The story goes like this....true or not, unknown (as is much with leftiness).
"Southpaw apparently derives from baseball, most likely coined in Chicago in the late nineteenth century. Left handed pitchers on the mound at the old Camiskey Park would face west, so that the arc of their arm and delivery of the ball originated from the south. One source suggests that a Chicago News sportswriter invented the term, although a different source claims that it was used to describe left-handed boxers before it was applied to left handed pitchers."
This all comes from (although I had heard this before) David Wolfman, author of
LEFT-HAND TURN AROUND THE WORLD, Chasing The Mystery And Meaning Of All Things Southpaw.
Can't suggest strongly enough that those with a lefty brother, sister, mother, father, girlfriend (big points here with gfriend) put this book on their Christmas gift list (or bday). The lefty receiving it will absolutely love it, ...guaranteed. Friend's daughter bought it, big reader, very bright, would not be surprised to see her become the POTUS...she's brutal (and a knockout). A lefty, of course (although she's really mix handed...plays ping pong right, writes left). Gave it to her father to read who I tell walks left handed. Everything left. I'm mixed, or just confused. She loved the book, father raved about it, and now I'm thoroughly enjoying it. So many things in there lefties already know but will find interesting to know all the other lefties are thinking/seeing the same. Righties don't really get how much of a right handed world it is and the left handed subject is Sominex to them. Should be required reading for righties, for them it would be educational, for lefties it's very entertaining.
Sorry you asked now?