What is it?
It’s a term used to describe a sportsperson who is a solid, reliable professional, but not an exceptional athlete. Although they have their moments – their roles are valued in certain types of teams – journeymen spend much of their careers on the periphery.
What is its origin?
The term, used in medieval trade guilds, comes from the word ‘journee’, French for ‘day’. Journeymen were workers who were paid by the day, and the name stuck. They were skilled at what they did, but were deemed to be a level below master craftsmen.
Not to be mistaken for
The travelling Twenty20 professional. Although paid by the day – in a manner of speaking – most league-hoppers are stars of some standing: ex-greats or impact players. There are journeymen among T20 pros, but not all T20 pros are journeymen.
Who is the best-known journeyman?
Boxing and cricket have had a few – indeed, the English ODI team of the 1990s was composed almost exclusively of them – but, in terms of shock value, George Bastl has no equal. The Swiss journeyman stunned Pete Sampras at Wimbledon in 2002.