Today’s time sink: trying to determine the origin of the phrase “rubber match.” The internet is of little help in determining exact origin or etymology, although I did find an interesting discussion here. One thing seems universally agreed-upon: the term predates the widespread use of the substance of rubber as a material, so there’s probably not anything related to bouncing in the etymology. In fact, the term might be closer to Shakespeare: Hamlet’s famous “ay, there’s the rub,” meaning obstacle, refers to something that impedes the trajectory of a ball in lawn bowling, which is also where many scholars think the term “rubber match” originated.
Mariners Game #108 Preview, 8/2/23: BOS at SEA
