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“On the Season” to Mean During the Season

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 later to its performance in athletic competition, as in points on the season, goals on the season, or wins on the season. Jim wonders if the phrase is being used more and more in sports, but he’s likely experiencing the recency illusion. This is part of a complete episode.

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