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Ride the pine

Posted by Masakim on July 31, 2003

In Reply to: Ride the pine posted by Bob on July 31, 2003

: : Any idea as to the origin and meaning of the phrase "ride the pine"?

: : Thanks for any info.
: Baseball term, occasionally extended to other sports. to sit on the (presumably pine) bench, as a substitute not in the game, especially one who has been removed from the game. Often "riding the pines."

ride the pine (or pines) v phr sports by 1980s To sit idle on the player's bench: "... who right now seems destined to ride the pine a lot behind Mark Jackson" --Milwaukee Journal / "I'd rather ride the pines on Mars than play the outfield for these mo'-[f-word]ers" --Jane Leavy
From Dictionary of American Slang by Robert L. Chapman
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pine The bench. To be told to "grab some pine" is to be told to sit on the bench. The legendary Johnny Pesky on Nomar Garciaparra (_Boston Globe_, Aug. 25, 1997): "The best-looking shortstop we've ever had around here.... He has good baseball instincts. I'm telling you, if he'd come along in my era, I'd be sitting on the pine."
rider of the lonesome pine A benchwarmer; one who seldome gets in the game.
ride the bench To sit and wait for one's chance to come into the game as a substitute. Syn. "ride the pine; wear out the wood."
From _The New Dickson Baseball Dictionary_ by Paul Dickson
ride the bench

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