Hammer/Nail;"Knock cover off ball" (pre-1896); "Refs swallowed whistles" (1930s)

Tue Mar 15 08:34:10 UTC 2005

SOMETIMES YOU'RE THE HAMMER, SOMETIMES YOU'RE THE NAIL
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YOU'RE THE HAMMER--447 Google hits, 12 Google Groups hits.
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I left this one out of the last post, but I'll include it because William
Safire might want to tie it into recent Washington politics.
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(GOOGLE NEWS)
_Delay and Company_
(http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/03/14/delay.company.tm/)
CNN -  <NOBR>13 ho
... Thanks to an unusually close and trusting relationship with  his boss,
Tom DeLay's chief of ... at getting his way that he  became known as "the
Hammer," and as he ...
_Republicans feel the blows as 'the Hammer' comes in for a  ..._
(http://news.ft.com/cms/s/cff12224-942e-11d9-9d6e-00000e2511c8.html)  <NOBR>Financial
<NO
<NO
(GOOGLE GROUPS)
_Which is faster: on one edge or flat board_
(http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.skiing.snowboard/browse_frm/thread/af378ac6b0b3f71e/aab349db53eb200b?q
="you're+the+hammer"#aab349db53eb200b)
... You're the hammer, and they are the  feather. Why do you think most
downhill ski
racers are fairly heavy? jan  Well, that's slightly closer to the real
answer. ...
_rec.skiing.snowboard_
(http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.skiing.snowboard)  -  Mar 22 1996, 7:57 am by Jan Chaloupka - 62 messages - 31 authors
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_New thread on similes?_
(http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.callahans/browse_frm/thread/4a53f2dd66ff43a8/8184c430aaba02bd?q="you're+the+hammer"#8184c4
30aaba02bd)
...  windshield... Sometimes you're the bug. "Sometimes you're  the hammer,"
Alaric replies, "sometimes you're the nail.  "Sometimes you ...
_alt.callahans_ (http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.callahans)  - Aug 7
1996, 11:46 pm by <blert> - 29 messages - 18 authors _www.goog_
(http://www.goog)
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SPORTS CLICHES
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I'm looking for "sports cliches" for the "Dr.  Cliche"...I wonder if the good
doctor realizes that I worked ten hours in a  room with no air, that I almost
passed out again today, and that I have no  healthcare.
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(PROQUEST HISTORICAL NEWSPAPERS)
_Sport  Story Cliches Get Editor's Ax_
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=2&did=504279822&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&
TS=1110868948&clientId=65882)
Chicago Daily Tribune  (1872-1963). Chicago, Ill.: Nov 5, 1953. p. D6 (1
page)
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The report listed the 10 most disliked cliches as selected in a poll of
Associated press member paper sports editors. Here, in the order of their
detestation, they are:
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Mentor, inked pact, pay dirt, circuit clout, gonfalon, roaring back from
behind, outclassed but game, clobber, gridders, cage or cagers.
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"KNOCK THE COVER OFF THE BALL"
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On page 108 in Dr. Cliche's book is "He Ripped the Cover Off the Ball:
Batter Cliches." It's from at least 1896.
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(NEWSPAPERARCHIVE)
     _Daily Miner _
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=Z8Lm5Wnx+nuKID/6NLMW2jDh79c+auIvfrCqR7ctu8cRXo9KEVIjaw==)  Friday, August 29, 1884
_Butte,_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=city:butte+cover+off+the+ball+AND)  _Montana_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=state:montana+cover+off+the+ball+AND)
...no taa. levied for knocking  THE COVER OFF THE BALL he will play.
Robinson says.....and THE mine owners at mlQlojs Utles COVER  town submitted at THE
re- cent..
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_Decatur Daily Review _
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=9qnHh8I+Pl6KID/6NLMW2uV/ZQ+LFcXGdQ6WxA4Us8rQsVdjgMARHkIF+CsZYmrz)  Wednesday, May
25, 1887 _Decatur,_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=city:decatur+cover+off+the+ball+AND)  _Illinois_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=state:illinois+cover+off+the+ball+AND)
...game and nearly pounded  THE COVER OFF THE BALL. THE  Bloomingtou
players.....cat-fish weighing 171 pounds was taken OFF  a trout line at THE river
yesterday..
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_Review _
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=Z1F8QY91aICKID/6NLMW2gGdIv0OpkmR2Id0TSiFg2RknPLt7TrG1UIF+CsZYmrz)  Wednesday, August 05, 1885
_Decatur,_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=city:decatur+cover+off+the+ball+AND)  _Illinois_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=state:illinois+cover+off+the+ball+AND)
...ones Tbe lleds nearly  batted tho COVER OFF THE BALL and kept  THE
visitors en.....THE Deoatnr barbers. THE game  will OFF at THE base BALL park, and
promises..
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     _Steubenville Daily Herald _
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Viewer.aspx?img=9OTicI1+LyyKID/6NLMW2rwaMTS4M8l+GOOdOMiyaQEjbtL4V7NJxQ==)  Monday, April
06, 1896 _Steubenville,_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=city:steubenville+cover+off+the+ball+AND)  _Ohio_
(http://www.newspaperarchive.com/Search.aspx?Search=state:ohio+cover+off+the+ball+AND)      ...watch tho
recruits  "knock THE COVER OFF THE BALL"  THEy only hope and say in.....biko
last rail helped to  increase THE BALL players' prejudice against  THE..
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REFS SWALLOWED  THEIR WHISTLES
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>From Dr. Cliche,  BEST SPORTS CLICHES EVER!, pg. 67: "The Refs Swallowed
Their Whistles:  Officiating Cliches." This appears to be from at least the  1930s.
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(PROQUEST  HISTORICAL NEWSPAPERS)

_Time  Out!_
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=2&did=249341572&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1110870500&clientId=658
82)
By Chet Smith. The  Washington Post (1877-1954). Washington, D.C.: Oct 5,
1936. p. X16 (1  page) :
"Hey there--give us a hand--the referee just swallowed his whistle!"
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_THE  SPORTS X-RAY_
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=1&did=394810201&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1110873271&clien
tId=65882)
BOB RAY. Los  Angeles Times (1886-Current File). Los Angeles, Calif.: Jan 6,
1937. p.  A11 (1 page) :
Here's good news for local basketball fans. Nope, the officials haven't  been
ordered to swallow their whistles, but Coach Sam Barry of the Trojans and
Coach Caddy Works of the Bruins have instructed the referees and umpires to call
 only fouls that are flagrant and quite apparently intentional.
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_HAWKS  BEAT RED WINGS, 4-3; TAKE 2D PLACE; 15,741 WATCH DOUG BENTLEY SCORE 3
GOALS  Officials Razzed in Wild 3d Period. That's That! _
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=3&did=472028092&SrchMode=1&sid=1&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD
&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1110872690&clientId=65882)
EDWARD BURNS. Chicago Daily Tribune  (1872-1963). Chicago, Ill.: Nov 26,
1943. p. 19 (1 page) :
The goal cancellation, made after Meuris apparently had swallowed his
whistle, helped the game, for it meant the Hawks had to protect a one goal lead
thruout the entire scoreless third period, whereas they'd have had a taming
two-goal margin ig Smith's goal had been allowed.
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_New  Basketball Rules Blamed For Too Much Whistle Blowing; Begovich, Leading
Referee  and Coach, Says Officials Are Unjustly Accused -- Offers Three Steps
for Solving  the Problem _
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=3&did=88611029&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1110873024
&clientId=65882)
New York Times (1857-Current file).  New York, N.Y.: Jan 3, 1948. p. 18 (1
page):
Gray, in viewing a game between Pennsylvania and Illinois two weeks ago,
remarked "I thought one of the officials would swallow his whistle. It hardly
ever left his mouth."
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