TERMS TO AVOID – ANACHRONISMS AND MYTHS
What is an “anachronism”? “Anachronism” literally means “against time”. It is something that is out
of place in time. An example may be a car or slang language from the 1980s appearing in a movie
set in the 1960s. For those interpreting late 1850s -1860s vintage base ball (vbb), it can be a term,
rule or practice, etc., that was used in some earlier form of base ball that was out of use by the late
1850s -1860s. It can also be a term, rule or practice, etc., taken from the later professional era or
even from modern baseball or softball and inappropriately applied to the game of the late 1850s 1860s. Frequently, a word existed in the period vocabulary, but wasn’t used in the manner that it
has come to be presented in vbb.
Myths can be problematic because frequently (but not always), there is some element of truth to
them. The granddaddy of base ball myths is that Abner Doubleday invented baseball in 1839.
Some very notable people “claimed” that he did and produced “evidence” to that effect. As
knowledgeable folks clarified that it is a myth that Doubleday invented baseball, the Cartwright
story grew in its place. We have now dispelled the myth that Alexander Cartwright wrote the first
rules for base ball for the New York Knickerbockers in the 1840’s. But Cartwright did play for the
Knickerbockers and even has a plaque in Cooperstown. We now know that the inscription on the
plaque is entirely fictional.
Some terms that were used in late 1850s -1860s base ball were also used in cricket as well as
other coexisting forms of base ball, such as the Massachusetts game and town ball. Additionally,
many terms that were used in earlier or later eras of base ball were also used in the late 1850s 1860s. Of course, all of these other games also had terms that were not used in late 1850s -1860s
base ball, yet many of them have found their way into use by vintage base ball players. Finally,
several of the terms used in vintage base ball were created by modern vbb players, and were not
part of that era at all.
The bold terms below are all anachronistic for base ball in the late 1850s -1860s, or are myths that
were created many decades later.
March 2015 Terms to Avoid, p. 1
Commonly Misused Terms
Arbiter: Anachronism used to refer to umpire. Arbiter was a synonym for referee. Prior to 1858,
three men officiated at interclub matches. Two of these (known as umpires) were members of the
respective clubs (one from each). The third (the referee) was impartial, and overruled any
disagreements between the umpires. Referees disappeared from the game in 1858 when the rules
were changed to one umpire officiating the game. Arbiter was never a common term in post-1858
New York rules base ball.
Arbitrator: Anachronism. Arbitrator is a 20th century slang term for umpire. Throughout the rules,
and in box scores and news stories, the common term is umpire.
Behind: There is a common myth that the catcher was called the behind. The 1860 book Beadle’s
Base Ball Player, the first recognized guide for base ball, uses only the term catcher to describe
the man that receives the ball from the pitcher. Behind is not once used to describe the man
catching. So where did it come from? Some 1850s newspapers contained game reports of early
forms of base ball before the 1857 convention, which first regulated the game among New York
clubs. These early box score-like reports used some terms borrowed from cricket, As an example,
the pitcher was sometimes listed under the heading bowler (from cricket), and at other times listed
as the pitcher. The catcher will be seen as the catcher in some and others will have a heading of
who played behind. The term behind the bat is an obsolete term for the wicket keeper in cricket.
Even in cricket, behind was not the title of the man, but was the area of ground he was responsible
for. He could be called the behind man. Behind is akin to a hockey goalie playing “net” – while you
might say that the goalie played net, you would not say that the goalie was “the net”, and similarly
the catcher might play behind, but was not “the behind”. Through the 1860s we can still find behind
used to describe area behind the home base that is being covered by the catcher, but not the
catcher himself.
Cranks: It is an anachronism that mid-19th century base ball spectators were called cranks. In the
early 1880s, crank first came into use to describe someone that was obsessed or a madman. Base
ball first began using the term to describe the base ball obsessed in the mid- to late-1880s. Even
when it was in popular use, it did not refer to the casual spectator, but only the fervent follower.
The most commonly used term for those attending base ball games in the 1860s was spectator.
It’s important to remember that by the 1880s, those observing games were expected to cheer for
their favorite teams, but in the late 1850s -1860s, spectators were expected to cheer good play by
both clubs. The most common terms used in the period were spectators or audience, and
occasionally you might read about followers. If there were a large group, it might be referred to as
a throng.
Dead: Vintage base ball players often use the term dead instead of out. Dead was apparently used
in early forms of the game where a runner would be put out by being plugged or soaked with the
thrown ball. The common term was “out” (though see “Hands Lost” in the “Documented Terms”
document). Death and dying on the bases still found infrequent use for color in sportswriter’s
March 2015 Terms to Avoid, p. 2
accounts in early base ball throughout the 19th century. Knowledgeable umpires would have been
very unlikely to have used those terms after the first convention in 1857. The common term was
out.
Foul Tick: It is myth that all foul balls were called a foul tick and not a foul ball. A ball straight back
from the bat was called a foul tip. All others were foul balls.
Hurler, Bowler, Feeder: It is an anachronism that the pitcher was called the hurler before the early
1900s. Hurl is a synonym for throw, and a throw from the pitcher is a baulk. The rule states “the
ball must be pitched, not jerked or thrown”. The commonly used term in the late 1850s and after is
pitcher. In 1884 the rules first allowed full overhand pitching, but it wasn’t until the early 20th
century that hurler became occasional slang for the pitcher (or that hurl became occasional slang
for pitch). Bowler and Feeder are anachronisms borrowed from other early bat and ball games.
Huzzah: See “A note on Cheering”, below.
Scouts, Short-Scout, Rover, Midfielder, Base-tenders: Anachronisms borrowed by modern
vintage base ball players from other early bat and ball games. The commonly used terms were
fielder (left, center, right), shortstop (occasionally referred to as the short fielder), and baseman
(first, second, third). Ballist and Base-ballist are period slang term for a base ball player.
Striker To The Line: Myth of unknown origin. We can document that the umpire did call To Bat.
(See To Bat in “Documented Terms”.)
Tallykeeper: Anachronism from some archaic forms of base ball. The commonly used term is
scorer. (See Run and Scorer in “Documented Terms.”)
Additional Misused Terms
Apple, Pill, Onion, Horsehide: Anachronisms. In the 19th Century the ball was typically called a
ball. These slang terms were first used around the early 20th century.
Bag: Anachronism referring to a base. This slang term emerged after 1870.
Banjo Hit, Blooper: Anachronisms referring to a weak fly ball. These are 20th century slang terms.
A period equivalent would be short fly or to hit to the short field. Short fly can refer to either an
infield pop-up or a fly hit to the shallow outfield
Battery: An anachronism when used to refer to the pitcher and catcher together. In the mid-19th
century, this term was used to refer to the arsenal of the pitcher’s pitches (e.g., “Smith has a
substantial battery”), or as slang for the pitcher himself. Only later did battery come to refer to the
pitcher and catcher as a group.
March 2015 Terms to Avoid, p. 3
Bench: Reference to the bench begins in the 1880s. Although an abnormality for most clubs, a
few major clubs on established grounds may have had benches for players in the late 1860s.
However, in most venues players sat on the grass or on a blanket. The term bench is not seen
used as a slang reference to a manager or coach or to substitute players until the early 20th
century.
Boodler: Myth of unknown origin, referring to an ungentlemanly maneuver.
Bugs: Anachronism referring to fans. This is a 20th century slang term. When referring to those
people witnessing a game of base ball, the most common terms used in the period were
spectators or audience, and occasionally you might read about followers. If there were a large
group, it might be referred to as a Throng. Fans and Bugs are anachronisms from much later in
baseball’s history. Cranks is an anachronism for our era of base ball, as it emerged only in the
1880’s professional era, and even then it didn’t refer to attendees at a game, but rather to the rabid
follower of the game.
Bug Bruiser: Anachronism referring to a sharply hit grounder. This slang term emerged after
1870.
Dish: Anachronism referring to the home base. This slang term emerged after 1870.
Duff: Anachronism referring to an error. This slang term emerged after 1870.
Fair-Foul Hit: A tactic that became popular in the first professional association (i.e., after 1869) of
intentionally driving the ball to strike the ground fair yet pass to the outside of the corner bases.
These hits were usually fielded by outfielders, indicating that they were not the “chop bunts” often
seen in contemporary vintage base ball.
Four Baser: Anachronism referring to a home run. This slang term emerged after 1870.
Garden: Anachronism referring to the outfield. This slang term emerged after 1870.
Ginger: An anachronism intended to mean that a player showed grit. This term was first used
around the 1890s. Terms commonly used in the late 1850s -1860s include sand or pluck.
Home Point: Myth of unknown origin referring to the home base.
Hook: Myth of unknown origin referring to a left handed striker. This is a 20th century term for a
curve ball.
Huzzah: See “Some notes on Communication”, below.
League: In reference to base ball; League came into widespread use only in the late 1870s, with
the creation of the National League in 1876.
Leg it, Stir your stumps: Myths of unknown origin, meaning to run hard.
March 2015 Terms to Avoid, p. 4
Manager: Term came to use in the 1870s. Period clubs had captains.
Mascot: Anachronism referring to what today would be called a bat boy. This is a slang term from
the 1880s. Base ball clubs in the late-1850s-1860s did not typically have bat boys or mascots.
Muckle: Myth of unknown origin, referring to a power hitter.
Rooters: Anachronism referring to fans. This is a slang term from the 1880s. When referring to
those people witnessing a game of base ball, the most common terms used in the period were
spectators or audience, and occasionally you might read about followers. If there were a large
group, it might be referred to as a throng. Fans and Bugs are anachronisms from much later in
baseball’s history. Cranks is an anachronism for our era of base ball, as it emerged only in the
1880s professional era, and even then it didn’t refer to attendees at a game, but rather to the rabid
follower of the game
Safe: Anachronism not yet commonly used for calls on the bases. Was not used as a declaration
by the umpire that a runner is entitled to the base for which he was trying. When the umpire was
appealed to for him to make a decision on a close play, he would declare the runner Out or Not
Out. When not out, the runner could be said to have been Given In. The term safe was not
commonly used as the opposite of out until later. The term Safe Hit did see some use.
Tag: Not a period term. Runner would be touched with the ball.
Willow: Anachronism referring to a bat. This slang term emerged after 1870.
Wrong Hander: Myth of unknown origin. The common term is left- hander.
Some additional notes on Communication
Cheering: “Hurrah” was the common cheer of mid-19th century base ball. A well-documented
American cheer of the 19th century was three “Hip, Hip, Hurrahs”. This cheer, for emphasis, was
sometimes followed by a “tiger”. This was an ‘additional cheer with greater emphasis’; or “one
more” (often the word “tiger”) or a “growl, screech or howl” (1842).
Huzzah was an archaic English cheer that was displaced among Americans by the mid-19th
century by Hurrah.
“Huzzah” is the foreign word from which the American cheer of “hurrah” (or hoora) was derived.
Webster’s 1828 dictionary of the American language has this entry:
March 2015 Terms to Avoid, p. 5
HUZZ’A, n. A shout of joy; a foreign word used in writing only, and most preposterously, as
it is never used in practice. The word used is our native word hoora, or hooraw.
A dictionary published in London in 1836 writes:
Huzza is the word shouted; to huzza is to shout the word huzza. Hurrah (pronounced
hoo-ra) is in similar usage.
In Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1858 the entry became:
HUZZA, huz-za’, n. A shout of joy; a foreign word used in writing only. (Emphasis added)
So, “huzza” is even foreign in Great Britain.
In summary; To Americans; Huzza is a noun and means ‘a cheer”. “Hurrah” is an exclamation and
is what you cheer. A visiting English cricketer may cheer ‘huzzah’ but not an American patriot. To
us, cheering; “hip, hip, huzza” is akin to cheering “hip, hip, a cheer”.
Modern chatter: “The play’s at two” (generally referring to base as “one”, “two”, or “three” is a
modernization), “My bad”, “You’re up” (calling to a runner coming home that there is no throw and
he needn’t slide), “I go” (I’ve got it), “Eat It” (don’t throw), “Cut off”, “Let’s Turn Two”.
Names:
Club names: According to Peter Morris in Game of Inches, “Until the 1870s, club names
almost always took the following form: the Atlantic Base Ball Club of Brooklyn. Because of the
length, the name was often abbreviated to the Atlantic Club of Brooklyn, or the Atlantics of
Brooklyn. The modern Formulation of “the Brooklyn Atlantics” only began to become common
in the 1880’s...”
In short, club name before location is appropriate to the period we portray. Location before
club name (i.e., the modern style) is a later innovation.
Nicknames: Nicknames became associated with baseball in the professional era, courtesy of
sportswriters eager to generate interest in the games (and thus sales of papers), and didn’t
really get rolling until the 1880s. A Rochester, NY paper noted as early as 1876 that all the
players on the amateur Rochesters club had nicknames, which were used almost exclusively in
place of their given name. It is unclear if this was common to the region, or was specific to the
Rochesters club. The idea that “All 1860s players had nicknames” is a modern invention,
although some men had nicknames then just as now. A man or player would not refer to
himself by nickname, and nicknames or familiar names were rarely used in mixed company.
Nicknames did not appear on score sheets.
March 2015 Terms to Avoid, p. 6