Question of the Week

James, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Subj: What’s left is right
Hey Ryan, there’s something I’ve always wondered about: why do baseball announcers refer to left-handed pitchers as “Southpaws”?

The term dates back to the late 1840’s when baseball architects discovered they could keep the setting sun out of batter’s eyes by building parks with home plate facing west, the outfield facing east, third base facing north and first base facing south. Naturally, this strategic configuration meant that left-handed pitchers would have their throwing arms facing south. Observant sportswriters picked up on the phenomenon and use of the newly minted word “southpaw” quickly spread from baseball to other popular sports like boxing.

Question of the Week

Barry, Cuba, IL
Subj: What’s in a name?
I was chatting with someone the other day and they used the expression “In like Flynn.” Can you tell me who Flynn is and how the expression first came into usage?

You bet, Barry. The inspiration for the expression was Edward J. Flynn, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and the man responsible for ushering Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman into office. Flynn was reportedly so proficient at greasing the wheels that politicians believed once they got him on their side they were as good as “in.” This colorful phrase has since been appropriated to refer to sexual conquest thanks to Errol Flynn, a cinematic swashbuckler and one of the most notorious playboys of his generation.

Question of the Week

George, Spokane, WA
Subj: Having a ball
Where does the term "Caddy" come from?

The word has been attributed to Mary I, a colorful Scottish monarch who lived from 1542 until 1587. Although Mary was born in Scotland she was raised in France where the resident royals attempted to make her feel more at home by creating a lavish golf course for her personal amusement. Naturally a queen can’t be expected to carry her own clubs, so she was assigned French military cadets to perform the task for her. Mary liked the idea so much that she brought it back to her ancestral homeland where the name eventually morphed from “cadet” to “caddy.” The rest, as they say, is history.