More than any other sport or pastime, baseball terms or expressions are part of our everyday lives, even if we don’t fully realize it. In the movies, on television, in interviews and in the articles we read, baseball terms are often used to help get an idea across or creatively explain something in terms we can better understand.

The National Pastime.

Organized baseball is more than 180 years old in the United States and has been in the public’s consciousness since then. But if you think about the NBA or NFL, there’s no comparison. Except for “slam dunk” or “punt,” you don’t hear many terms used in our daily talk from those sports. Over the decades, we’ve just incorporated baseball terms into all corners of our lives.

Here are some examples. How many do you use?

1. In the ballpark. An estimate or guess at a timeline or number. My first guess at how much the wedding would cost wasn’t even in the ballpark.
2. Cover your bases. To prepare for every possibility or give attention to every aspect of a situation. You’ll be out there at night, alone, so you’d better cover your bases.
3. Heavy hitter. A well-known, important or influential person. The salary negotiations were going our way until he brought in a heavy hitter to make his case.
4. Hit it out of the park. To perform exceptionally or better than anyone could have hoped. I can give my new employees any assignment and they’ll hit out of the park.
5. Keep your eye on the ball. Stay focused on what’s important. You’ll need to keep your eye on the ball if you want to be accepted to Harvard.
6. Step up to the plate. When someone takes action to fill in a spot or role unexpectedly, and hopefully comes through. If Katie wants that promotion, she needs to step up to the plate this month and hit her goals.
7. Couldn’t get to first base. Not able to get a plan or project going. He wanted to add a horn section to the band but couldn’t get to first base with his manager.
8. Screwball. An eccentric or wacky person. Christian is a great musician but has a reputation for being a screwball.
9. Playing hardball. Taking a serious approach to something and not being flexible. Ariel tried to argue she had more vacation time coming, but the company was playing hardball.
10. Off base. An opinion or perspective that’s not in line with everyone else’s. The reviewer’s opinion of the classic movie is clearly off base.
11. Out of their league. Out of place or outmatched and not able to do the job as needed. My kid enrolled in an advanced music school, but he was out of his league.
12. Rain check. A postponement of something until a better time. Our neighbors invited us for dinner on a busy day, so we asked for a rain check.
13. Right off the bat. Immediately or without hesitation. Right off the bat I don’t know how many people attended the event, so I’ll need to get back to you.
14. Struck out. Failed or didn’t come through. The local mayor struck out with his recycling plan.
15. Swing for the fences. Giving something maximum effort and hoping for the best outcome. With its daring new product lineup, the tech company is truly swinging for the fences.
16. Switch-hitter. Someone who is confident or capable in two different roles. Greg is a valuable switch-hitter because he can handle the accounting and sell products too.
17. Take one for the team. To accept a temporary setback or discomfort personally for the good of a group. In the movie "While You Were Sleeping," Lucy takes one for the team by working on Christmas Day.
18. Three strikes/third strike. The final event or action for someone who has been given enough chances. Statistics show that burglary is the largest single category of third-strike charges.
19. Throw someone a curve. To have a plan disrupted by an unexpected action. I planned a great night out with my wife, but she threw me a curve when she invited her sister along.
20. Touch base. To make contact or reconnect briefly with someone to keep them updated. Justin had a three-day drive ahead of him, so we asked him to touch base now and then.

The list goes on and on. There’s a good chance you use expressions like these without even thinking about it.

FUN FACT: Some believe the phrase “came out of left field” (when a new or unexpected idea or comment is suddenly presented) refers to yells from a psychiatric hospital that used to be behind the left-field fence of the Chicago Cubs’ former stadium.

Resources: Dictionary.com/e/s/began-in-baseball; merriam-webster.com; baseball-terminology.