2907: Southpaw from Baseball Diamonds Dec 6, 2024

The term southpaw, commonly used to refer to left-handed individuals, originates from the world of baseball. In the 19th century, baseball fields were typically designed so that the batter faced east to avoid the sun blinding them during games. This layout placed left-handed pitchers facing west, with their pitching arms pointing southward when they stood on the mound. Sportswriters, quick to coin colourful terms, began calling these left-handed pitchers "southpaws." Over time, the term expanded beyond baseball to describe any left-handed person, especially now in the sport of boxing, blending its sporty roots with everyday language.