Thoughts on some language...

[Wheelhouse]

I've been driven nuts by the name of Dayton's ball field, "Fifth Third Field." OK: is it fifth OR third? And fifth or third what? Street? Avenue? Banana? Is it at the intersection of fifth and third? If so then the name should be "Fifth and Third Field." It would cue out-of-towners that that's what it is. And talk about an unsexy name for a venue: two numerical descriptions of something unknown.

It reminds me of "Ruth's Chris Steakhouse." Is "Chris" a kind of steak or steakhouse? Or does Ruth own Chris? I think the name was created just to get the attention of someone like me. First time I saw one, a had to pull over and muse on the nonsensical name.

It truly is the offseason.

[Edd Roush]

Fifth Third is a local bank in the Cincinnati-Dayton Area. I can understand the confusion of an out-of-towner such as yourself, but I would hope that most residents of Dayton and people attending the Dragons' games would understand the Fifth Third thing.

[Wheelhouse]

Understood--but the question remains: why did the bank name itself that? What is being referred to?

[missionhockey21]

Understood--but the question remains: why did the bank name itself that? What is being referred to?

Wikipedia knows all (usually.)

Fifth Third's unusual name is the result of the June 1, 1908 merger of two banks, The Fifth National Bank and The Third National Bank, to become The Fifth Third National Bank of Cincinnati.[3] Because the merger took place during a period when prohibitionist ideas were gaining popularity, it was believed that "Fifth Third" was better than "Third Fifth," which could be construed as a reference to "three fifths" of alcohol.[4] The name went through several changes over the years, until on March 24, 1969, the name was changed to Fifth Third Bank. [3]

[missionhockey21]

That might answer a question or two.

[Wheelhouse]

Thanks! But no "and" in the name--I guess we dont have time for conjunctions in our society...

[VR]

Thanks! But no "and" in the name--I guess we dont have time for conjunctions in our society...

I can't see that word without singing "conjunction junction, what's your function" That was some quality programming.

[redsmetz]

Wikipedia knows all (usually.)

Fifth Third's unusual name is the result of the June 1, 1908 merger of two banks, The Fifth National Bank and The Third National Bank, to become The Fifth Third National Bank of Cincinnati.[3] Because the merger took place during a period when prohibitionist ideas were gaining popularity, it was believed that "Fifth Third" was better than "Third Fifth," which could be construed as a reference to "three fifths" of alcohol.[4] The name went through several changes over the years, until on March 24, 1969, the name was changed to Fifth Third Bank. [3]

That reminds me of the old Bob & Ray sketch of someone interviewing the old-time newspaper guy who worked for the something like the Minneapolis News Herald Star Tribune Gazette (or some such long paper name". The interviewer after hearing it replied, "Oh yeah, that was a big merger".

[Roy Tucker]

It reminds me of "Ruth's Chris Steakhouse." Is "Chris" a kind of steak or steakhouse? Or does Ruth own Chris? I think the name was created just to get the attention of someone like me. First time I saw one, a had to pull over and muse on the nonsensical name.

Again, Wiki knows all...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth's_Chris_Steakhouse

The chain was founded by Ruth Fertel, a single mother of two, in 1965, after she bought the existing Chris Steak House in New Orleans. In buying the restaurant, Fertel had to agree that the restaurant keep the "Chris" name for a specified period of time. After the original location sustained a kitchen fire, she relocated the restaurant about 1/2 mile (1 km) to the west on Broad Street and renamed the rebuilt establishment "Ruth's Chris" (under her purchase agreement, the name Chris Steak House could not be used at any other location, and she did not want to lose customers already familiar with the Chris name).

Fertel started to franchise the restaurant in the 1970s. By the time Fertel was legally allowed to take Chris out of the name, the chain (and its unique name) had become famous in many places across the country, and she therefore decided to keep the name.

[Wheelhouse]

Again, Wiki knows all...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth's_Chris_Steakhouse

The chain was founded by Ruth Fertel, a single mother of two, in 1965, after she bought the existing Chris Steak House in New Orleans. In buying the restaurant, Fertel had to agree that the restaurant keep the "Chris" name for a specified period of time. After the original location sustained a kitchen fire, she relocated the restaurant about 1/2 mile (1 km) to the west on Broad Street and renamed the rebuilt establishment "Ruth's Chris" (under her purchase agreement, the name Chris Steak House could not be used at any other location, and she did not want to lose customers already familiar with the Chris name).

Fertel started to franchise the restaurant in the 1970s. By the time Fertel was legally allowed to take Chris out of the name, the chain (and its unique name) had become famous in many places across the country, and she therefore decided to keep the name.

I don't mean to be contrarian but I've got two issues with Wiki here:

1) Wouldn't the original name have been Chris' (as opposed to just Chris) Steakhouse with Chris being in the possessive? It's like saying Fred Diner or Macy Department Store. We again arrive at the question as to whether "Chris" is a kind of steak. If this is just an issue of Bayou illiteracy, they need to get some learnin'.

2) I have never heard of a selling party insisting that the buyer keep a name. I've heard of a seller insisting that a name not be used, as the seller might use it in business at another time, or to protect reputation, etc.. But why would a party who has no interest in a business care what name another owner uses?

Fishy.

[redsmetz]

I don't mean to be contrarian but I've got two issues with Wiki here:

1) Wouldn't the original name have been Chris' (as opposed to just Chris) Steakhouse with Chris being in the possessive? It's like saying Fred Diner or Macy Department Store. We again arrive at the question as to whether "Chris" is a kind of steak. If this is just an issue of Bayou illiteracy, they need to get some learnin'.

2) I have never heard of a selling party insisting that the buyer keep a name. I've heard of a seller insisting that a name not be used, as the seller might use it in business at another time, or to protect reputation, etc.. But why would a party who has no interest in a business care what name another owner uses?

Fishy.

From the Austin restaurant's website

The year was 1965, and Ruth Fertel was looking to buy a business. The 38 year-old divorcee from Happy Jack, Louisiana was a Tulane University lab assistant in New Orleans. But she knew she couldn't send her two sons to college on her $4,800 annual salary, so she began scouring the classified ads. A tavern? No, she hated drunks. A gas station? Boring. Then she saw in the classified ads, that a restaurant near the Fairgrounds racetrack called the Chris Steak House was for sale. "Oh," she thought, "I'm sure I could do that!"

Ruth Fertel had never worked in the food service business, but her can-do drive was well established. She had graduated from high school at 15 and earned a chemistry degree from LSU at 19. So against the advice of her banker and her attorney, she mortgaged her house for the $18,000 asking price, plus $4,000 more for supplies, which the banker had patiently explained she would need. They might have objected even more strenuously if they had known Chris Matulich had already sold his 60 seat steak house six times, repeatedly buying it back on the cheap when the latest owner had failed or given up.

Looks like Chris didn't want to deal with changing the name back each time he took it back over. BTW, the website said the story this excerpt is from was adapted from a Forbes Magazine article.

[SunDeck]

Just how far from out of town are people travelling? 5/3 is not some corner Building and Loan- it's at least well enough known in the region.

[dabvu2498]

Just how far from out of town are people travelling? 5/3 is not some corner Building and Loan- it's at least well enough known in the region.

Today, Fifth Third operates 19 affiliates with over 1,100 full-service locations primarily in the Midwest and Florida. Fifth Third is located in these states:

https://www.53.com/wps/portal/!ut/p/...ions+We+Serve/

[Heath]

Johnny Bench used to tell me growing up that Fifth/Third Bank was the only bank I'd ever need.

So, far he's right. I've had a 5/3 checking account since college.

[TOBTTReds]

How many other 5/3 fields are there? I'm pretty sure Toledo is 5/3 also.