[Ads-l] antedatings of "world('s) series"

[Ben Zimmer]

OED3 currently has Nov. 22, 1886 as the earliest citation for "world
series." (This refers to the series played between the St. Louis Browns of
the American Association and the Chicago White Stockings of the National
League.) In Mar. 2014, Fred Shapiro supplied earlier cites from 1886: Oct.
22 for "world's series" and Nov. 21 for "world series."

http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2014-March/131509.html

Here are new dates to beat: Oct. 18 for "world's series" and Oct. 19 for
"world series."

----
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Oct. 18, 1886, p. 1, col. 3
A meeting was held this morning at 11 o'clock in the office of A.G.
Spalding to make the final arrangements for the world's series.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7156791/ansons_pets_down_our_browns_in_the/
----
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Oct. 19, 1886, p. 7, col. 1
The Chicagoans can certainly have no cause to regret the selection of Mr.
McQuade as an umpire for the world series. ... Among the visitors to
Chicago who have come to witness the world series is O.P. Caylor of
Cincinnati.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7156709/docs_dictim_doc_bushong_explains/
----

I shared these cites with MLB historian John Thorn, who recently wrote
about the 1886 series on his blog.

https://ourgame.mlblogs.com/a-pictorial-chronology-of-baseball-in-the-19th-century-part-13-1886-789b6af61e37

--bgz

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