Modern Proverb: Amateur practices till he can do it right; professional till he can't do it wrong (1976 probably)

[Garson O'Toole]

 Jonathan Lighter wrote
> Twice in the past six months I've heard the following.  The precise wording
> is what I heard on CNN this morning:
>
> "There's a saying that amateurs do it till they get it right, professionals
> do it till they can't get it wrong,"
...
> The speaker was a former Navy SEAL, probably in his mid to late '60s.

This Navy SEAL should be crediting the exceptional military tactician
and notable actress Julie Andrews.

1996 October 3, The Virginian-Pilot, Evolving Virginia Chorale Looks
Ahead as Season Opens by Craig Shapiro, Page E1, Norfolk, Virginian.
(NewsBank)

"Julie Andrews once said an amateur rehearses until he gets it right,"
Page said. "A professional rehearses until he can't get it wrong."

I've been working on a Frank Lloyd Wright quote that is now posted at
QuoteInvestigator.com. (Advertisement: Join the 500 to 1,000 daily
unique visitors at QuoteInvestigator.com. But please don't visit
daily. You will be frustrated because I only update two or three times
a week.)

Here is a preliminary exploration for this modern proverb. Maybe
Charlie will find it useful. In the 1970s the phrase was used by
equestrians.

Cite: 1976, Dressage for Beginners by R. L. V. Ffrench Blake, GB Page
61, Houghton Mifflin, Boston. (Google Books snippet; Not verified in
paper; WorldCat date ok; Copyright date 1976 visible in snippet)

Work hard and constructively, and remember that "the amateur practices
till he can do it right - the professional practices till he can't do
it wrong."

http://books.google.com/books?id=chRJAAAAYAAJ&q=professional#search_anchor
http://books.google.com/books?id=chRJAAAAYAAJ&q=Mifflin#search_anchor

Cite 1983, Working Trot by Jessie Haas, GB Page 71, Greenwillow Books,
New York. (Google Books snippet; Not verified in paper; WorldCat date
ok)

Somewhere he'd read, "The amateur practices until he can do it right;
the professional until he can't do it wrong."
http://books.google.com/books?id=8-fHeI-qaGQC&q=amateur#search_anchor

The expression was used by Canadian thespians in the 1980s.

Cite: 1987, Canadian Drama and the Critics compiled and edited by
Leonard W. Conolly, GB Page 85, Talonbooks, Vancouver. (Google Books
snippet; Not verified in paper, Catalog shows a 1987 edition exists)

It is said an amateur rehearses until he gets it right; a professional
rehearses until he can't get it wrong.

http://books.google.com/books?id=_ZUfAQAAIAAJ&q=amateur#search_anchor


Some of the core ideas that might have evolved to yield the modern
proverb are present in this 1902 precursor. The words professional and
amateur do not appear.

Cite: 1902 March 20, Michigan School Moderator [The Moderator], Editor
Henry R. Pattengill, Spelling, Page 432, Column 1, Volume 22, Lansing,
Michigan. (Google Books full view)

It must be admitted that spelling is not taught successfully; indeed,
the difficulty lies in the fact that it is seldom taught at all.
Spelling lessons are assigned, studied, recited, but not taught. Much
of the time spent in hearing children recite-guess till they get it
right-should be spent in a definite teaching process, until they can
not get it wrong.

It should be possible to push the date earlier than 1976.
Garson

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