heart-attack attrib. in sports, connoting an animal, person, or group known for come-from-behind or very slight victories. Editorial Note: Especially common in phrases such as “the heart attack kids,” which has been a nickname for a variety of sports teams. Etymological Note: Directly related to the non-medical use of “heart attack” defined by Encarta as a “sudden shock.” (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
People might never know that quality jazz exists outside the city of Baton Rouge. Which may be true—but it’s also a pangram. This is part of a complete episode.
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Jim in Columbia, South Carolina, has noticed sportscasters’ use of the phrase on the season with reference to a period of time. This construction shows up in the sports pages as early as the 1880s, first referring to a team’s revenue and...