“The bottom of the fifth” (alcohol saying)
Whiskey used to be sold in fifths of a gallon. “The bottom of the fifth” can refer to the fifth inning of a baseball game, but to an alcoholic it can mean the last fifth of alcohol.
The song “Bottom of the Fifth” (1973) plays on these two meanings. It was performed by Charlie Louvin (1927-2011) and written by Gary S. Paxton (1939-2016).
”#baseballhumor An alcoholic’s #leastfavorite inning?? Bottom of the fifth. #nyuknyuk” was posted on Twitter by John Kay on October 6, 2013. “What’s an alcoholic’s favorite inning in baseball? Bottom of the fifth” was posted on Twitter by Joey Besade on March 16, 2014. “What is an alcoholics least favorite part of a baseball game? The bottom of the 5th” was posted on Reddit—Jokes on September 7, 2021.
“Who goes forth with a fifth on the Fourth may not come forth on the fifth” is a related saying (popular on July 4-5).
Wikipedia: Fifth (unit)
A fifth is a unit of volume formerly used for wine and distilled beverages in the United States, equal to one fifth of a US liquid gallon,or 25+3⁄5 US fluid ounces (757 ml); it has been superseded by the metric bottle size of 750 ml, sometimes called a metric fifth, which is the standard capacity of wine bottles worldwide and is approximately 1% smaller.
YouTube
Bottom Of The Fifth , Charlie Louvin , 1973
Oct 19, 2016
Wicker Bill
Written by Gary Paxton and recorded by Charlie Louvin. Released in 1973 as a single only.
Google Groups: rec.music.rock-pop-r+b.1960s
1960s Baseball Songs?
BustertheK
Jul 24, 2002, 6:00:29 PM
(...)
And in a similar vein, a couple of country barroom themed songs from the 60s, “I’ll Go Down Swinging” by Porter Wagoner and “Bottom Of The Fifth” by Charlie Louvin (with its alcoholic’s tag line, “It’s 5 to 2, and the bottom of the fifth”) I think these were both written by Bill Anderson, but I’m too lazy to check.
Google Books
Reading the Good Book Well:
A Guide to Biblical Interpretation
By Jerry Camery-Hoggatt
Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press
2007
Pg. ?:
“At the bottom of the fifth the bags were loaded.”
Let’s list the specific information I have to have known in advance if I’m going to laugh at David’s joke.
. That old ladies are sometimes called bags. So are bases.
. That baseball is divided into innings, and that the bottom of the fifth a technical term for a moment at play.
. That whiskey comes in units of a fifth of a gallon.
. That whiskey is alcoholic, and that loaded is slang for drunk.
. That the expression, the bags were loaded, refers to a situation in play in which there’s a player on every base.
YouTube
Bottom of the Fifth
Nov 9, 2015
Neil Hewitt - Topic
Provided to YouTube by CDBaby
Bottom of the Fifth · Neil Hewitt
Roll the Dice
℗ 2009 Neil Hewitt
Released on: 2009-01-01
Genius (lyrics)
Bottom Of The Fifth (2009)
Shane Owens
(...)
[Chorus]
I’m single again so tonight I’m drinkin’ double
I’m out with my friends just tryin’ to get over this mess I’m in
Since she left me all alone
It’s the bottom of the fifth, and she ain’t comin’ home
Twitter
Bart Wright
@bartwriter
as the alcoholic said, “here go, bottom of the Fifth.” #FeelinALittleRummyHere
5:51 PM · Jun 3, 2012·Twitter Web Client
Twitter
Salmon
@Marshbro10
Miguel Cabrera’s favorite inning? The bottom of the fifth #alcoholic #dying
6:27 PM · Mar 31, 2013·Twitter for iPhone
Twitter
John Kay
@TheRealJohnKay
#baseballhumor An alcoholic’s #leastfavorite inning?? Bottom of the fifth. #nyuknyuk
11:17 PM · Oct 6, 2013·Twitter for BlackBerry®
Twitter
Joey Besade
@SnowJoe_7
What’s an alcoholic’s favorite inning in baseball? Bottom of the fifth
9:37 PM · Mar 16, 2014 from Montville, CT·Twitter for Android
Twitter
Shane Haney
@ShaneHaney1
What’s the saddest part of a baseball game for an alcoholic?
Bottom of the fifth.
8:37 PM · Apr 8, 2015·Twitter for Android
Reddit—Jokes
Posted by u/Kazayn March 22, 2017
What’s an alcoholic’s least favorite part of a baseball game?
The bottom of the fifth.
COMMENTS
HighOnGoofballs
When they stop selling beer at the seventh inning stretch
Twitter
Todd Hackett
@hackman0320
Replying to @LindaSuhler
Homemade joke: What is an alcoholic’s saddest time of a baseball game?...The bottom of the fifth. That word you would hear from her often.
10:26 PM · Apr 3, 2017·Twitter Web Client
ColoradoRockies
Posted by u/rerobins June 20, 2018
Rockies Radio Commercial
The bottom of the fifth commercial is a friendly reminder to check your alcohol stash before the bullpen steps into the game.
COMMENTS
CORedhawk
I miss the “you just listened to the bottom of the 5th. If you’re at the bottom of your 5th..” commercial
Twitter
Josh Ballew
@FernBallew
“We’re at the bottom of the fifth!”
- Alcoholic baseball announcer
9:53 PM · Oct 19, 2018·Twitter Web Client
Twitter
Brewhanamo Jones
@YungGiamatti
“you don’t have to like baseball to participate in the bottom of the fifth” - presumably alcoholic Atlanta Braves radio announcer
6:03 PM · Oct 4, 2019·Twitter for Android
Twitter
Braxton
@awbraxtonjr
Replying to @mjfree and @GOP
Because they are a dieing breed and won’t accept it. It’s like an alcoholic when the bottom of the fifth gets near they try to make it last knowing it’s going to be all gone soon.
7:08 AM · Mar 4, 2021·Twitter for Android
Reddit—Jokes
Posted by u/BlowFrog303 September 7, 2021
What is an alcoholics least favorite part of a baseball game?
The bottom of the 5th.
COMMENTS
Ok-Comfortable6400
Whats a stoners favorite part of baseball?? The top of the 8th..