Satchel Paige

3 7.2

An American baseball pitcher famous for a long career and great skill

proper noun
/ˈsætʃəl peɪdʒ/

: Satchel Paige

Many baseball historians consider Satchel Paige one of the greatest pitchers of all time.

Examples

The stories about Satchel Paige's fastball and longevity have become legendary in American sports.
Satchel Paige made his Major League debut at an age when most players retire.
Wow! Satchel Paige was an incredible pitcher!
Many consider Satchel Paige one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.
Satchel Paige was known for his impressive skills and unique pitching style, which earned him a legendary status in baseball.
As a groundbreaking African American player, Satchel Paige paved the way for future generations in Major League Baseball.
Throughout his career, Satchel Paige showcased remarkable talent, establishing himself as one of the all-time greats in the sport.

Surface Forms

Satchel Paige main

Morphology

Satchel + Paige

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; the constituent tokens 'Satchel' and 'Paige' (here treated as names) do not encode the meaning 'United States baseball player' or 'pitcher'. A B1 learner who only knows the constituent words would not be able to derive the biographical/occupational sense, so the expression is idiomatic/lexicalized as a name and therefore opaque.

Etymology

Satchel Paige was the nickname of Leroy Paige, a famous American baseball 'pitcher' known for his fastball and a very long career. One popular story says people called him satchel because as a boy he carried a small bag called a satchel, and that simple image helps us remember him today as a great, long-lasting player.