snow-cone v.— «But how many close plays at first are there? How many near catches in the outfield that are called as a catch when they are “snow-coned?”» —“MLB: Rekindle the Instant Replay Controversy” by...
Tim in Indianapolis, a rugby referee, asks whether American football’s touchdown comes from rugby. Rugby does appear to be the source. The Oxford English Dictionary has an 1864 rugby example that predates American football, depending on how one...
soul boarding n.— «Riding the steep aspects and deep powder of the backcountry are what many snowboarders call “soul boarding,” and it is by far the most popular form of the sport.» —“Two snowboarders with Fairbanks ties try to...
Death of the Typewriter Ding! In this week’s episode, Mark Twain would be pleased. Reports that it’s the end of the line for the typewriter have been greatly exaggerated. Well, slightly anyway: it’s not the horseless carriage...
huckfest n.— Note: Related to the verb huck. «A “huckfest” is a gathering of snowboarders who ride as hard and as wildly as possible.» —“Steele grad jumps onto MTV” by Steve Fogarty Chronicle-Telegram (Elyria...
empathy belly n.— «The Cape Town sports journalist recently took on the arduous labours of a pregnant woman by donning a fake pregnant belly better known as an “empathy belly” for the last few months of his wife’s pregnancy...