[Ads-l] "skeleton" (the sliding sport)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Nowadays, twitter links do not bypass the Wall Street Journal paywall
(in my experience). In the past, twitter links did bypass the paywall.
Grason

On Thu, Feb 15, 2018 at 3:31 PM, Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:
> My latest Wall Street Journal column ties in to the Winter Olympics,
> looking at the origins of "skeleton," the terrifying sliding sport.
>
> https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-source-of-a-sporting-term-why-skeletons-are-haunting-the-olympics-1518715072
>
> If paywalled, you should be able to get to the column via my Twitter link:
>
> https://twitter.com/bgzimmer/status/964192975399063552
>
> The earliest "skeleton"-related cite I could find is from 1890, though
> it only merits bracketed treatment as it refers to the sled's
> "skeleton steel hoops":
>
> ----
> https://books.google.com/books?id=Z0EFAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA369
> "Winter Sports in the Engadine" by S.T. Prideaux
> Baily's Magazine of Sports and Pastimes, Dec. 1, 1890, p. 369
> A modification of the America, which promises to become a favourite,
> has lately been introduced at St. Moritz by Mr. Bulpett, which has
> been constructed with special reference to this controlling power. It
> is a steel sled, consisting of two skeleton steel hoops, shaped to
> form runners on the under side, and flat supports for a board
> connecting the two on the upper side; the board protrudes beyond the
> runners, so that the rider may throw his weight aft, and lift the
> machine for steering purposes, when such a move shall appear to be
> necessary.
> ----
>
> Later in that same article (p. 371) is an early cite for the
> competitive style of "bobsled":
>
> ----
> https://books.google.com/books?id=Z0EFAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA371
> A new form of sled -- called a bob-sled -- was entered by Whitney (an
> American) for the International. It consisted of two ordinary Americas
> -- one in front of the other -- joined together by a board, eight to
> twelve feet long, and three to four inches wider than the combined
> toboggans.
> ----
>
> The earliest I've found for standalone "skeleton" is from 1893:
>
> ----
> https://books.google.com/books?id=rBkAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA573
> C.W. Kennedy, "A Winter at Davos"
> Longman's Magazine (London), Oct. 1, 1893, p. 573
> The 'America,' which, in its most advanced form, the 'Spider' or
> 'Skeleton,' recently introduced from St. Moritz, simply consists of a
> plank laid on spring runners, is ridden head foremost.
> ----
>
> Two books from 1894 have plenty of "skeleton" cites.
>
> ----
> https://books.google.com/books?id=yqECAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA58
> Harry Gibson, _Tobogganing on Crooked Runs_ (1894), p. 58
> As with the old Swiss so with its successor, the solid wooden walled
> 'America,' and now the steel 'skeleton' holds the market.
> ----
> https://books.google.com/books?id=1fMWAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA7
> Theodore Andrea Cook, _Notes on Tobogganing at St. Moritz_ (1894), p. 7
> Many names are connected with this gradual production of the fastest
> toboggan. To Mr. W.H. Bulpett is due the actual introduction of
> 'skeletons' into the St. Moritz tobogganing cupboards.
> ----
>
> --bgz
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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