First Known Use of "Homer" to Reference a Home Run

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Awaiting Review
Date Thursday, August 6, 1868
Location New York, NY, United States
Description

Two recent finds on the earliest known usage of "homer:"

[A] "The second inning saw a change as the Champions went out for two runs, one of these a 'homer.'"

[B] In an account of English cricketers vs. Union of Morrisania 10/20/1868:

"In the fourth innings the cricketers made five runs on good hits, Willisher hitting clean for a "'homer.'"

Note: previously, the earliest usage was believed to be in 1875, per Dickson's The Dickson Baseball Dictionary (3rd Edition, 2009), page 419..

Sources

[A] New England Base Ballist, August 6, 1868.

[B] New York Clipper October 31, 1868.  (Posted to 19CBB on 2/14/2014 by Richard Hershberger.)

Submitted by John Thorn
Submission Note email to Skip McAfee, 11/17/2008



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