Quite a hop on his fast one

English translation: He had a mean fastball

11:07 Sep 14, 2007

English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Sports / Fitness / Recreation / Baseball

English term or phrase: Quite a hop on his fast one

From a 1943 film:

- Oh, this guy Burns I was telling you about, he used to pitch for Company A. Quite a hop on his fast one.
- No fooling?

Could someone please explain? Thanks.

Valentin Alupoaie KudoZ activity Questions: 105 (4 open) (4 closed without grading) Answers: 448 Romania
Local time: 20:35

Selected answer:He had a mean fastball

Explanation:
In a baseball context, a "fast one" would be a fastball, which is simply a fast, straight pitch. I've never heard "quite a hop" used in a baseball context, but it sounds to me as though the pitcher in question possessed a particularly lethal or quick fastball that was probably both intimidating and difficult to hit. In more modern speech, the pitcher might be said to have a "mean fastball".

Hope this helps, and that I've hit a home run - or at least, not struck out! :-)

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Note added at 28 mins (2007-09-14 11:36:21 GMT)
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It may have some allusion to the way the ball moves in the air, but my "gut feeling" (which could be proven wrong, ultimately) is that the guy's fastball had a bit of extra zing.

Selected response from:

Rowan Morrell
New Zealand
Local time: 05:35

Grading comment

Thanks a bunch.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

4 +4

He had a mean fastball

Rowan Morrell

Discussion entries: 2

Answers

9 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

quite a hop on his fast one

He had a mean fastball

Rowan Morrell
New Zealand
Local time: 05:35
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 7

Grading comment

Thanks a bunch.

Notes to answerer

Asker: I suppose there's no such thing as a "vertical curve fastball", right? :D That's why I mentioned it's from a 1943 film. The dated idioms are disconcerting.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

neutral

Elisabete Cunha: Of course you should "disagree" if you feel that is wrong, but the comment about the wrong language was unnecessary.

8 mins

-> Yes, but if the idea or suggestion is patently wrong, people are also free to disagree, and you should respect THAT.

agree

moken: In essence this is it. It means that at one point the ball takes an upward turn. Opposite term: sink. :O) :O) That's the idea.

26 mins

-> So it sort of "jumps up" at the batter, in a manner of speaking (they might call it "chin music" nowadays). Thanks Álvaro.

agree

Taylor Kirk

27 mins

-> Thanks taylorreigne

agree

jccantrell: Mythbusters found that a baseball cannot rise unless thrown in an arc, it just SEEMS to rise as seen from the batter.

2 hrs

-> That's really interesting. Many thanks indeed for this info, jccantrell.

agree

Alfa Trans (X)

1 day 21 hrs

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Quite a hop on his fast one

English translation: He had a mean fastball

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