![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXZ3KZiV8t0I7OvnDUmAXudcokO-EMmAz6yZkI1HLyKO61w0C0dUFn2HmsKZDhoFOvtYeTQiS6kwX97rKG068cFjw5mJzCwWnLBQTIrV4gZN87XbA3W6ML25TNj0wzsTMkOhxuDnkeS3k/s320/ozike1.jpg)
Now, before you say, "But Dr. K, you're an educated person--you have to understand that these were more innocent times, and that word had a different meaning then," I would like to point out some other parts of the story that may point to a more modern connotation.
As the story begins, something awakens Ozark Ike McBatt from a deep, sound sleep--the thought of his girlfriend, Dinah Fatfield, in a new Bat-Girl outfit:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivfoL2CeAwL1QxoxqQm_BMZQWgXeuTD00BJKMJ0BetYMDyO5ssPUd_mF8-FPqBk9FgIBytTiaRx2MTfmvXE6KL_GcFLIhILUzXKTMuexu8z2K-xQbG3TJzc7zEY2WTObYqiRRsWspBIqb1/s320/ozike3.jpg)
Hmmm. What sort of Bat-Girl outfit could cause such excitement and enthusiasm?
Probably not this one:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWGHYtRr9xr9nV2vt2uJwvBU-cyrCjG0tD7a3BNMxZ03Qmnj4allkCefIoalVcZgsTVLdBtPu63cIzD4kb0yl-LTqcpc45i58P05rBB0JVlybuZrWCrXTjI6oH55yDsB7PKmF7G5u1VU4/s320/batgirl1.jpg)
Definitely not this:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHpnBNhM4yd9y8GQvH0mIQfxcebuuyLmTsshhwDHp-njZvlV_jCcOa6gRf-_02fVcEeqi23BS2E6yjqN_UkzFkGwJHqVTejccHl_2JcHMWMRp13P3W1egpIKjOcH-v-ZL4iRmjmfO_Rz0c/s320/batgirl2.jpg)
Yes.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GCIIRRqgOD_y5fdR22UrmovorVpi1KvPL90tMDUeyM24bwVXESNksfh9u4uarhCZPNk2GpwUZ_kdwA7PGrfg-vRsjd2ovDACLR4-lnuKFTxm8FFCHpo5lR1X8rle9WNLq1dQd8H-LVt4/s320/Batgirl4.jpg)
Actually, it's this one, revealed in a panel that lays out horizontally across the page:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLz1B4aG6otuclMMaWgSj4vzfycU_Eh-sxGIUzmj4WFlGzUL1NK_X98b3wqqmiwFCVSq_3YqpvE9NbJW03-tlw79KQO7_cqOcRHaWtwVwIVhXE8MSES1Q4VZVnRafmLDE40tUoyj4YmQ8/s320/ozike4.jpg)
During the game with the Hawks, Ike's team--the Bugs--falls behind, but with two outs in the 9th, Ike represents the tying run on 3rd base. When a hit goes into left field, Ike takes off for home, but Dinah becomes so excited, that she has an accident:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ULaEQvgjMLjUH5f6CHDpxGHaHql7Y6Qyc950eNYJOCbCN33ooPztX3F8YMRtMUW5Yrr9btst8eVoYUXI7PMRYeQSWppZ32TL84CQVYQGtLL-nEGcn-bnx8DgORg3dcBexr77jid8b34K/s320/ozike5.jpg)
Anyway, Dinah hits herself in the head with a bat (a bat with "Ozark Ike" written down the shaft, by the way), and Ike runs out of the baseline to make sure she's okay, but in the process, he loses the game for the Bugs, or "muffs a tie score," if you will.
You know, with this being a baseball story and all, I thought about making double entendres about balls and long, hard, cylindrical pieces of wood, but, really, I try to run a classy joint here. Some restraint is necessary.
Back in 2003, Scott Shaw! covered this issue in his Oddball Comics column. Check here if you want more background on this issue and on Ozark Ike in general.
2 comments:
Jeez, Dinah and Ike don't even look like they were drawn by the same person. It's pretty clear where the focus was here.
I actually like the first bat girl costume =[
Great post!
Cheers,
Dana
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