Narrator: COMPRESSED ORIGIN STORY COMICS
Narrator: Today's origin story:
Narrator: THE PHRASE "BALLS TO THE WALL"
T-Rex: Many people assume the origin of this phrase has to do with testicles!
T-Rex: In fact, it's quite the opposite. The phrase originated with pilots of fighter planes!
T-Rex: The "balls" in question referred to the knobs on top of the plane's throttle control. When the throttle was at full, the "balls" would be "to the wall" of the cockpit!
T-Rex: And that's the origin of the phrase "balls to the wall".
Utahraptor: You are incorrect! The phrase comes from olde-fashioned steam-powered trains!
T-Rex: What?
Utahraptor: It's true! Basically, the engines had two weighted balls, attached to a vertical shaft that was connected to the engine. As the engine speed increased, these two balls would be raised higher because of centrifugal force! At top speed, they would be parallel to the ground, nearly touching the "walls" of the shaft!
T-Rex: Hence, "balls to the wall"! Man!
T-Rex: That's sweet!