southpaw (1871)

[Laurence Horn]

At 5:46 AM -0400 5/23/05, Benjamin Zimmer wrote:
>OED and MWCD have 1891 for "southpaw" = 'left-handed person' (there are
>earlier cites for "southpaw" = 'the left hand').  Barry has already
>tracked down baseball cites from the 1880s -- here's an antedating in a
>non-baseball context:
>
>-----
>1871  _Appletons' Journal_ 16 Dec. 692/2 Why is the right hand the
>handiest? Is it so from instinct or education? for, anti-dexters and
>"south-paws," or left-handed persons, are rare exceptions to the rule.
><http://tinyurl.com/8enl6>
>-----

ah, where are the anti-dexters of yesterday?

Only a few google hits, including this useful suggestion:


http://www.luckymojo.com/spells/white/gooddreams.html
TO PREVENT NIGHTMARES

Place a glass of water out at your bedside before you go to
sleep. In the morning empty it into the toilet, using the
anti-dexter hand. Rinse the glass out three times.  Do this
every night, not just when you are having nightmares.

You must think "anti-dexter" as you do it; if you empty the glass
with your left hand (or even your south paw), it probably won't work.

--Larry, who's always been fond of the opposition between "deasil"
and "widdershins"