Rain check (baseball)

Rain checks were originally separate tickets issued by the home team to spectators as they left the ballpark following a rainout.

The practice has been recorded since the 1870s[1][2] – though it did not become generally established until the 20th century[2] – and today the term "rain check" is used idiomatically to refer to any deferred promise.

The institution of issuing tickets for games canceled due to rain dates at least to 1870,[3][1] while the term rain check dates to at least 1877; in the National League it was pioneered by the St. Louis Brown Stockings:[4][2][5] The St. Louis club is the only nine in the league which gives its patrons the right to see a full game or no pay.

Further, at the time clubs would sell reusable hard cardboard tickets, which were turned in at the admissions gate, then resold at the box office at the conclusion of the game.

Originally rain checks were issued to spectators as they exited, but this resulted in severe losses to clubs, due to free-riders and fence-climbers also getting tickets.