While sorting through the collection of the late baseball historian Al Kermish, auction appraisers came across a document of astonishing naughtiness dating from 1898. It includes the earliest known uses of the term “cocksucker” and “go fuck yourself” (thereby giving Deadwood even more cred than it had before).

That such brutal language as “You cock-sucking son of a bitch!” “You prick-eating bastard!” “You cunt-lapping dog!” “Kiss my ass, you son of a bitch!” “A dog must have fucked your mother when she made you!” “I fucked your mother, your sister, your wife!” “I’ll make you suck my ass!” “You cock-sucker!” and many other revolting terms are used by a limited number of players to intimidate umpires and opposing players, and are promiscuously used upon the ball field, is vouched for by the almost unanimous assertion of those invited to speak, and who are competent to speak from personal knowledge.

There is some debate about the authenticity of the document. Some historians consider it ludicrous that the National League in 1898 would send out a memo packed with such shocking profanity. Even “damn” would have been written “d____” at the time.
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