Big Apple

n. New York City. Subjects: New York City, English, United States

Editorial Note: Although there are many claims about the origin of “The Big Apple” as a nickname for New York City, each of the others lacks crucial supporting evidence or is demonstrably false. Among historians, lexicographers, and researchers it is now widely accepted that newspaperman John J. Fitz Gerald is the popularizer of “The Big Apple” and that he picked it up in the horseracing industry. There is no evidence that it originated with whores or a brothel, that it entered the American language through jazz, or that it came about via any other mechanism. Unless new evidence comes to light, the citations supporting this entry should henceforth set the record straight. Credit and thanks go to Barry Popik and Gerald Cohen for the research.

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Citations: 1921 John J. Fitz Gerald Morning Telegraph (New York City) (May 3) p. 9 @ The Big Apple Barry Popik: J. P. Smith, with Tippity Witchet and others of the L. T. Bauer string, is scheduled to start for “the big apple” to-morrow after a most prosperous Spring campaign at Bowie and Havre de Grace. 1924 John J. Fitz Gerald Morning Telegraph (New York City) (Feb. 18) “Around The Big Apple” @ The Big Apple Barry Popik: The Big Apple. The dream of every lad that ever threw a leg over a thoroughbred and the goal of all horsemen. There’s only one Big Apple. That’s New York. Two dusky stable hands were leading a pair of thoroughbred around the “cooling rings” of adjoining stables at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans and engaging in desultory conversation. “Where y’all goin’ from here?” queried one. “From here we’re headin’ for The Big Apple,” proudly replied the other. “Well, you’d better fatten up them skinners or all you’ll get from the apple will be the core,” was the quick rejoinder. 1926 John J. Fitz Gerald Morning Telegraph (New York City) (Dec. 1) “In the Paddock” p. 11 @ The Big Apple Barry Popik: So many people have asked the writer about the derivation of his phrase, “the big apple,” that he is forced to make another explanation. New Orleans has called it to his mind again. A number of years back, when racing a few horses at the Fair Grounds with Jake Byer, he was watching a couple of stable hands cool out a pair of “hots” in a circle outside the stable. A boy from an adjoining barn called over. “Where you shipping after the meeting?” To this one of the lads replied, “Why we ain’t no bull-ring stable, we’s goin’ to ‘the big apple.’” The reply was bright and snappy. “Boy, I don’t know what you’re goin’ to that apple with those hides for. All you’ll get is the rind.”

Posted 7 Dec 04 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

This is fine as an origin of the term, but it still doesn’t explain what it means. At least the jazz explanation — that is, taking a bite of the big apple — gives closure to the question.
Don

by Don Lee 22 Oct 08, 0318 GMT