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| The late, great Gary Carter -- accidental linguist. (Getty Images) |
The late Gary Carter was an outstanding ballplayer and, by all accounts, an outstanding human being. He is also, in turns out, an important curator of euphemisms.
With the news that the word "f-bomb" is now a part of the Merriam-Webter's Collegiate Dictionary, comes the discovery that Mr. Carter likely invented this semi-polite turn of phrase.
Slate digs up the relevant Newsday piece from 1988 and excerpts it:
Carter rarely uses profanity, so he was taken aback when umpire Greg Bonin leveled some on him in the seventh inning Monday night in Pittsburgh. Carter was called out on strikes and told Bonin he thought the pitch was outside. "He started cursing me and said I accused him of being a liar," Carter said. "After he started cursing, I walked away and I said, 'Why are you cursing at me?' He said, 'I talk like that.' I said, 'OK, guttermouth.' "Carter said he has been thrown out only twice in the majors, both times by Eric Gregg. "That was when I used to use the F-bomb."
Carter was famously polite and deeply religious, so it's not surprising that he turned from his profane ways. In doing so, he gave us the greatest gift of all: the "f-bomb."
And now it's a real word and everything. So thanks, Kid.
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