Way out in left field

Posted by Rus Little on May 23, 2008 at 08:56

"Way out in left field". Bob Costas claims it originated in the 1920's when the New York Yankees had Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth hitting home runs in the right field bleachers. So, if a kid chose to watch the game from the left field bleachers, he had little chance of getting a souvenir. He was clueless, or literally "out if left field". It made sense, but I did not see it in your list of phrases. Was it in any print before 1920?

• Way out in left field ESC 23/May/08
  • Way out in left field ESC 23/May/08