[Ads-l] "split of a three-game series"

[Joel Berson]

I don't think "splits" of a three-game series that include one draw/tie negate the possibility of referring to a two wins--one loss series as a "split".  And I don't find that usage confusing or unacceptable -- it's the only possible "split" of a three-game (baseball) series (provided the three games are played to conclusion!).


But if I saw "they split the five-game series", I would expect to see the numbers:  4--1 or 3--2.

In any case, isn't a "split" in contrast to a "sweep"?  I don't require a "split" to be even.


I learn from Wikipedia that a split (pot) in poker can be 1/2 -- 1/4 -- 1/4, in "Omaha hold-em".


Joel

      From: Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at GMAIL.COM>
 To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU 
 Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 10:49 AM
 Subject: Re: [ADS-L] "split of a three-game series"
   
Sounds odd to me too. Oxford Dictionaries covers the noun:

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/split
"(North American) A drawn game or series."

And American Heritage has the verb:

https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=split
"(Sports) To win half the games of (a series or double-header)."

Here another uneven split (using the verb):

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/durham-news/dn-sports/article20838948.html
"The Lady Eagles had to sweep a three-game series over the Aggies and
hope for some help, but split the series 2-1 instead."

But far more often, "splitting" a three-game series requires a tie (as
in college baseball or soccer) or some other extenuating
circumstances.

http://www.fitsnews.com/2011/03/07/split-decision/
"Wait … they split a three-game series? Are we doing some S.C. public
school math here? How is that possible? The second game of the series
– which was originally scheduled for Saturday afternoon at
Greenville’s Fluor Field – was postponed due to inclement weather."

http://www.wildcat.arizona.edu/article/2014/05/arizona-softball-prepares-for-a-major-matchup
"The two schools actually split the three-game series. After the Sun
Devils won the opening game and Oregon won the second, the third game
ended in a tie. The third game was called during a 2-2 tie in the
sixth inning due to rain."

http://www.revolutionsoccer.net/news/features/2015/06/preview-hectic-stretch-begins-saturday-night-foxborough-revs-host-fire
"The Revs and Fire split a three-game series last year, each side
winning once to go along with one draw."

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/04/10/montreal-impact-vs-chicago-fire-mls-match-preview
"The teams split their three-game series a season ago, each winning on
their home ground before the clubs reached a 2-2 draw at Toyota Park
on Sept. 28."


On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 10:06 AM, Dan Goncharoff wrote:
>
> This was baseball; there were no ties.
>
> This was the summary sentence in an e-mail from The New York Times
> regarding the Mets' victory over the Cardinals, which had won the first two
> games, in the last game of a three-game series:
>
> "The Mets' feeble offense continued to struggle for 17 innings, but two
> runs in the 18th gave them a split of a three-game series in St. Louis."
>
> Split has many meanings in a baseball context (split a series,
> split-finger, split season, statistical splits), but I would never use
> split to refer to a 2-1 result in a three-game series. Looks odd to me.
>
> Google seems to have only one other use of "split of a three-game series",
> and other variant searches were unsuccessful.

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org