A First Class Article
Whatever happened to First Class, as in he was a First Class athlete?
To be First Class, meant that you were in the class of those who had obtained Firsts in an endeavor. Being first meant being best, with the others being second class or worse.
You can’t get better than First.
About 20 years ago, desperate or lexicon-challenged sports commentators began spouting the termWorld Class, presumably short for Best In World Class, which of course had until this time been known as simply, more easily, and more accurately, as First Class. (After all, if you are First at the Olympics, then you must necessarily be First in the World of all who competed).
A World Class athlete, on the other hand, is simply an Athlete able to compete at the Olympics or other international-level sports venue. He or she may come in 34th, but still qualifies for World Class.
So, you may consider it an honour to be known as a World Class athlete.
I’d rather be First!