[Ads-l] Antedating of "Jazz Up"

[Ben Zimmer]

Fred has previously shared the "jazz the game up a bit" citation a couple
of times.

https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2023-April/163320.html
https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2025-October/167781.html

It first appeared in the San Francisco Call and Post on Feb. 3, 1914  (in
the "Slattery's Spikes" column) before getting picked up by the Butte Miner
on Feb. 7. Here's a link to the SF Call from the California Digital
Newspaper Collection:
https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SFC19140203.2.107&srpos=1

On Mon, Jun 1, 2026 at 2:56 PM ADSGarson O'Toole <
00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:

> An article with the phrase "jazz the game up a bit'" has been clipped
> four times on newspapers.com. Barry Popik clipped the article in
> September 2023.
>
> [Begin OED excerpt]
> jazz verb 3.b.
> transitive. To enliven; to render more interesting, exciting, or
> vibrant. Usually with up.
> [End OED excerpt]
>
> Date: February 07, 1914
> Newspaper: The Butte Miner
> Newspaper Location: Butte, Montana
> Article: RITCHIE THE BOY FOR BUSINESS EVERY TIME
> Quote Page 8, Column 2
> Database: Newspapers.com
>
> https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-butte-miner-jazz-the-game-up-1914/132482420/
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> This Australian layout has supplied the title holder with a new line
> to work on, and, of course, nobody can blame him for going the whole
> route if he sees a chance to jazz the game up a bit.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Garson
>
> On Mon, Jun 1, 2026 at 7:11 AM Shapiro, Fred
> <00001ac016895344-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> >
> > jazz up (OED 1917)
> >
> > 1915 San Francisco Call 14 Aug. 10/2 (Newspapers.com)
> >
> > The boys needed those runs, too, for the Bees started to jazz things up
> in their half of the ninth.
> >
> > Fred Shapiro
>

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