Baltimore Chop

[Theoldmole]

Mets announcers confessing ignorance as to the origin of the phrase "Baltimore chop," saying they'll probably get e-mails on it. If I had an e-mail address for them, I'd do it. The use of the 'butcher boy" cut as a deliberate offensive weapon was pioneered by Wee Willie Keeler of the original Orioles.

[Guest KC]

If I had to guess when hearing that without looking it up I'd swear that I re-
member hearing as a yute that they deliberately had the dirt in front of home
plate back in the Baltimore olden days real hard and the players knew it and
would bounce the ball in front of them and beat it out by running to first real
fast. Guess someone was pulling my leg.

[Theoldmole]

That may well be the case -- primarily Keeler they would have been helping out. His philosophy of hitting: "I hit 'em where they ain't."

[MFS62]

I remember Casey Stengel yelling "butcher boy" to the Mets hitters. When a reporter asked him what that meant he said that butchers chop meat and he wanted the hitter to chop down on the ball.
The story about the hard dirt around home plate in Baltimore is the version I heard, too.
And I agree with Mole on Keeler's phrase.

Mole, that sig lines brings back memories.
Later