Episode 266: Throw in the Towel

 

This week Shauna and Dan throw in the towel. Well, not really. Though Shauna did note we should have saved this phrase for our last episode. Alas. Bonus: Entrepreneurs, rich hillbillies, and so many boxing movies

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Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast
Episode 266: Throw In The Towel
Record Date: February 9, 2025
Air Date: February 12, 2025

Intro

Dan:
Welcome to Bunny Trails, a whimsical adventure of idioms and other turns of phrase.

I’m Dan Pugh

Shauna:
And I’m Shauna Harrison

Each week we take an idiom or other turn of phrase and try to tell the story from its entry into the English language, to how it’s used today.


Opening Hook
One of my friends had a baby recently and she was telling me about her struggle with teething and cholic. These challenges can wreak havoc on new parents. There are times when you look at that miniature human and just feel like throwing in the towel.

Meaning
Oxford English Dictionary tells us, “throw in the towel” means

Quote
to admit defeat.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/hoop_n1?tab=meaning_and_use#1242790


Dan, I think you might be able to guess where this phrase originated.

That’s right, this phrase originated with boxing. Did you know, that there is another, similar phrase that is slightly older than the version mentioning a towel?

It’s a little more gruesome.

1859
According to Oxford English Dictionary, “to throw (also chuck) up the sponge” means,

Quote
to abandon a contest or struggle; to submit, give in.
End Quote

For an example of this, we’re going to look at the Slang Dictionary of 1859 by John Camden Hotten.

Quote
‘To throw up the sponge,’ to submit, give over the struggle,—from the practice of throwing up the sponge used to cleanse the combatants' faces, at a prize~fight, as a signal that the ‘mill’ is concluded.
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/sponge_n1?tab=meaning_and_use
https://archive.org/details/McGillLibrary-109597-24


1872
This version was also used by Mark Twain in his 1872 work, Roughing It. Here is an excerpt,

Quote
One of the boys has gone up the flume—..throwed up the sponge,..kicked the bucket—..he's dead!
End quote
https://www.oed.com/dictionary/sponge_n1?tab=meaning_and_use

So, this is definitely the same meaning and even the same origin - boxing. These phrases were adopted rather organically as people used the idea of throwing in a towel - or a sponge - as a metaphor for declaring one is finished fighting.

Despite Mark Twain’s popularity, the sponge version did not catch on with the same fervor as the towel did. This can happen for any number of reason. But some experts think this is due to the visual familiarity of a towel being tossed into the air. There is some similarity to a flag of surrender. And then others think it is more linguistic… toss and towel have the same starting sound, which people tend to like in their phrases. Throw and toss are not really the same, however, they are closer than toss in the sponge…

Essentially, it just doesn’t flow as well.

1913
To find some uses of towel, we’ll begin by looking at The day book, out of Chicago, Illinois, in the June 11, 1913 edition.

Quote
Johnny Kilbans walked all over Jimmy Fox in Oakland, Cal., last night, the coast boy's backers throwing a towel into the ring during the sixth round. Kilbane looked better than in the Dundee fight, principally because he was up against a second-rater.
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045487/1913-06-11/ed-1/seq-12/#date1=&index=0&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=throw+towel&proxdistance=5&date2=&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=%22throw+in+the+towel%22&andtext=&dateFilterType=range&page=1

This was a literal usage, however, it isn’t explained. By throwing a towel into the ring, they were ending the match. This indicates that readers would understand what the action meant.

1916
This next item is an early figurative usage with towel. It uses the verb toss. The Moods of Ginger Mick is a 1916 work by C. J. Dennis. The title page includes the text,

Quote
DEDICATED TO THE BOYS WHO TOOK THE COUNT
End quote

Here is an excerpt from the piece A Gallant Gentleman,

Quote
No matter wot ’e done. It’s jist a thing
I knoo ’e’d do if once ’e got the show.
An’ it would never please ’im fer to sling
Tall tork at ’im jist cos ’e acted so.
“Don’t make a song uv it!” I ’ear ’im growl,
“I’ve done me limit, an’ tossed in the tow’l.”
End quote
https://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks05/0500921h.html


1940
In the October 24, 1940 edition of the Greenbelt Cooperator., out of Greenbelt, Maryland, we find an announcement from a sports reporter.

Quote
This past week found that old meanie Mr. Intestinal Grippe sneaking up on this reporter. He threw a sneak punch and I forgot to duck, as a result I went down for a count of eight. After a thorough going over by a physician I was advised that I'd better lay low for a while or I'd be taking a full count before long• So I've decided to follow his advise and throw in the towel for the time being.
Until I am rematched at some future date, the only thing I can say is "Glad I won, Mom, It was a great fight."
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn89061521/1940-10-24/ed-1/seq-5/#date1=1920&index=12&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=throw+towel&proxdistance=5&date2=1940&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=%22throw+in+the+towel%22&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1

That is one of my favorite uses of an idiom I’ve found. It was perfectly executed… ties directly to his job and is used in the most figurative way. Journalism is known for using turns of phrase. I think it’s because this wasn’t in your face… it wasn’t used as the title. It was just in the piece the way it would be used in common speech.

1952
Up next is a comic strip from the May 13, 1952 edition of The news and views., out of Jacksonville, North Carolina. It is the comic Ozark Ike and shows three panels of a baseball team. The coach is the speaker in the strip.

Quote
A broken ankle… so there goes our short-stop for most of the season, at least!

… And such is the life and headaches of a manager! Just when we’re ready to move with Ozark Ike back in left field - BOOM
We lose Zalen, the key man of our infield! …
… But we won’t throw in the towel! With the Ozark Kids big bat in the lineup, nobody can count us out of the pennant race … not until October, anyway!
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn92074061/1952-05-13/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=&index=3&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=THROW+TOWEL&proxdistance=5&date2=&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=%22throw+in+the+towel%22&andtext=&dateFilterType=range&page=1


1963
In the Evening star, April 07, 1963, out of Washington, D.C., we find the daily broadcast schedule for the week. The following is one of the item listed for April 10, 1963,

Quote
BEVERLY HILLBILLIES.
Comedy. Leo "The Lip" Durocher is ready to throw in the towel when his caddies, Jed and Jethro, cause him to blow a golf match at the posh Wilshire Country Club-until he discovers Jethro to be one of the greatest baseball pitching prospects since Sandy Koufax.
End quote
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1963-04-07/ed-1/seq-188/#date1=&index=1&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=throw+towel&proxdistance=5&date2=&ortext=&proxtext=&phrasetext=%22throw+in+the+towel%22&andtext=&dateFilterType=range&page=1


We have several modern uses to cover and we’ll get to those, right after we say thank you to our sponsors.

A Quick Thank You
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Modern Uses

1985 - 2021
Rocky is an iconic series that most people are aware of, whether they’ve ever seen a second of any of the movies. There is a significant scene in Rocky IV, during the fight between Apollo Creed and Ivan Drago. Rocky holds the towel but hesitates to throw it as Apollo gets brutally beaten. This follows Apollo's earlier insistence not to stop the fight. Tragically, Apollo is fatally injured, and Rocky regrets not throwing in the towel sooner to save him.

In the scene, Apollo’s trainer, Duke, yells at Rocky to throw the towel. It’s an incredibly intense moment in the movie.

Rocky IV came out in 1985. Sylvester Stalone worked on a project to create an extended cut of the film. Rocky vs. Drago was released in 2021 and added 42 minutes to the movie as an attempt to appeal to more modern audiences and add depth to the film.

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rocky_iv
https://www.polygon.com/reviews/22777136/rocky-iv-directors-cut-review-sylvester-stallone-rocky-vs-drago


2017
Throw In The Towel is a 2017 Art Installation, created by Ella Kandel and photographed by Moranne Mintz to be viewed online. The installation includes a series of items related to boxing which have been suspended in time as aluminum castings. These include boxing gloves, jump ropes, towels, and a mouth piece made from silver and swarovski crystals. It’s an interesting installation.


https://ellakandel.com/throw-in-the-towel/


2018
“When should an entrepreneur throw in the towel?” is a 2018 article written by Michael Douglas for Marketing Strategy dot com. The article begins,

Quote
I recently listened to a speech given by a VC to a young group of entrepreneurs. He estimates that 1 in 1,000 deals that cross a VC’s desk get funded as businesses. Of those businesses that do get funded, about 80% fail to achieve their goals. As that is a 1 in 5,000 chance of being successful, it begs the question: when should an entrepreneur throw in the towel?
End quote
https://www.marketingstrategy.com/when-should-an-entrepreneur-throw-in-the-towel/
https://www.marketingstrategy.com/when-should-an-entrepreneur-throw-in-the-towel/throw-in-the-towel/


2020
Up next is a comic strip by @athirdthing on Instagram. The piece I found was posted in 2020.

The comic consists of 4 panels:

Panel 1 shows a man with a mustache yelling “Throw in the towel!” to another man who replies “I can’t!”

Panel 2 shows the first man kneeling down two put his arm around the second with encouraging words, “You’ve gone so far already” The second man replies “You really think so?”

In Panel 3, the first man smiles at the other and states, “I know so”

And Panel 4 shows the first man cheering as the second man vigorously throws a towel out in front of him. The panel has panned out to show a sign that reads, “Towel Throwing Competition” .

Very clever.

Quote
x
End quote
https://www.instagram.com/athirdthing/?hl=en



2024
The Official Music Video for “Throwing in the Towel” was published on YouTube in 2024. The version was performed by Brent Comer, Jason Schmidt, Brody Grant, and The Original Broadway cast of The Outsiders: A New Musical.

In the song "Throwing in the Towel" from The Outsiders musical, Darry and Sodapop express their fear, frustration, and exhaustion as they struggle to cope with Ponyboy's disappearance and the overwhelming pressures on their family. The three brothers had recently lost their parents and they are struggling with the best way to proceed individually and together.

The song is really beautiful. It’s performed wonderfully and has a lovely message and involves the brothers singing to one another. Here is the wrap-up of the song.  

Quote
This is the darkest hour of the darkest night
Looking up ahead, you can't see no light
But the time is now or never
There ain't no letting go

You might feel like you’re givin’ out
We need you more than ever now
Don't go throwing in the towel
I know your head is full of doubt
But brother, that's what love is all about
Don't go throwing in the towel

When you love someone that's all that you can do
There ain't no throwing in the towel
End quote
https://youtu.be/EaIaGA61A9A?si=SwO-HB3LlXgoqTqh

We’ll read more of the lyrics during our behind the scenes which airs each Friday and is available at Patreon.com/BunnyTrailsPod.

Current
I found a motivational wall decal for sale on Amazon that reads,

Quote
You can Throw in The Towel Or You Can Use It To Wipe the Sweat Off Your Face
End quote
https://www.amazon.com/throw-towel-Premium-Motivational-Decal/dp/B01LXARWQ4


Current - Memes
There are a number of memes related to this phrase. Go to your favorite meme database and search “Throw in the towel” and see the many, many options.

You’ll find everything from a gif of that Rocky IV scene we discussed earlier to a cute baby throwing a burp rag out of their crib to Gordon Ramsey giving up during a frustrating moment with a contestant on his show. Clearly, this idea is universal and is not going anywhere.

https://tenor.com/search/throwing-in-the-towel-gifs


Wrap up:
When a situation starts to feel overwhelming, sometimes we might have the urge to stop putting in all that effort. Because life is exhausting. Being a person is so tiring. Boxing is a sport where that exhaustion is visible to everyone. Observers sometimes report feeling tired just watching a boxing match. It only makes sense that ‘throwing in the towel’ might appeal to us. It’s a great phrase for describing these moments that feel overwhelming.


Shauna:
That’s about all we have for today. If you have any thoughts on the show, or pop culture references we should have included, reach out to us on Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod, or comment on our website, bunnytrailspod.com

Dan:

It’s poll time!

Recently we asked our Patrons, Pumpkin Spice or nah?

A majority said, “No Thank You” and the rest said… “In Some Things.”

Jan says:
Quote
I’m ok with it. I won’t go out of my way for it, but I’ll have it a few times over the season
End Quote

Shauna:
I don’t mind pumpkin spice coffee drinks and such. I love pumpkin spiced desserts. But I’m not waiting for it each year. I’m happy when it’s time, then I’m good with going back to regular lattes for the rest of the year.

JGP shared:
Quote
Pumpkin baked goods are delicious - pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies etc etc but the 'pumpkin spice' trend has gotten out of hand. I like all of the spices that make up the pumpkin spice blend - cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice - but I don't need them in drinks or whatever.
End quote

Dan:
I’m with JGP on this one. I'm not really a pumpkin spice kind of guy for most things, though I do like pumpkin baked goods like pie and muffins.

As a reminder, our silly polls mean absolutely nothing and are not scientifically valid. And patrons of all levels, including our free tiers, can take part. Head over to patreon.com/bunnytrailspod to take this week’s poll!

Outro

Dan:
Thanks for joining us. We’ll talk to you again next week. Until then remember,

Together:
Words belong to their users.