Ask Uncle Sal: Baboons and Catsup (or is that Ketchup?)

Hey Uncle Sal, what's them big red blobs for that's on them baboon fellas' butts? Looks painful. Bewildered in Baraboo


Hmmm...seems like you mighta consulted a biology textbook on this one, but I'll give ya an answer. See, it's a little known fact that baboons originated the game of baseball. Now, I like baseball, but one tradition I can't understand is slappin' some other guy on the behind when he hits a home run or scores. Truth is, baseball players borrowed this from baboons who have been playin' the game much longer than humans. So that red bottom...well, it stems from all that bottom slappin in the game of baseball and somehow baboons retained that. You know, evolution and all.

Dear Uncle Sal, what's the difference between catsup and ketchup? Condemented in Conshohocken.


This here's a good question, Condemented. Hey, are you really demented? I mean, does it really make you nuts to think about the difference between catsup and ketchup? Never mind. I'll just stick to yer question. Here's the thing. Most people don't realize that catsup is actually an acronym for Couple A Tomatoes Stewed Under Pines. Now, what pines had to do with the process, I ain't sure. Seems kinda silly to me to stew vegetables out in the woods. People have had all sorts of weird superstitions. Didja know that people used to think carryin' a nutmeg would ward off rheumatism? So catsup was originally stewed tomatoes and eventually it became the condiment we know today. But just look at the word. It's awfully close to cat soup. Let's face it, cat soup ain't an easy sell. At least here in the States, so they modified the spelling to ketchup.

Gotta question for ol' Uncle Sal? Submit it at the Facebook fan page or to my Gmail address: askunclesal.