Chinese home run

Meaning

Noun

• A home run hit to the minimum distance possible, usually just over the outfield fence closest to home plate.
• A foul ball hit high and far, usually over the back of the plate.

Origin

• Either from supposed tendency of early 20th-century Chinese immigrants to the United States to do minimally acceptable work for minimal compensation, or a possible corruption of "Chaney's home run" from such a hit by a batter with that name that ended a game when the ball could not be found.