads a trey an' a one. I'm a wilecat an' I'm on my prowl" can be
>heard six blocks on a clear day."
>
>Little Joe from Kokomo evolved from Little Joe [...]

...and he grew up to be Joe Schmo from Kokomo.

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--Ben Zimmer