any clues

[Joel S. Berson]

At 6/3/2012 02:03 AM, Garson O'Toole wrote:
>...
>Below is a citation that may provide some evidence about the etymology.
>
>Cite: 1941 December 11, Oswego Palladium-Times Suggests Double
>Daylight Saving by Hugh Fullerton, Jr. [Wide Words Sports Columnist],
>Page 13, Column 7, Oswego, New York. (Old Fulton) [Remark: Date is
>difficult to read; The December 11 dateline on the article is legible;
>1941 is year given in database; December 11, 1941 is a Thursday and
>Thursday is legible]
>
>[Begin excerpt]
>Ever hear of a Pier Six brawl in tennis? Well, what used to be Pier 6,
>Tompkinsville, Staten Island, has been turned into a recreation center
>and a couple of major indoor tennis events may be held here.
>[End excerpt]
>
>There are several caveats: The author may not know the correct
>etymology. The interpretation he seems to suggest may be based on a
>coincidental name: Pier Six. This article appeared in 1941, i.e., many
>years after 1926 when the phrase was already in circulation.

My guess is that the answer to the question above ("ever hear ...")
is "never" -- that is, the author was placing tennis in opposition to
Pier Six brawls, and he new etymology came from some other "sport".

Joel

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