bat for the other team
To be homosexual.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He told me he bats for the other team.”
“I was surprised when he mentioned he bats for the other team, but I am happy he feels comfortable sharing that with me.”
“While the rumors had circulated for years, he finally confirmed that he bats for the other team during a candid conversation with his closest friends.”
first recorded 20th c.
First appearing in print c. 1990, the expression is an analogy derived from the sporting mechanics of cricket or baseball. It relies upon the basic structural requirement of these games that a player belongs to one side or the other, rather than both.
- 01
bat a thousand
To achieve success at each attempt.
- 02
bat an eyelid
To react in any slight way; to respond; to care.
- 03
bat five hundred
To be successful half of the time; to have a success rate of 50%.
- 04
bat one's eyes
To signal or feign by fluttering one's eyelids, as romantic interest.
- 05
bat the breeze
To chat; to shoot the breeze.
- 06
go to bat
To champion, to actively assist, to provide support (for someone).
- 07
have bats in one's belfry
To be crazy or eccentric.
- 08
home team
The team that is playing in the usual area that they play in, as opposed to the visitor team.
Last updated August 10, 2026