"bush league"

[Jonathan Lighter]

Good work, Bill.  Does anybody still use "bush" in a general sense to mean "unprofessional, inept, childish, etc."  I first heard that in the late ' '70s.

  JL

"Mullins, Bill AMRDEC" <Bill.Mullins at US.ARMY.MIL> wrote:
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Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: "Mullins, Bill AMRDEC"
Subject: "bush league"
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OED has 1906 for "bush league" and "bush leaguer"

"Sport" Nebraska | Lincoln | Lincoln Evening News, The | 1902-02-21 p. 4
col 6.
" Instead Sioux City will belong to the north tri-state league, composed
of Rock Rapids, Sheldon, Le Mars, Iowa, Flandreau, Yankton and Sioux
Falls, S. D., generally known as the "bush league." "

BASEBALL NOTES. The Washington Post; Sep 10, 1902; pg. 8 col 4.
"Watkins, the youngster from Maine whom Shettsline gave a trial
Saturday, will probably be sent back to the bush league."

"Oakland Wins Farce Comedy" Los Angeles Times; Sep 25, 1903; pg. 11 col
3.
"This versatile artist's floaters kept the Looloos so completely at sea
thereafter that in the ninth Pete became brash and produced a local bush
leaguer in young Bobbie Whalen, a brother of the immortal Babe of green
memory."

"Weary William Once More Winner." Illinois | Decatur | Daily Review, The
| 1904-09-04 p. 4. col 1.
"Taffe is the "bush leaguer" from Vandalia that Donnelly has taken on
for a trial."

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