A video posted by San Francisco radio station KNBR shows Andover native and San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski explaining several slang terms unique to Massachusetts to teammate Austin Slater.
But even Yastermski was stumped by the local term for liquor store. “I don’t know what a packie is,” Yastrzemski said in the two-minute video. “What’s a packie?”
But the St. John’s Prep alum was able to help Slater understand “bubbler” and “Dunks” and how to pronounce “Worcester” like a local.
Slater thought “The Hub” referred to bars. “Isn’t that like the Mecca in Boston? Bars?” the Jacksonville, Fla. native asked.
“It’s just like the area of Boston,” Yastrzemski said.
“Oh, that’s very conceited, a little bit,” Slater replied.
Yastrzemski, who is the grandson of Red Sox legend Carl Yastremski, said he had to phase out his use of the most famous Boston term when he went to college. “
When I got to college, I had to try and sub that out. Because I’d say, ‘It’s wicked nice. It’s wicked hot. It’s wicked cool.’ Like, literally everything,” he said. “Everyone on the team was like, ‘Dude, you’ve got to stop. Like you have to stop, I can’t hear this anymore.’ And I was just like, ‘I’m a freshman.’ I’m like, ‘Okay, I’m pissin’ everyone off. I just gotta stop.”
Slater noted “hella” is the California equivalent of “wicked.”
Also by Dave Copeland: This Article Is Wicked Interesting
Main photo: MLB