“Downtown Train” (1985)
"Downtrown Train" became a big hit for Rod Stewart in 1990, and the song has been recorded by others. It was written and first recorded by Thomas Alan (Tom) Waits for his album Rain Dogs…
“It ain’t over ‘til it’s over” (“It’s not over until it’s over”)
Baseball is not played against a clock; there are nine innings and 27 outs before a game is over. Until those 27 outs are recorded, no lead is insurmountable. "There is an old adage that says…
Repeater
A "repeater" is someone who votes more than once. The term was used frequently in the election of 1867. With electronic voting, it is hoped that the term is now historical. The…
Nets (proposed Brooklyn NBA team)
The New Jersey Nets basketball team is proposed to become the Brooklyn Nets in a few years. A new arena is being planned. The same "Nets" team nickname will be used. No new logo has been…
Guantanamo on the Hudson (Little Gitmo) or Club Med on the Hudson (Pier 57)
Arrests were made during the 2004 Republican National Convention. Some (by no means all) protesters were arrested and taken to Pier 57 -- a place some called "Guantanamo on the Hudson"…
Eustace Tilley (The New Yorker)
The New Yorker magazine was first published on February 19, 1925. On that first cover was a "dude" or "dandy" who looked at a butterfly through a monocle. His name was…
Baby Ruth (candy bar)
There has been some dispute about the naming of the Baby Ruth candy bar, introduced in 1921. The candy company has claimed that it was named after Grover Cleveland's daughter, Ruth, who died…
“If I played there, they’d name a candy bar after me” (Reggie!)
There's a candy bar called "Baby Ruth" and another called "Oh, Henry!" It was widely believe in baseball circles that these were named after the home run hitters Babe Ruth…
“Rooting for the Yankees is like rooting for U.S. Steel” (1950)
The Yankees always win. U.S. Steel (or General Motors) - in the 1950s and not today, of course - represented big business. Who could root for that. Ben Zimmer pulled up the 1966 citation that…
“Is Brooklyn still in the league?” (1934)
"Is Brooklyn still in the league?" or "Are the Dodgers still in the league?" is the famous remark by New York Giants manager Bill Terry on January 24, 1934. The exact wording is…
Music Under New York (MUNY)
The music you hear in the subways is often quite good, and there's a reason for that. The performers must first try out under the MTA's "Music Under New York" (MUNY) program.…
“Once a Dodger, Always a Dodger”
The Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team is long gone, but this refrain remains. "Once a Dodger, always a Dodger." It's been used for other teams ("Once a Yankee, always a…
Haircut Street (Pell Street)
I couldn't find historical citations for "Haircut Street," but if our tourism website says it's so, then it must be. http://www.nycvisit.com/content/index.cfm?pagePkey=1195Pell…
Redbird and Brightliner trains
The "Redbird" trains began in the 1950s and the "Brightliner" trains began in the 1960s. http://www.nycsubway.org/faq/cartypes.htmlR-26, R-28, R-29, R-33, R-36: Mainline IRT…
Covenant House and Nineline (800-999-9999)
Covenant House was founded in 1969 as a refuge for runaways by Father Bruce Ritter, who died in 1999. It quickly became an international success. It established itself in the Times Square area, and…
Fire Department’s Maltese Cross
I'm going through some fire department books and magazines for more on the "Maltese Cross" and "fire buff." I'll try to post the earliest dates as I find them. The…
Snakehead
"Snakeheads" (or "snake heads") are people who traffic in illegal (usually Chinese) immigration. Many Chinese brought into America by "snakeheads" find themselves…
“Like No Other Bagel in the World” (H & H Bagels)
About ten years after Bloomingdale's declared itself "like no other store in the world," H & H Bagels declared that its product was "like no other bagel in the world."…
THRU Streets
'THRU Streets" is a Department of Transportation program to improve the traffic flow in Manhattan. The program has been declared a success and might be expanded to other streets. The…
Empty State Building (Empire State Building’s 1930s nickname)
The Empire State Building opened in 1931, during the Great Depression. It had a problem finding tenants and was soon derided as the "Empty State Building." This nickname is not used…