Basketball on Grass (football spread offense)
A pass-happy pro football team with a spread offense is sometimes called "basketball on grass." The term has been cited in print since at least 1950, when it was observed in the Boston…
Big Mango (Bangkok, Thailand nickname)
Basque Barbecue (Basque Barbeque)
A "Basque barbecue" is a lamb barbecue. A significant number of sheepmen (mostly in California and Nevada) were from the Basque region. The Basque barbecue dates to at least the early…
Bass Capital of Texas (Mount Pleasant nickname)
Mount Pleasant has called itself the "Bass Capital of Texas" since at least 1993. Four lakes provide ample bass fishing opportunities. The "bass capital" title is disputed by…
Bastropian (inhabitant of Bastrop)
"Bastropian” is the name of an inhabitant of Bastrop, Texas. The name “Bastropian” has been cited in print since at least 1892. "Bastropite" -- less frequently used -- has been…
Bat Bridge (Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin)
"Bat Bridge" is an obvious nickname for the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin. That's the bridge where the bats hang out until they start to fly away at dusk.…
Bat City (Austin nickname)
Austin's Congress Avenue Bridge was rehabilitated in 1982. Hundreds of thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats chose the under-side of the bridge to sleep during the daytime, and the city of…
Bat Mitzvah
The Bat (or Bas) Mitzvah began in New York City in May 1922. The place was the Society for the Advancement of Judaism (http://www.thesaj.org), located at 15 West 86th Street. The synagogue was run…
Batini (official Austin cocktail)
The "Batini" (a blend of "bat" + "martini," although the drink contains no bats or gin or vermouth) is the official drink of Austin, Texas. In 2004, the Austin…
Battery Acid (coffee)
Entry in progress -- B.P. (Oxford English Dictionary)battery acid n. dilute sulphuric acid as used in a lead-acid cell as the electrolyte.1835 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 125 269 (heading) Nature…
Battle for the Iron Skillet (SMU Mustangs vs. TCU Horned Frogs)
The Battle for the Iron Skillet is the football game between the Southern Methodist University Mustangs and the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs. The first game was played in 1915. A skillet…
Battle of New York (New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers)
National Hockey League games between the New York Islanders and the New York Rangers have been called the "Battle of New York." The term "Battle of New York" has been especially…
Battle of the ‘Burbs (Long Island Nets vs. Westchester Knicks)
The "Battle of the 'Burbs" (New York City suburbs) is when basketball's Long Island Nets (the development league team of the Brooklyn Nets) play against the Westchester Knicks…
Battle of the Badges (Fire vs. Police)
The "battle of the badges" occurs when the fire department fights with the police department, usually on rescue situations. The rivalry has sometimes been fierce. After the 9-11 tragedy,…
Battle of the Bands (Savoy Ballroom)
The term "Battle of the Bands" existed before Harlem, but Harlem's Savoy Ballroom (596 Lenox Avenue/Malcolm X Boulevard) made it famous in the late 1930s. Chick Webb, Count Basie and…
Battle of the Boroughs (between New York City sports teams)
There is a "Battle of the Boroughs" when one borough challenges another borough in a competition. "Battle of the Boroughs" usually refers to a competition with at least one of…
Battle of the Brazos (Baylor Bears vs. Texas A&M Aggies)
Baylor University (in Waco) and Texas A&M University (in College Station) have played each other in football since 1899, but the game didn't always have a special name. The Brazos River…
Battle of the Hudson River or Hudson River Rivalry (New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers)
A National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils (1982-) and the New York Rangers has been called the "Hudson River rivalry" or the "Battle of the Hudson River." A…
Battle of the Hudson River or Hudson River Rivalry (New Jersey Nets vs. New York Knicks)
A National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils (1982-) and the New York Rangers has been called the "Hudson River rivalry" or the "Battle of the Hudson River." A…
Battlefield of Ideas (War of Ideas; Marketplace of Ideas)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Marketplace of ideasThe "marketplace of ideas" is a rationale for freedom of expression based on an analogy to the economic concept of a free market.…
Battleground State
A "battleground state" is one of the fifty states of the United States that could support either one of the two political parties, Republican or Democrat. Political candidates for…