Antedating of "Perfect Game"

Tue May 25 01:12:31 UTC 2010

At 8:47 PM -0400 5/24/10, Alice Faber wrote:
>Well, it implies that the game *would have been* a perfect game, if not
>for the walk, hence that unqualified perfect game couldn't have been
>used for a no-hitter.

That's what I was thinking too, but it still seems a bit odd, sort of
like a pitcher who "pitched a shutout, except for giving up a run or
two" or a football team that "went undefeated except for a game or
two".

LH

>On 5/24/10 8:04 PM, Shapiro, Fred wrote:
>>Sam,
>>
>>Well, if you had no hits, no errors, a walk or two, and no other
>>men reaching base, that would be a perfect game in its current
>>meaning "with the exception of a walk or so."  I wonder, however,
>>if there was an earlier, general meaning of "perfect game" meaning
>>a really well-pitched game, and it was applied to a no-hit,
>>no-walk, no-error, etc. game, would this be a citation for the
>>current meaning, or merely a citation for an earlier sense that
>>coincidentally described a game also meeting the current fixed,
>>technical meaning?
>>
>>Fred Shapiro
>>
>>
>>
>>________________________________________
>>From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
>>Of Sam Clements [SClements at NEO.RR.COM]
>>Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 7:56 PM
>>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>>Subject: Re: Antedating of "Perfect Game"
>>
>>How is" ...a perfect game with the exception of a walk or so..." a _perfect
>>game_ in its current meaning?  I assume by "current": you mean the last 50+
>>years?
>>
>>Sam Clements
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Shapiro, Fred"<fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
>>To:<ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 19:34
>>Subject: Antedating of "Perfect Game"
>>
>>>Here's a slightly earlier citation for _perfect game_ in its current
>>>meaning (as a synonym for _no-hitter_, it is older than 1907):
>>>
>>>1907 _Atlanta Constitution_ 5 June 9 (ProQuest Historical Newspapers)
>>>(heading) Rube Pitched a Perfect Game With the Exception of a Walk or so,
>>>and for Seven Innings Only Twenty-one Men Faced Him.
>>>
>>>
>>>Fred Shapiro
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>________________________________________
>>>From: American Dialect Society [ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Mark
>>>Mandel [thnidu at GMAIL.COM]
>>>Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 3:34 PM
>>>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>>>Subject: perfect game (baseball)
>>>
>>>In explaining a recent baseball quotation to my sister, I had occasion
>>>to seek definitions of "perfect game". OED's definition is fine
>>>
>>>>chiefly N. Amer. (a) Baseball a no-hitter in which the pitcher or
>>>>pitchers of one team allow no hits or walks and there are no errors, such
>>>>that none of the opposing team's players get on base;
>>>
>>>but the first citation
>>>
>>>>1907 Chicago Sunday Tribune 23 July II.?  4/5 What is a *perfect game?..A
>>>>perfectly pitched game would be where no one reached first base.
>>>
>>>doesn't jibe with ProQuest search:
>>>
>>>>Databases selected:?  ProQuest Historical Newspapers Chicago Tribune
>>>>(1849 - 1987)
>>>>No documents found for: (game) AND (perfect) AND PDN(7/23/1907)
>>>
>>>The citation is actually from *June* 23 [1]:
>>>
>>>>ANSWERS TO INQUISITIVE FANS.
>>>>T P. Chicago Daily Tribune (1872-1922). Chicago, Ill.: Jun 23, 1907. p. A4
>>>>(1 page)
>>>
>>>Fourth item in the column:
>>>
>>>>Ottumwa, Ia. -- [...] (4) What is a perfect game?? ? ? ?  [signed] "RED."
>>>>
>>>>?  [...]?  (4) A perfect fielding game is an errorless one, a perfect
>>>>batting game would be where every batter made a clean hit, every time at
>>>>bat; a perfectly pitched game would be where no one reached first base.
>>>
>>>Nevertheless, the expert, "T.P.", evidently doesn't consider "perfect
>>>game" to be a term of the art of baseball.
>>>
>>>We get closer in October [2], but still no cigar.
>>>
>>>>Most Perfect Game of Series. [section head in story]
>>>>... no faster or more nearly perfect game has been seen during the
>>>>series.
>>>
>>>[1] T P.?  (1907,? June? 23). ANSWERS TO INQUISITIVE FANS.? Chicago Daily
>>>Tribune (1872-1922),A4.?  Retrieved May 24, 2010, from ProQuest
>>>Historical Newspapers Chicago Tribune (1849 - 1987). (Document ID:
>>>403483001).
>>>Document URL:
>>>http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=403483001&sid=9&Fmt=1&clientId=3748&RQT=309&VName=HNP
>>>
>>>[2] I E (SY) SANBORN.?  (1907,? October? 13). WORLD'S PENNANT STAYS IN
>>>CHICAGO? :Cubs Finish Series by Inflicting Humiliating Shutout on the
>>>Detroit Tigers. HONOR MORDECAI BROWN. Three Fingered One Gets Chance
>>>at Last and Cinches Championship for the West Side by 2 to 0. TOTAL
>>>FOR SERIES. WHAT THE CUBS GET. WHAT THE TIGERS GET. Cubs' Feat Without
>>>Precedent. Honor to the Three Fingered One. Chance Looks On at Combat.
>>>Those Tigers Died Hard. Champions to "Exhibit" Today. Victory Gives
>>>Cubs $32,960. Most Perfect Game of Series. Tigers Make Vicious Fight.
>>>Cobb Buried in Disgrace..? Chicago Daily Tribune (1872-1922),1.
>>>Retrieved May 24, 2010, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers Chicago
>>>Tribune (1849 - 1987). (Document ID:? 403637311).
>>>Document URL:
>>>http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=403637311&sid=9&Fmt=2&clientId=3748&RQT=309&VName=HNP
>>>
>>>m a m
>>>
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>
>--
>========================================================================
>Alice Faber                                       faber at haskins.yale.edu
>Haskins Laboratories                            tel: (203) 865-6163 x258
>New Haven, CT 06511 USA                               fax (203) 865-8963
>
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