[Ads-l] Further Antedating of "Rugger"

[Shapiro, Fred]

The OED's first citation for the word "rugger" ("rugby" + "-er" suffix popular at Oxford University) is dated 1889.  I previously antedated "rugger": to 1888, but I notice an earlier citation on the scottishsporthistory.com website:

1885 Radleian Magazine December  One game was played entirely without boots, and the other was such cold work that the players had to envelope themselves in wraps to keep up the circulation.  Hence the former was called "Socker," and the latter "Rugger."

The website indicates that the source of their citation is the "Radley Archives," presumably at the Radley College public school.  I assume that the etymology given by the magazine is a joke.

Fred Shapiro



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