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Get (keep) the ball rolling

Posted by ESC on November 09, 2000

In Reply to: The origin of posted by dana on November 09, 2000

: "Let's get the ball rolling"

I would think it stems from this expression:

KEEP THE BALL ROLLING - "The election of 1840, which pitted President Martin Van Buren running for reelection against 'Tippecanoe and Tyler, too' - General William Henry Harrison, legendary hero who fought against the Indians at Tippecanoe, and Virginian John Tyler - brought with it the first modern political campaign. Some historians believe the election gave us the expression 'keep the ball rolling' as well as the word O.K. (See the Phrase Finder archives for other theories about O.K.) One popular advertising stunt that helped Harrison win was 'to keep the ball rolling' for the 'log cabin and hard cider candidate.' Ten-foot high 'victory-balls,' made of tin and leather and imprinted with the candidate's name, were rolled from city to city for as far as 300 miles. These victory balls did popularize the expression 'keep the ball rolling,' keep interest from flagging, but the saying undoubtedly dates back to the late 18th century. Of British origin, it alludes either to the game of bandy, a form of hockey where the puck is a small ball, or the game of rugby. In either sport there is no interest in the game if the ball is not rolling. The first form of the expression was 'keep the ball up.'" From Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendrickson (Facts on File, New York, 1997)

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