Baseball Names: And How They Got That Way!

Some baseball names and terms have been around for more than a century. Here’s how they came about.
Baseball Names: And How They Got That Way!
Baseball fans watch batting practice before the start of the San Francisco Giants home opener against the St. Louis Cardinals at AT&T Park on April 8, 2011 in San Francisco, California. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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The words and phrases are spoken and written day after day, year after year - generally without any wonderment as to how they became part of the language. All have a history, a story.

A brief sampler follows with more to come . . .

AMAZIN' METS The first run they ever scored came in on a balk. They lost the first nine games they ever played. They finished last their first four seasons. Once they were losing a game, 12–1, and there were two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. A fan held up a sign that said “PRAY!” There was a walk, and ever hopeful, thousands of voices chanted, “Let’s go Mets.” They were 100–l underdogs to win the pennant in 1969 and incredibly came on to finish the year as World Champions. They picked the name of the best pitcher in their history (Tom Seaver) out of a hat on April Fools’ Day. They were supposed to be the replacement for the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants. They could have been the New York Continentals or Burros or Skyliners or Skyscrapers or Bees or Rebels or NYB’s or Avengers or even Jets (all runner-up names in a contest to tab the National League New York team that began playing ball in 1962). They’ve never been anything to their fans but amazing-the Amazin' New York Mets.

A fan holds a sign reading 'We Still Believe In Mets Magic' before a game against the New York Mets of the Los Angeles Dodgers during game two of the National League Division Series at Shea Stadium on October 5, 2006 in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens borough of New York City. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
A fan holds a sign reading 'We Still Believe In Mets Magic' before a game against the New York Mets of the Los Angeles Dodgers during game two of the National League Division Series at Shea Stadium on October 5, 2006 in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens borough of New York City. Chris McGrath/Getty Images
Harvey Frommer
Harvey Frommer
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