SportsAugust 23, 2026
fungo
FUN-goh
Definition
A lightweight baseball bat used by coaches to hit balls to players during fielding practice.
Etymology
The origin of the word is uncertain, though it appeared in American baseball slang in the late 19th century, possibly derived from a Scottish dialect word 'fung' meaning to toss or pitch.
In the news
The article mentions that Ron Washington was an active infield instructor who specifically used a fungo bat to hit practice balls to young players during spring training drills.
Years after learning first base from Ron Washington, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy draws his praise
Read the full article ↗The Boston Globe