X's and O's or Xs and Os?

- Fact: The team was originally known as the Athletics, even from back in the National Association days.
- Fact: "Athletics" was shortened to "A's" by enterprising headline writers.

I don't have any friggin' idea how to find out the PROCESS for how it was shortened, whether as a contraction or as a plural form. I really don't think that can be known ... but I'm willing to read any documentation on the matter.

 

A's is a nickname, and for nearly a decade was the official nickname of the baseball team from Oakland.

Nowhere is "A's" referred to as an abbreviation or shortening or contraction.

 

FWIW, I would agree with you -- if I had to put money on it -- that it's not a contraction.

Frankly, the team was called the "Mackmen" in turn-of-the-century headlines a lot more than it was called the "A's."

But when I'm in Seattle this weekend, I'm totally looking for an Oakland Oaks jacket. Just sayin'.

 

Yeah. I would reluctantly put money on me, too.
I'm not 100% sure. So, I asked an old friend at the BHOF if there is any definitive literature.
She's great. She will get back pretty quickly if she isn't on vacation.

 

Do you have anything quoting the headline writers who originially shortened Athletics to A's? It would seem they made the change because it sounds good, saves space and makes sense because it's a contraction. I get your point that it's a nickname that's been used forever, but, really, it's the shortening of an already-existing nickname. Just like "can't" is the shortening of an already-existing word.

 

It's true that it's the shortening of an existing nickname ... but it's also a nickname on its own, as fishy's link points out.

So it's not necessary that it's a contraction, even if it seems to fit.

And besides, if the contraction idea is the strongest defense you have to go on to use the apostrophe in "A's," it's a weak case.

 

I get it. I understand the point being made.
Yet, not every shortening or alteration of a name is a contraction. No, they're just alternate nicknames.

 

I honestly was wondering if there was another reason for it. I'm not arguing the contraction point just for the hell of it. It could just be a case of you being right and my contraction point happening to fit in this instance. Not knowing the history of it, I always figured what was obvious to me -- a contraction. It'll be interesting to see what your friend says just to get the history of it.

 

CONTRACTION (n)
3. A word produced by running two or more words together and leaving out some of the letters or sounds.

"thletic" need not apply.

 

Oh, for the love of god...

 

I "suspend" my point.

 

As a rule, I try to avoid both exes and hos.