Why Is it Called a Rubber Match in Baseball?

A "rubber match" in baseball refers to the third game of a three-game series in which each team has won a game. The rubber match decides which team wins the series. The meaning of the term, however, is not entirely certain.

  1. History

    • The term "rubber match" may have originated in England in the late 1500s, and was used in reference to "bowls," or lawn bowling. The term later was used in reference to card games; in bridge, a "rubber" is a set of three games.

    Origin

    • In medieval England, the term "rubber" didn't have the same connotation as it does now. It also did not refer to India rubber (from a rubber tree), but rather to something used to smooth or clean. In this context, a "rubber match" might be the one which would "clean" the slate and win the contest.

    Considerations

    • It is possible that the origin of the term comes from its symbolic use. In this sense, the third game is the one that would "rub out" or erase the possibility of victory for the other team.