wear one

v. phr. in baseball, to be hit by a pitch. Subjects: English, Baseball, Sports & Recreation, Slang

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Citations: 2001 Todd Jones Sportin News (St. Louis, Mo.) (Sept. 3) “The Closer” p. 18: From Day One, you are taught how to send a message to the other team. You work on the beanball.…It’s totally barbaric, and it’s hard to explain, but it is crucial for your hitters to know that you will protect them if the other team starts hitting your guys. No one likes to talk about it, but it is something that has to be done. After you do it, the first guy to tell you thanks is the hitter on your team who had to wear one. 2003 Teddy Greenstein Chicago Tribune (May 16) “Colon earn’s mates’ respect; Shuts down O’s, answers plunking” p. 1: Baltimore reliever Jorge Julio plunked Magglio Ordonez in the back. Now it was Colon’s turn.…“When the best player on your team keeps getting hit, whether it’s accidental or not, someone’s going to have to wear one.”…Colon’s decision to retaliate could help unify a team that’s already on the rise. 2005 [capeleague] Royal Rooters of Redsoxnation.net (Feb. 19) “Wells takes his shots at CFY”: Regardless if Unit hits someone or not, I say Schilling makes Sheffield “wear one” on his first at bat. 2005 Troy E. Renck @ L.A. Denver Post (Colo.) (May 2) “Rockies take hit in more than L column”: They expected someone to “wear one”—baseball parlance for getting plunked—after their pitchers hit seven Dodgers batters in their previous series, but took exemption to the 24-year-old’s timing. [2006 Chris De Luca Chicago Sun-Times (May 21) “Ozzie’s Sox ‘family’ shares the love”: Pierzynski flattened Barrett like a runaway Red Line train in a way that would have made Hunter proud.…In the parlance of the Sox’ clubhouse, Barrett just has to “wear it.”]

Posted 2 May 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

Took exemption? Call the Eggcorn Squad!

by languagehat 02 May 05, 0806 GMT

Nice, right? I wonder if it made it to the Denver Post’s print edition.

by Grant Barrett 02 May 05, 0943 GMT