"can of corn"

[Jonathan Lighter]

Aah, but we're not talking logic here. We're talking iconic metaphorical
shortcuts.

(Of course, I was somewhat shorter in 1954, so maybe the shelves weren't
quite so high.)

JL


On Fri, Aug 22, 2014 at 3:39 PM, Charles C Doyle <cdoyle at uga.edu> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Charles C Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU>
> Subject:      Re: "can of corn"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I apologize for not finding the entry in HDAS.  I keep forgetting about
> the=
>  system of alphabetizing that locates (for example) "can of corn"  AFTER
> en=
> tries for "canal," "candy," "cannon," "canoe", and 4+ pages of other
> entrie=
> s since "can" itself appeared!=0A=
> =0A=
> As for the legendary explanation for the origin of the metaphorical
> express=
> ion "can of corn":  I can't imagine there exists evidence that canned corn
> =
> was ever typically shelved higher than other food items in grocery stores!=
> =0A=
> =0A=
> Charlie=0A=
> =0A=
> ________________________________________=0A=
> =0A=
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -------------------=
> ----=0A=
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>=0A=
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>=0A=
> Subject:      Re: "can of corn"=0A=
>
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> ----=0A=
> =0A=
> See HDAS I, p. 358.=0A=
> =0A=
> I have heard it only in reference to baseball.=0A=
> =0A=
> Used by whom in 1896?=0A=
> =0A=
> JL=0A=
> =0A=
> =0A=
> On Thu, Aug 21, 2014 at 5:59 PM, ADSGarson O'Toole <=0A=
> adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:=0A=
> =0A=
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header=0A=
> > -----------------------=0A=
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>=0A=
> > Poster:       ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>=0A=
> > Subject:      Re: "can of corn"=0A=
> >=0A=
> >
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> >=0A=
> > Charlie: Here is a link to a discussion of "can of corn" in a Google=0A=
> > Books preview of "The Dickson Baseball Dictionary" by Paul Dickson=0A=
> > (Third Edition). I do not know if this link will work for list=0A=
> > members.=0A=
> >=0A=
> >=0A=
> >
> http://books.google.com/books?id=3D3DceeU7xSLw5kC&q=3D3D%22can+o+corn%22+=
> #v=3D3Ds=3D=0A=
> > nippet&=0A=
> >=0A=
> > Below is a link to a webpage with an explanation of unknow (to me)=0A=
> > veracity=3D=0A=
> > .=0A=
> >=0A=
> > Title: Origin of baseball term =3DE2=3D80=3D9Ccan of corn=3DE2=3D80=3D9D=
> =0A=
> > Date: May 2, 2008=0A=
> >
> http://mtcave.blogspot.com/2008/05/origin-of-baseball-term-can-of-corn.ht=
> ml=0A=
> >=0A=
> > Below is another link to another webpage with an similar explanations=0A=
> > of unknown (to me) veracity.=0A=
> >=0A=
> > http://www.wordwizard.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=3D3D7&t=3D3D18322=0A=
> >=0A=
> >=0A=
> > Page Title: can of corn (baseball term)=0A=
> >=0A=
> > [Begin excerpt]=0A=
> > can of corn (baseball term)=0A=
> >=0A=
> > Post by Ken Greenwald=0A=
> > Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:50 am=0A=
> >=0A=
> > Ralph, You make it sound as if we are going to guess. We only give=0A=
> > definitive answers around here. (<:)=0A=
> >=0A=
> > CAN OF CORN: An easily played fly ball. Reported to have originated=0A=
> > with the grocer=3DE2=3D80=3D99s practice in the early 1900s of storing
> ca=
> ns of=0A=
> > co=3D=0A=
> > rn=0A=
> > on a high shelf. When a grocer needed one, he=3DE2=3D80=3D99d simply tip
> =
> it=0A=
> > forwa=3D=0A=
> > rd=0A=
> > with a rod or a broom handle so that it would tumble easily into his=0A=
> > waiting hands.=
>
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