By Darin Oh, the words we use in football. No, not the four-letter variety, but the descriptive verbiage we use for our spouses may sound like some foreign tongue. Timothy Brown of Football Archaeology has taken a deep dive into 400 football terms and written them in a new book titled Hut! Hut! Hike! : The History of Football Terminology
The Roots of the Gridiron Lexicon
In this episode of the Pigskin Daily History Dispatch, host Darin Hayes welcomes back Timothy P. Brown of Football Archaeology to discuss his latest book, "Hut Hut Hike: A History of Football Terminology." Breaking away from the traditional chronological narrative of his previous works, Brown’s new book offers a "bathroom reader" style exploration of over 400 football terms, tracing their etymological origins and the historical shifts that birthed them.
Key Discussion Points
- The "Why" Behind the Words:Brown explains that new terminology usually signals a change in the game—whether it's a new tactic, a piece of equipment, or a rule change. While some terms are coined by individuals (like Deacon Jones inventing the "sack"), most evolve out of necessity.
- A Different Research Path:Using a database of over 800 million newspaper pages, Brown hunted for the first recorded instances of common terms. This process revealed how sophisticated the game has become; for example, the lack of specific names for passing routes in the 1920s suggests those complex plays simply didn’t exist yet.
- Format & Accessibility:The book is designed for quick reading and reference. Each term stands alone as a mini-story, making it easy for readers to flip to any page and learn the history of words like "red shirt," "blitz," or "X’s and O’s."
Fascinating Word Origins
Term Historical Context: Red Shirt. Originating at Cornell in 1917, "scrub" (scout team) players literally wore red shirts in practice to distinguish them from the varsity. The term eventually shifted from a physical garment to a conceptual eligibility status.Red DogBefore the term "blitz" became dominant in the mid-1950s, a defensive rush was often called a "red dog." It was named after Don "Red" Etnyre, a New York Giants player known for "dogging" the quarterback.X’s and O’sWhile now a universal term for strategy, early coaching manuals (like those by Walter Camp) actually used little people figures or triangles rather than X’s and O’s. The shorthand likely grew from coaches giving quick "chalk talks."About the Book
Title: Hut Hut Hike: A History of Football Terminology Author: Timothy P. Brown
Features: 416 terms, two indices for topical or alphabetical searching, and numerous historical illustrations, especially from the pre-1940s era.
"If they didn’t even have a word to describe the routes, then they probably didn’t have those routes." — Timothy P. Brown on the evolution of the passing game.
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