Play Ball! — Word(s) of Wisdom

The baseball season officially opened this week in cities across North America – another sure sign of spring.

Baseball is a sport with a rich history and culture, as well as a loyal fan base. Evidence of its popularity can be seen in the way some of its expressions have leaked into the English language as jargon, taking on new meanings. Some of them have become so ingrained, speakers don’t even think about their baseball origins.

Take, for example, the phrase Hit One Out of the Park. In baseball, it refers to a batter who hits a homerun and scores for his team. In the business world, it refers to someone who has turned a task or a project into a big success.

Or consider the term Batting 1,000. In baseball, it refers to someone who has a hit every time he bats, which is impossibility throughout a long season. In business, however, the phrase describes someone who is on target or doing an excellent job on a project.

Do you use any baseball jargon in your everyday conversation? Or is this whole essay too Inside Baseball (specialized) for you?