go yard (1988)

[Chris Frazier]

Benjamin Zimmer wrote:

>---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       Benjamin Zimmer <bgzimmer at RCI.RUTGERS.EDU>
>Subject:      Re: go yard (1988)
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>On Sun, 16 Oct 2005 17:30:02 -0400, Chris Frazier wrote:
>
>
>
>>I've still never seen or heard the phrase used. And 18,000 Google hits
>>doesn't necessaily make it so.
>>
>>
>
>I hear it often enough from TV commentators (on ESPN and Fox). Seems to
>have gotten popular in the early '90s-- here are two more early cites (the
>parenthetical glosses suggest the expression was still new):
>
>-----
>1992 _Post Standard_ (Syracuse, NY) 10 Aug. D5/5 "Knowing he can go yard
>(hit one out), you have to make a good pitch," Leiter said.
>-----
>1993 _Atlanta Journal-Constitution_ 1 Apr. G1 (Nexis) "Pressure's on the
>pitcher," somebody hollered. "He's getting nervous." Several teammates
>yelled encouragement. Another chimed in, "She's going yard [home run]."
>-----
>
>
>--Ben Zimmer
>
>
>
>
I have to concede that the phrase seems to be in fairly wide use, but
I've never seen or heard it before joining this group. It's awkward.
Thanks for educating me, each and every one of you. I sit corrected.

Chris Frazier