[Ads-l] "red card" v. (1977)

Fri Jul 10 21:44:20 UTC 2026

Yes, searching in British periodicals is a natural idea. So, I did
search in the British Newspaper Archive for the verb form of "red
card" in the football/soccer domain before posting. However, I was
unable to find any verb matches before the 1975 citation in the U.S.
newspaper.

On the other hand, I just found a citation which antedates the noun
forms of both "red card" and "yellow card" in the football/soccer
domain (in the OED). I will post the citation in a separate message.

Garson

On Wed, Jul 8, 2026 at 8:28 AM dave at wilton.net <dave at wilton.net> wrote:
>
>
> There is for the noun. I didn't mention the noun because I couldn't antedate the OED's cite from 1969.
>
> The verb, from what I can tell and from Garson's find, first appears in the US some years later in coverage of NASL matches.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Dan Goncharoff" <00001bc983129c8b-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 8, 2026 8:13am
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: [ADS-L] "red card" v. (1977)
>
>
>
> Not in a position to look right now, but considering the general agreement
> that FIFA instituted the red card in 1970, shouldn't there be reference to
> it in Britain at that time or before?
>
> DanG
>
> On Wed, Jul 8, 2026, 8:00 AM dave at wilton.net <dave at wilton.net> wrote:
>
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > I was aware of the boycott sense, but was focusing on the football one. My
> > guess is that the two are senses are separate coinages.
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: "ADSGarson O'Toole" <00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > >
> > Sent: Wednesday, July 8, 2026 12:12am
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > Subject: Re: [ADS-L] "red card" v. (1977)
> >
> >
> >
> > Interesting topic, Dave and Rich. Here is a 1975 citation for the verb
> > form of "red card" in the soccer domain.
> >
> > Date: August 16, 1975
> > Newspaper: The Tampa Tribune
> > Newspaper Location: Tampa, Florida
> > Article: Do Rowdies Know Way To San Jose?
> > Author: Jim Henderson (Tribune Sports Writer)
> > Quote Page C1, Column 4
> > Database: Newspapers.com
> > https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-redcarding/201179320/
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > Mr. Hill is Gordon Hill, the referee for the match. Hill is reputed to
> > be one of the best in the world.
> >
> > "Mr. Hill is liable to start red-carding everyone if it gets out of
> > hand," said Myers, "and what we might end up having is a one-on-one.
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > Rich mentioned "red card" applied to stores. The OED does have the
> > boycott sense with a 1935 citation.
> >
> > [Begin OED excerpt]
> > red-card verb
> > 1. transitive. U.S. To boycott (a retailer) for breaking a pricing
> > agreement; to exclude. Now rare.
> >
> > 1935 The Guild had decided to require new pledges from retailers on
> > the extension of style protection to all price lines and to ‘red card’
> > those refusing to sign.
> > New York Times 8 December f9/3
> > [End OED excerpt]
> >
> > I found an instance of the verb form of "red card" in 1910. If a
> > bartender is "red carded" by the police board of Kansas City, then
> > that person cannot work as a bartender in Kansas City.
> >
> > Date: November 10, 1910
> > Newspaper: The Kansas City Journal
> > Newspaper Location: Kansas City, Missouri
> > Article: MARKS'S PLAN IS OPPOSED
> > Quote Page 5, Column 3
> > Database: Newspapers.com
> > https://www.newspapers.com/article/kansas-city-journal-redcarded/201180009/
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > Thos. Galligher, Bartender, Not to Be
> > "Red Carded" Without Hearing.
> >
> > Thomas Galligher, a bartender for George Elam at 302 Main street, who
> > had been told that he could not work anywhere in Kansas City at his
> > occupation, appeared before the police board yesterday to ask the
> > reason why.
> >
> > "I simply say,' said Thomas R. Marks, "that Galligher cannot work in
> > any saloon in Kansas City. I have my reasons for it."
> >
> > "Well,' replied Solon T. Gilmore, "I want to say that he can work any
> > saloon in Kansas City until he is 'red carded' by this board, and I
> > say further that Galligher will not be 'red carded' with my consent
> > until he has had a fair hearing before this board. I don't believe in
> > this system of depriving men of their right to earn a living simply on
> > one-sided testimony, I want both sides of the case before I act."
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > Garson
> >
> > On Tue, Jul 7, 2026 at 12:41 PM Rich Lowenthal
> > <000018596069864c-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> > >
> > > It's obviously not association football usage, but the term long
> > > predates the seventies, although I'm not clear on the origin of the
> > > phrase.
> > >
> > > New York Times, 14 February 1936. "PUSH DRESS GUILD DRIVE./More Stores
> > > Will be 'Red-Carded' Today, Chairman Says."
> > >
> > > 'Resolutions strengthening the enforcement of the program of the Fashion
> > > Originators Guild of America were adopted yesterday at a meeting of the
> > > board of governors of the guild, it was announced last night by Maurice
> > > Rentner, chairman.
> > >
> > > 'He said that additional "red cards" will be issued today on more stores
> > > which are not carrying out the declaration of cooperation with the
> > > guild. Under its style protection and enforcement program, manufacturer
> > > members are not permitted to sell merchandise to retailers who are
> > > "red-carded." Announcement has been made that members have received red
> > > cards on three stores.'
> > >
> > >
> > > ------ Original Message ------
> > > From "dave at wilton.net" <dave at WILTON.NET>
> > > To ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > > Date 7/7/2026 11:58:44 AM
> > > Subject "red card" v. (1977)
> > >
> > > >
> > > >OED has 1979.
> > > >
> > > >Chase, Al. “TH Sees Red in Rough Loss.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin
> > (Hawaii), 2 July 1977, 11/1. Newspapers.com.
> > > >
> > > >“A playoff spot for Team Hawaii may have been red carded into oblivion
> > last night. […] Three TH players were sent off (red carded) by referee
> > Henry Landauer.”
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >“Frostburg Leads in Soccer Meet.” Cumberland Sunday Times (Maryland),
> > 11 September 1977, 46/8. NewspaperArchive.com.
> > > >
> > > >“Gannon had been ‘red-carded’ midway through the final half, and under
> > new rules the red-carded player, who is ejected, cannot be replaced in the
> > lineup.”
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >Haney, Greg. “Rogues Come Up Short in 3rd Loss.” Commercial Appeal
> > (Memphis, Tennessee). 15 April 1978, 25/1. Newspapers.com.
> > > >
> > > >“The ‘red carding’ of Birchenall with 43:73 gone in the 45-minute first
> > half forced the Rogues to play with 10 men—one player short—the rest of the
> > game.”
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >Henderson, Joe. “Robb’s Departure Defused Rowdies.” Tampa Tribune
> > (Florida), 1 May 1978, 6-C/3. Newspapers.com.
> > > >
> > > >“Jago said there was no question that Robb’s red carding defused the
> > Rowdies.
> > > >
> > > >“‘That decision turned the whole game,’ Jago said. ‘For that offense,
> > (red carding) was a bit harsh. It turned the whole game. He (Robb) is a
> > rogueish sort of player, but he’s not dirty.’”
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >Associated Press. “Campbell Leads Whitecaps to 4–0 Victory.” El Paso
> > Times (Texas), 11 August 1978. 6-D/2. ProQuest Newspapers.
> > > >
> > > >“Toronto, which lodged a protest following the game, finished the
> > contest with only nine men on the field after Sead Susic and Marko Vujkovic
> > were red-carded by referee Gino D’Ippolito.”
> > > >
> > > >
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