Re: [ST] RE: "Balls to the wall"

["Lex Offer" <Lex.Offer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I did a little research on this and apparently  No body really knows.

As for the fabric explanation a bolt of fabric tends to be 20-25 yards.   and for the 2nd explanation regarding ammo for world war II planes well, ammo tends to be measure in rounds or weight.   Also the expression (according to the entomology sites I hit) didn't come around until the 1960's.  Basically nobody is really sure where it came from.  There are all sorts of explanations for the origins for this phrase and all of them can be "blown to hell".  ;)

>>> brd@xxxxxxx 10/25/02 07:31AM >>>
On Fri, Oct 25, 2002 at 08:36:33PM +1000, Harry Asher wrote:
> 
> Thx John, great info.
> 
> Do you have the origin of " give it the full nine yards "
> 
> Cheers - Harry.

Are you just testing us him to find out if he knows, or actually
looking for the answer? :b

There are 2 explanations I've heard.  The first has something to do
with a bolt of fabric being nine yards long and expensive dresses at
the turn of the (20th) century using the whole 9 yards.  The 2nd, and
cooler, explanation is that the ammo (.30 cal?) belt of a P51 Mustang
was 9 yards long.  A WWII pilot who fired all his ammo at an enemy was
said to "have given him the whole 9 yards."

Laters,
Brian <--worked for 2 WWII flight sim companies in a former life
- -- 
'99 ST (black) <--for another hour or two  :(
Dallas, TX

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