Hot Corner – Baseball Jargon

Nationality: American - Irish Descent
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Pacific Palisades, CA
Performance Date: 3-25-16
Primary Language: English

Informant: Matthew Henry McGeagh is my 19 year-old  twin brother. He was born and raised in Pacific Palisades, California. His family history comes from Irish, Catholic, Jewish, German, and Swedish roots; with an emphasis on the Irish culture. He attended Catholic school from kindergarten until 12th grade and was raised Catholic by his family as well. He played many sports growing up and is very athletic. He now plays baseball at the University of Pennsylvania.

Matt informed me, “For those who know baseball well, the position of 3rd base is often referred to as the ‘hot corner’.”

Most positions in baseball stick to their given name and name is given by where the player stands on the field. For example, the position of first base is located right next to first base. 3rd base, however, as its own unique name. The term ‘hot corner’, as 3rd base, comes from a lot of generally easily observable happenings during a baseball game. My brother is the 3rd baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, so he very well knows the reasoning behind this nickname. 3rd base is located on the very left, corner side of the in-field, next to the foul line. The 3rd baseman is required to stand rather close to the batter when he sets up for his position. This makes his job very dangerous. Whether it is a left-handed or right-handed batter, the 3rd baseman gets a LOT of action. Plays to third base are not generally easy ones either, usually the plays are quick and one needs to have very fast reaction time in order to make the play or simply protect himself. That is why the term “hot corner” comes into play, because it gets so many plays and the ball is coming at you quickly.

3rd base is known for being one of the harder positions on the baseball field because of how much time one has to react. Giving it the name of the ‘hot corner’ shows respect to those who play that position and it is an acknowledgement of its difficulty. One who plays the hot corner is someone  who is generally tough and skillful because it something that takes a lot of courage and athletic ability.