Molly Putz (1963)

[Benjamin Zimmer]

I recently heard a baseball commentator use the expression "(look like)
Molly Putz".  Molly is apparently Joe Schmo's cousin.

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1963 _Washington Post_ 1 May D3/1 "It isn't his hitting," said Dodgers
trouble-shooter Charlie Dressen, "it's his fielding. Moose always was a
fine fielder but he looked like Molly Putz for a few games."
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1970 J. BOUTON _Ball Four_ (1990) 388 We've been called things in the
clubhouse before. A lot of managers say their players look like Molly Putz
out there.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0020306652/?v=search-inside&keywords=putz
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1972 _Washington Post_ 5 May D1/2 "If anybody conducts circus atmospheres,
unfortunately it's our commissioner," McLain said. "but you could have
Molly Putz run baseball and the game would survive."
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There are newspaper cites for "Molly Putz" through the '80s, '90s, and
'00s, usually from baseball managers, though occasionally from football
coaches as well.


--Ben Zimmer