Ruppert’s Rifles (New York Yankees nickname)
American brewer, businessman, National Guard colonel and politician Jacob Ruppert Jr. (1867-1939) owned the New York Yankees baseball team from 1915 until his death in 1939. the Yankees were…
Ruthville (Yankee Stadium right field bleachers)
Yankee Stadium (1923-2008) in the Bronx had a short right field porch that made it easy for left-handers to hit home runs. In December 1919, the New York Yankees acquired Babe Ruth (1895-1948), one…
Salugi (or Saloogie)
"Salugi" (or "saluggi" or "saloogie") was a New York children's game of "keep away" that was popular in the 1950s. The origin of the name is unknown.…
Sam, Mike, Will (strongside, middle and weakside linebacker nicknames)
Sam (strongside linebacker), Mike (middle linebacker) and Will (weakside linebacker) are football position nicknames in the 4-3 defense. Tom Landry (1924-2000), the New York Giants defensive…
Santa Claus Curse (New York Mets)
The New York Mets hold an annual Christmas party for New York City schoolchildren. The "Santa Claus curse" holds that the Mets player who dresses up as Santa Claus the following year…
Selection Sunday
"Selection Sunday" is commonly known as the day college basketball teams are selected to participate in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Tournament, but the term…
Seventh-inning stretch (Manhattan College’s claim to origin)
Manhattan College has claimed to have originated baseball's "seventh inning stretch" in 1882. The seventh inning is the time before the end of the game where the spectators stretch…
Shammgod or El Latigo or The Whip (one-handed crossover basketball dribble)
God Shammgod (born Shammgod Wells in New York City in 1976) became a New York City high school basketball legend who played at Providence College. He had a very brief professional basketball career…
ShittyField, in Flushing (Citi Field ballpark, in Flushing, Queens)
Many New Yorkers wanted the new Mets ballpark (the one replacing Shea Stadium) to be named after baseball great Jackie Robinson. Citigroup offered to pay $20 million a year to name the stadium, and…
Skee-Ball
Remember Skee-Ball? From Coney Island, right? Maybe you've played it recently at a street fair? Actually, the game comes from Philadelphia, but that doesn't mean that Coney Island…
Skelly (or skelsy, skellzies, scully, tops, caps)
"Skelly" is an old New York City game. There is a good entry for it in the Dictionary of American Regional English, but there are earlier citations to be found. It is said that the game…
Skyscraper-Harlem Cycling Classic
The Skyscraper-Harlem Cycling Classic takes place in June in Marcus Garvey Park. It started in the 1970s and is billed as "New York City's oldest criterium."…
Slamboni (Zamboni-like machine for U.S. Open tennis)
Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows, Queens, is the site of the tennis U.S. Open. Rain delays hampered the 2003 U.S. Open, so the stadium developed the "Slamboni" machine -- similar…
Snoopy Bowl (Giants vs. Jets at MetLife Stadium)
MetLife acquired the naming rights to the New Meadowlands Stadium -- where the New York Giants and New York Jets play football -- in 2011, renaming it MetLife Stadium. The Giants and Jets play an…
Sons of Anarchy (Jets defensive line nickname)
The New York Jets football team nicknamed their defensive line the New York Sack Exchange in 1981. The 2013 defensive line of Damon Harrison (nose tackle), Sheldon Richardson (defensive end) and…
Spaldeen (Spalding High-Bounce Ball)
"Spaldeen" is the New York City name for the Spalding High-Bounce Ball, first manufactured in 1949. Spaldeens were used in many street games, such as stickball, punchball, stoop ball, and…
Spankees or Wankees (NY Yankees derogatory nicknames)
Non-fans of the New York Yankees baseball team have sometimes called them the "Spankees" (a team that's "spanked") or "Wankees" (from "wanker"). Google…
Splash Play
A "splash play" in football is a play that makes a big splash -- that is, it makes a big impact on the game. A "splash play" might be a quarterback sack, a tackle for a loss, a…
Splashtastic (the winning horse on a wet track)
Tom Durkin, a track announcer for the New York Racing Association from 1990 until his retirement in 2014, called his last race at Saratoga's Spinaway Stakes in August 2014: “Condo Commando…
Spornosexual (sport + porno + sexual)
"Spornosexual" (sport + porno + sexual) was coined by English journalist Mark Simpson in The Telegraph (UK) on June 10, 2014, when he wrote: "This new wave puts the…