[Ads-l] leave it all on the field

[Ben Zimmer]

Barry Popik has a page on this with examples going back to 1961.

http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/leave_everything_on_the_field

On Sat, Nov 12, 2016 at 11:24 PM, ADSGarson O'Toole <
adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:

> Here is an instance in 1983. The excerpt below suggested a rationale
> for the construction of the phrase:
>
> Date: October 24, 1983
> Dateline: Anaheim, California
> Article: The always relaxed Vince Ferragamo was in the midst...
> News Service: UPI NewsTrack
> Database: NewsBank Access World News
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> 'They had nothing left at the end. They left it all on the field, and
> I'm damn proud of them. The Rams are one helluva football team, and so
> are the 49ers.'
> [End excerpt]
>
> Garson
>
> On Sat, Nov 12, 2016 at 10:55 PM, Neal Whitman <nwhitman at ameritech.net>
> wrote:
> > This agrees with what I've found in the past hour: "leave it all on the
> > field" dates to Nov. 10, 1996:
> >
> >
> > https://www.aceticket.com/new-england-patriots-tickets/new-york-jets
> >
> > Nov 10, 1996 - Patriots vs Jets. When the Patriots & Jets get together
> you
> > know you'll see an entertaining game regardless of the current standings.
> > These division rivals leave it all on the field when they play.
> >
> >
> > As for "leave nothing on the field," the earliest I have is Nov. 15,
> 2000:
> > http://www1.gmnews.com/2000/11/15/south-river-left-
> nothing-on-the-field-in-final-loss-rams-fall-to-colts-neck-
> in-cj-i-final-2/
> >
> > South River left nothing on the field in final loss
> >
> >
> > After that, examples of "leave nothing on the field" are a bit scarce,
> but
> > pick up quite a bit in 2007, which seems to be the year of a Nike
> > football-focused commercial series called "Leave Nothing."
> >
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eYeC0IEqDY
> >
> >
> > Neal
> >
> >
> > On 11/12/2016 10:42 PM, Wilson Gray wrote:
> >>
> >> On Sat, Nov 12, 2016 at 10:51 AM, Charles C Doyle <cdoyle at uga.edu>
> wrote:
> >>
> >>> It's an old expression beloved of football coaches and sportscasters.
> >>>
> >> I agree. OTOH, though it seems to me that this expression is two days
> >> older
> >> than water and it gets about 2.000,000 hits, the oldest is from only
> 1996.
> >> And it's the sole pre-21st-C. hit.
> >>
> >> Youneverknow.
> >
>

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