Early bath?

[jas1002]

At work today someone mentioned an 'early bath' most people didn't know what it meant. Three of us did but we did all used to work in the same department together were we must have picked it up.
So then we wondered were it originated from. Is it football? or a dirty industry like mining were if you managed to finish work early you got a bath early?

Can anyone help.

[makemesmile]

I thought it was football. i.e. If you got sent off, you had an early bath, but I could be wrong.

[thanks1]

you are right makemesmile.

[Quizmonster]

Eddie Waring, a rugby league commentator, was - I believe - the originator of the phrase.

[Peter Pedant]

or early shower

You know when Cantona - ee keeked ze 'ead een of ze spectator ?
Lip readers identified the spectator as saying.... go forth, go forth, you Fransh bas**rd, get an early shower !

Canta later said, it was saying that eez mozzer was unmarried was the thing that really got him angry. Canta stayed at Manchester U because half the city emailed himn and said they would have done it as well, apparently.

[andy-hughes]

I first heard it used be Eddie Waring as well. The traditional end to a rugby match is when the players all join in a communal bath in the dressing room and sing dirty songs together.

The term has come to mean any sportsperson who is disqualified early - and has passed into general speech for the same meaning.

[JillP]

It was Eddie Waring alright. Whenever a player was sent off early he would say, "He's off for an early bath. First use of the soap."

[jas1002]

Thanks all.


I'm pleased that it's Rugby rather that Football :-) Only to prove certain people wrong. Sorry!!!