Antedating of "Reliever" & Definition Correction

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On 1/14/06, Fred Shapiro <fred.shapiro at yale.edu> wrote:
>
> reliever (OED, 1.d., 1967)
>
> 1925 _N.Y. Times_ 17 Aug. 11 (ProQuest)  Wizner and Huntzinger, his
> relievers, were no-hit, no-run performers.

Posted on Dec. 2, 2004:
http://listserv.linguistlist.org/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0412A&L=ADS-L&P=R2090

> [NOTE: The definition in OED, "A pitcher who relieves the opening
> pitcher," is incorrect, since the reliever frequently relieves another
> reliever.]

Indeed.

--Ben Zimmer