2141smh@aluxe.UUCP (S. M. Henning, AT&T Bell Labs, Reading, PA) (01/16/85)
**** ****
From the keys of Steve Henning, AT&T Bell Labs, Reading, PA aluxe!2141smh
> What is the origin of the nickname of New York City: "The Big Apple" ?
It is because late in the day all of the doorways look like holes with worms
coming out saying, "Pssst, could you lend a fellow ....." or "Say Buddy,
come over here a minute, I got something for you"
Jan 5, 1962 letter by authorberry@zinfandel.UUCP (Berry Kercheval) (01/17/85)
In article <624@aluxe.UUCP> 2141smh@aluxe.UUCP (S. M. Henning, AT&T Bell Labs, Reading, PA) writes: >**** **** >From the keys of Steve Henning, AT&T Bell Labs, Reading, PA aluxe!2141smh > >> What is the origin of the nickname of New York City: "The Big Apple" ? > >It is because late in the day all of the doorways look like holes with worms >coming out saying, "Pssst, could you lend a fellow ....." or "Say Buddy, >come over here a minute, I got something for you" > Jan 5, 1962 letter by author Well, according to John Ciardi in hes wonderful book THE BROWSERS DICTIONARY, "The term originated among black musicians of New Orleans c. 1910, as a translation of Spanish {\it manzana principal}. 'Manzana' means "apple", but also "tract of land" (apple orchard), and in common usage "city block". {\it Manzana principal,} a main city block, downtown, the main stem, where the action is. The term later passed into show biz with the sense "the big time," and thence probably to Mr. Gillett [Pres. of the N.Y. Convention and Visitors Bureau, who tried to get the term adopted as the official nickname of N.Y. circa 1971 -- berry], but it has always remained a special term for jazz men. In his book {\it Hi De Ho} (1936) Cab Calloway defined the Big Apple as "the big town, the main stem, Harlem." The Browsers Dictionary, by John Ciardi. Harper & Row, New York, 1980 ISBN 0-06-010766-9 -- Berry Kercheval Zehntel Inc. (ihnp4!zehntel!zinfandel!berry) (415)932-6900