[Ads-l] Antedating of "Gofer"

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Interesting topic, Fred.
The spelling "gophers" was used in 1956 with the desired sense. The
newspaper article explained that "gophers" "go fer" things. Note, the
OED entry already has a 1968 citation for "gophers" with the desired
sense.

The OED also has a different sense for "gopher / gopher ball" which is
relevant to baseball with citations beginning in 1932.

Date: January 20, 1956
Newspaper: The Farmville Herald
Newspaper Location: Farmville, Virginia
Article: As Soda Jerks or Gophers, Housewives Provide Valuable Help To Hospital
Quote Page 6, Column 3 and 4
Database: Newspapers.com

https://www.newspapers.com/image/890009440/?terms=%22go-fer%22&match=1

[Begin excerpt]
More members of the Unit act as "gophers." As can be imagined they "go
fer" things. They deliver flowers and (illegible), run errands carry
wanted items to patients, direct visitors, visit out-of-town patients
who have no relatives nearby, empty flower bowls, buy articles
downtown for patients, and for the sick person wanting that important
between-hours-cup-of-coffee, they will perform that service too.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Wed, Jan 7, 2026 at 8:42 AM Shapiro, Fred
<00001ac016895344-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> gofer (OED 1967)
>
> 1962 New Orleans States-Item 16 Feb. 12/1 (GenealogyBank)
>
> Janet Leigh was fascinated here when she heard a slang word which was new to her ... The word is "gofer" and refers to the people around Show Business "who gofer coffee, gofer cigarets or gofer sandwiches."  Many agents — and even a few stars' husbands — are "gofers."
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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