[Ads-l] Antedating 'ham-and-egger'

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Dan Goncharoff wrote:
> I'm confused. The 1902 cite looks like a sandwich. The other two cities
> look like fighters.

It does seem that "ham and egger" in the 1902 citation referred to a
meal of ham and eggs and not to a mediocre performer. Here is a longer
except from the 1902 citation:

Date: June 4, 1902
Newspaper: The Times-Democrat
Newspaper Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Article: Increased Cost of Travel
Quote Page 6, Column 3
Database: Newspapers.com

[Begin excerpt]
Hotel and restaurant prices have risen enormously in the North, due
partly to the increased price of meat, but more to the natural avarice
of the human race. Hotel and restaurant proprietors have taken
advantage of the increase of cost in running one department to raise
prices all around, until the plebeian "ham and egger" is out of the
reach of everybody but the owner of trust securities.
[End excerpt]

Here is the pertinent OED excerpt presenting the desired sense. The
phrase "ham and egger" was initially applied to boxers.

[Begin OED excerpt]
ham-and-egger  n. U.S. slang (freq. depreciative) a person or thing
regarded as average, mediocre, or (occasionally) stupid or inferior;
spec. (esp. in early use) an average or incompetent boxer (cf. sense
A. 5).
[End OED excerpt]

Here is a 1907 citation referring to a mediocre boxer.

Date: October 29, 1907
Newspaper: The Kentucky Post
Newspaper Location: Covington, Kentucky
Article: EXPLODED PHENOMS-No.1
Quote Page 6, Column 4
Database: GenealogyBank

[Begin excerpt]
Four short months ago Bill Squires. Australian pugilist, man-eater and
miner, arose in his might and challenged the world. "I've beaten the
life out of everybody in the Antipodes," roared Bill.
. . .
Bill was no Caesar. One hefty wallop, manned by Tommy Burns, did the
business. Bill tried again. He also failed again. Now he is a
ham-and-egger. Poor Bill!
[End excerpt]

Garson




> On Thu, Dec 29, 2022, 12:57 AM James Eric Lawson <jel at nventure.com> wrote:
>
> > OEDO 1911
> >
> > 1902  *The Times-Democrat* (New Orleans, Louisiana) 04 Jun 6/3
> > (newspapers.com) Hotel and restaurant proprietors have taken advantage
> > of the increase of cost in running one department to raise prices all
> > around, until the plebeian "ham and egger" is out of the reach of
> > everybody but the owner of trust securities.
> >
> > https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115367462/ham-and-egger/
> >
> > 1908  *Marysville Evening Democrat* (California) 03 Nov 4/2
> > (newspapers.com) Ralph Calloway, about as tough a specimen of the
> > ham-and-egger that boosts of 145 at 6 o'clock, was next pitted against
> > Lumbard and the fans witnessed a slugging exhibition that mode them sit
> > up and take a look.
> >
> > https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115367495/ham-and-egger/
> >
> > 1909  *The Tampa Tribune* (Florida) 07 Nov 31/7 (newspapers.com)
> > Whatever his record as a ham-and-egger, Bill was pure grit after fame
> > found him.
> >
> > https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115367549/ham-and-egger/
> >
> > --
> > James Eric Lawson
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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