2007-05-13 12:46:13 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Baseball
1800–10, Americanism
2007-05-13 13:00:49 · answer #1 · answered by Uh Oh its izzy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My understanding is that it came from the presence of "Bull Durham" tobacco ad boards near the area where relief pitchers warmed up at certain parks.
I do not think, in a baseball context, that it was originated in 1800-10, since the game was invented in 1869.
2007-05-13 14:11:09 · answer #2 · answered by Bob T 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The best explanation seems to be from signs advertising Bull Durham tobacco, which were prevalent in professional outfields in the early part of the century. The Bull Durham signs appear to have inspired the reapplication of the term "bull pen", used previously in farming to denote, well, a pen where you kept bulls.
2007-05-13 18:23:15 · answer #3 · answered by JerH1 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think when the bull riders were preparing to ride the pens they were in called bull pens and when the players are warming up they use the bullpen
2016-05-17 09:43:53 · answer #4 · answered by kara 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It came from the Durham Bulls of the International League. They had a stadium announcer that used to say, "Now warming up in the Bulls' pen." A sportswriter got wind of it and it stuck.
2007-05-13 15:37:56 · answer #5 · answered by bubbabear 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No one is really sure. I realize that is a disappointing etymology, particularly for such an absurd term that doesn't appear to relate directly to anything, but there it is. Paul Dickson, when compiling his Baseball Dictionary years ago, couldn't nail it down. There are several different theories but none has outstanding provenance.
2007-05-13 14:53:43 · answer #6 · answered by Chipmaker Authentic 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋