HIGH BALL

I was recently asked what I had on "high ball." It's a drink in a tall

glass--a "high" (or tall) "ball" (or drink).

A fascinating article is "WILD ENGLISH. Professional and Otherwise." in

the New York Clipper, 5 June 1875, pg. 76, col. 3:



"A BALL."--A name of much power and comfort. "Let's have a ball!"

invariably brings the immediate answer: "Don't care if I do!" The answer

will be easily explained when we state that "a ball" in such a case is

synonymous with "whiskey."



Other items in this very important article are: The Main Guy, The

Ghost, Cully, Nixey Weeden, Stag His Nibbs, An Awful Death, Nixey Jim!, Walk

Off!, So Long!, Solid, Brack Up!, Peck, Nobby, Racket, Rounders and Senators,

Crank, Jonah, A Terror!, Daisy, Oh Chuck Me In the Gutter!, Keep Your Shirt

On!, and A-La-Ga-Zam!