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Tony Gwynn has always referred to himself as a "Punch and Judy" hitter or a "Judy". It's a title he's proud of. I know it's baseball slang for a singles hitter, but I wanted to know more.
A hitter with very little power. Akin to banjo hitter. The first use of the term is attributed to former L.A. Dodgers manager Walter Alston who, when asked about a home run by Giants' slugger Willie McCovey, said: "When he belts a home run, he does it with such authority it seems like an act of God. You can't cry about it. He's not a Punch and Judy belter."
I've always wondered how a 16th Century Puppet show relates to baseball. Did the puppets hit each other really softly? I asked Gwynn if he knew the origins of the slang term. You can listen to the audio of his answer below: