"Foul balls” can mean one thing in baseball, but can mean another thing to men. A joke has been cited in print since at least 1972:
“Did you hear about the new man’s deodorant called ‘Umpire’? It’s for foul balls.”
The joke has been printed on several images.
Google Books
A Joke and Its Tellers:
A Study of the Functional Variation of a Folklore Item at the Psychological Level, Volume 2
By Thomas A. Burns
Indiana University, Ph.D. thesis
1972
Pg. U80:
Did you hear about the new man’s deodorant called “Umpire?” It’s for foul balls.
Google Groups: rec.humor
jokes
Kurt Bauer
12/10/92
Some of these jokes may be offensive to some, but I found all of them humorous.
Q:Did you hear about the new deodorant called umpire?
A:It’s for foul balls
Google Groups: alt.jokes
Hear about the new deodorant called “Umpire?”
Clyde Bassman
2/4/01
Hear about the new deodorant called “Umpire?”
It’s for foul balls.
Google Groups: alt.tasteless.jokes
Q: Did you hear about the new deodorant called Umpire?
ur_droll
6/14/02
A: It’s for foul balls.
Google Groups: alt.humor.puns
Adult Puns of the Weak 07-15-04
Stan Kegel
7/15/04
(...)
Did you hear about the new deodorant called Umpire?
It’s for foul balls. (Miss Misty)
Twitter
Judith Ann
@prissy121
Did you hear about the new deodorant called Umpire?
It’s for foul balls
8:23 PM - 15 Sep 2009
Twitter
Scott Feinberg
@ScottFeinberg
There’s a new male deodorant on the market: “Umpire,” for foul balls.
7:18 PM - 7 Oct 2009
Twitter
Surendra Tapuriah
@Bobbycal
“Did you hear about the new deodorant for men called - Umpire? It’s for foul balls.”
2:16 AM - 21 Mar 2010
Google Books
Jokes of the 1970s & 1980s
By Mozelle Barr Martin
Lulu Press (Lulu.com)
2017
Pg. ?:
Did you hear about the new deodorant called umpire? It’s for foul balls.
Reddit—Oneliners
I’m making a male deodorant called Umpire for foul balls.
submitted January 19, 2018 by Kas585
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
Recent entries:
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“They cheated in the last election. Better vote them out this time” (6/3)
•
“Anything I don’t like should be banned. Everything I like should be a human right…” (6/3)
•
“It’s that time of year where people will say, ‘It’s too hot for coffee‘“ (6/3)
•
“Cashier wanted. Must be 18 years old with 20 years experience” (6/3)
•
Entry in progress—BP (6/3)
More new entries...
Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
This site is edited by Barry Popik.