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Major League or major league?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by bob, Feb 2, 2010.

  1. bob

    bob Member

    Help me, please.
    Do I write "so-and-so signed a Major League contract?" Or, "so-and-so signed a major league contract?"
    Is so-and-so a Major Leaguer? Or a major leaguer?
     
  2. WolvEagle

    WolvEagle Well-Known Member

    Cap it when referring to the office of Major League Baseball. Otherwise, lowercase.
     
  3. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    I wouldn't say someone signed a major league contract anyway. I'd say they signed a contract with the Yankees or Marlins or Padres or whatever.
     
  4. bob

    bob Member

    you do realize I'm simply trying to get the rule on capping "Major League?"
     
  5. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    Yes indeedy. And often the best way to solve a problem like that is to avoid it.

    But WolvEagle is correct.
     
  6. Wes Rucker

    Wes Rucker Member

    David Keith, a.k.a Jack Parkman, is a huge Tennessee booster who attends basically every football and men's hoops game. He sits near the media. I'll ask him this weekend and get back to you.
     
  7. ondeadline

    ondeadline Well-Known Member

    Major-league contract. Major-leaguer.
     
  8. SnoopyBoy

    SnoopyBoy Member

    Ace,
    Well, someone could have signed a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training, so it's worth noting this time of year if a player signs a major-league contract.
     
  9. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    Nice!
     
  10. Johnny Dangerously

    Johnny Dangerously Well-Known Member

    I would argue the hyphen is not necessary in major league contract. This is an exception to the standard rule on compound modifiers because "major" and "league" are so closely connected in use, especially within the context in question (sports reporting, and specifically, baseball), they do not need the hyphen. No one is going to read the sentence and think the person signed a "league contract," and a major one at that.

    It's pretty much the same with high school coach. It's not that he's a school coach, and a high one to boot. He's a high school coach.
     
  11. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    That's true. Agree with JD on the non-hyphens also.
     
  12. SoCalDude

    SoCalDude Active Member

    We have adopted that style, too. Reduce the use of hyphens.
     
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