I Bet Ya Didn't Know

I Bet Ya Didn't Know: If you are trying to gain control of a situation, you are trying to get the "upper hand." This phrase originated with the advent of sandlot baseball. In order to determine which team would bat first, one player would grasp the baseball bat at the lower end. A player from the opposing team would then place his hand directly above the first player's hand. They would alternate hands up the bat until the end was reached and one of the players had the "upper hand".