I got interested in the use of "The Old Town Team" and its variations as a nickname for the Red Sox.
There are lots of early 20th century references to New England "town teams" in various sports, and these teams competed locally, taking on the teams from other towns, and filled the place later taken by American Legion ball (indeed this 1922 article make it clear that American Legion teams were intended to replace the less formal "town teams").
But when the adjective "old" is added to the common phrase "town team," we get closer to the nickname. In the 1920s, for example, an Abington, Ma, semipro football team went by the name "The Old Town Team."
In 1927 the Abington Old Town Team appears on a long list of semi-professional football teams (my favorites):
North Cambridge Swamp Angels
Doo Dads of Somerville
The Newton Pals
Roxbury Lion Tamers
Trojan A.C. of South Boston
At some point I have not yet determined, though, "Old Town Team" gets applied to the Sox. I found a 1965 Globe article from Bud Collins calling the Sox the "Old Town Team," but that can't be the first use -- sometime between the 20's and the 60's the term for the local semi-pro team (football or baseball) got applied to the Red Sox, and the word "old" was added.
What is interesting, though is how "The Old Town Team" became victim of faux-archaic spelling. I blame Peter Gammons. Bud Collins consistently uses "The Old Town Team " in the 1960s:
But Gammo comes along in the 1970s and adds the "e's" and create "The Olde Towne Team," like we're back in Merrie Olde England (this from 1973):
This confuses poor old Bud Collins, who in the 70s, still at the Globe, splits the difference and starts using "Olde Town Team" (again, 1973):
The copy-editors must have put their foots down, because by the late 70s and into the 80s it is "Olde Towne Team" across the board:
1978:
1983:
But Gammons's creation hasn't quite endured. Now I notice more "Old Town Team " than "Olde Towne Team" in Sox coverage, a development that maybe has as much to do with automated spellcheck as style. At least nobody has tried "Olde Towne Teame."
There are lots of early 20th century references to New England "town teams" in various sports, and these teams competed locally, taking on the teams from other towns, and filled the place later taken by American Legion ball (indeed this 1922 article make it clear that American Legion teams were intended to replace the less formal "town teams").
But when the adjective "old" is added to the common phrase "town team," we get closer to the nickname. In the 1920s, for example, an Abington, Ma, semipro football team went by the name "The Old Town Team."
In 1927 the Abington Old Town Team appears on a long list of semi-professional football teams (my favorites):
North Cambridge Swamp Angels
Doo Dads of Somerville
The Newton Pals
Roxbury Lion Tamers
Trojan A.C. of South Boston
At some point I have not yet determined, though, "Old Town Team" gets applied to the Sox. I found a 1965 Globe article from Bud Collins calling the Sox the "Old Town Team," but that can't be the first use -- sometime between the 20's and the 60's the term for the local semi-pro team (football or baseball) got applied to the Red Sox, and the word "old" was added.
What is interesting, though is how "The Old Town Team" became victim of faux-archaic spelling. I blame Peter Gammons. Bud Collins consistently uses "The Old Town Team " in the 1960s:
But Gammo comes along in the 1970s and adds the "e's" and create "The Olde Towne Team," like we're back in Merrie Olde England (this from 1973):
This confuses poor old Bud Collins, who in the 70s, still at the Globe, splits the difference and starts using "Olde Town Team" (again, 1973):
The copy-editors must have put their foots down, because by the late 70s and into the 80s it is "Olde Towne Team" across the board:
1978:
1983:
But Gammons's creation hasn't quite endured. Now I notice more "Old Town Team " than "Olde Towne Team" in Sox coverage, a development that maybe has as much to do with automated spellcheck as style. At least nobody has tried "Olde Towne Teame."
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