Timeline for Why is putting some spin on a ball described in some circles as giving it some "English"?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
12 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Sep 23, 2022 at 0:29 | comment | added | Thierry | I had to comment because the Alex English discussion is so funny to me. Putting spin on a layup is very common and probably has been since like 1900(?) when backboards were introduced. It would be incredibly weird to attribute it to him and even weirder for it to carry over to pool and other games. It's a cool made up story for any knowledgeable basketball fans though! | |
| Oct 6, 2020 at 10:41 | answer | added | seagull | timeline score: 0 | |
| Mar 25, 2019 at 0:53 | comment | added | user38936 | @user111259: This phrase is also used fairly often in basketball, when one lays up the ball against the backboard while putting some spin on it (example YouTube video). This move is sometimes attributed to Alex English, who played in the NBA 1976–91. But this attribution is probably wrong, because as the answers below show, this phrase has been used since at least the 19th century. | |
| Sep 16, 2016 at 20:16 | history | protected | tchrist♦ | ||
| Sep 16, 2016 at 20:15 | comment | added | user196675 | The phrase "Put some English on it" might be a reference to "Old English" a brand of furniture polish. | |
| Feb 20, 2015 at 15:58 | comment | added | user111259 | Possibly a reference to hall-of-fame basketball player Alex English. English is an all time top scorer, who scored with technique rather than strength or speed. | |
| Aug 18, 2011 at 14:30 | comment | added | Fattie | It's an interesting question: if interested, check out a device, a kind of tool, called the "English Wheel" - it would be used, for example, by classic car restorers. It's a similar kind of meaning. | |
| Aug 18, 2011 at 13:44 | comment | added | Tsuyoshi Ito | This is not only a question about English, but also a question about “English.” Compared to this, other questions look off topic. | |
| Aug 18, 2011 at 12:40 | history | tweeted | twitter.com/#!/StackEnglish/status/104170786520186880 | ||
| Aug 18, 2011 at 11:52 | answer | added | Alenanno | timeline score: 5 | |
| Aug 18, 2011 at 11:40 | answer | added | Samthere | timeline score: 13 | |
| Aug 18, 2011 at 11:14 | history | asked | Uticensis | CC BY-SA 3.0 |