List of references (Scout)

Due to the comedic style of Team Fortress 2 and Valve's humor, the game includes references, usually in a humorous fashion. There are many sources, including games, movies, and music; even jokes that have developed within the game and its community have been included. Below are references specific to the Scout class, many of which are related to baseball.

Achievements

A Year to Remember Get 2004 lifetime kills.

2004 was the year that the Boston Red Sox won the World Series for the first time since 1918, breaking the Curse of the Bambino.

Artful Dodger Dodge 1000 damage in a single life using your Bonk! Atomic Punch.

A reference to the fictional character Jack Dawkins, a young pickpocket in Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist, referred to by his gang as the "Artful Dodger".

Back 2 Back While using the Back Scatter, kill a Heavy/Medic pair within 20 seconds of each other.

In baseball, events that happen one right after the other are said to happen back-to-back; when two consecutive batters hit home runs, they are said to hit back-to-back home runs.

Batter Up Perform 1000 double jumps.

This is a phrase used by a baseball umpire to invite the next batter to the batter's box. The "Up" in the name also refers to the fact that mass travels upwards when jumping.

Beanball Stun a Scout with their own ball.

"Beanball" is a colloquial sports term for a ball thrown at an opposing player with the intention of striking them such as to cause harm, often connoting a throw at the player's head.

Belittled Beleaguer Kill an opposing player that has your intelligence while holding theirs.

Something that is "belittled" appears small or insignificant in contrast to its surroundings; this is often the impression the Scout gives alongside his teammates.

To "beleaguer" means to harass or beset.

The phrase "Belittled Beleaguer" itself is a play on the phrase "Little Leaguer". The Little League is a popular world-wide youth baseball league.

Block the Plate Block 50 point captures.

In baseball, blocking the plate is a common technique performed by a catcher to prevent a runner from scoring in which the catcher impedes the runner's tag with part of his body. The act of blocking the plate accounts for most of the physical contact in baseball.

Brushback Stun 50 enemies while they are capturing a point or pushing the cart.

A brushback pitch is a pitch thrown high and inside, usually a fastball, to force the batter away from the plate, often to intimidate.

Caught Napping Kill 50 enemies from behind with the Force-A-Nature.

A baserunner who is tagged out because he wasn't paying attention to what the defensive players were doing is "caught napping". Often this involves a pickoff play in which the infielder sneaks up behind the runner and takes a throw from the pitcher, or, less often, the catcher.

Closer Destroy 3 teleporter entrances.

In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer, is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games.

Doctoring the Ball Kill 3 enemies while under the effects of a Medic's ÜberCharge.

To "doctor the ball" means to apply a foreign substance to a baseball or to otherwise alter it in order to put an unnatural spin on a pitch.

Dodgers 1, Giants 0 Kill an enemy Heavy and take his Sandvich.

A reference to the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants, two professional baseball teams with a long history of rivalry. Also, while under the effects of Bonk! Atomic Punch, the Scout is impervious to bullets, thereby making him a "dodger". "Giant" refers to the Heavy's massive size.

Fall Classic Cause an environmental death or suicide using the Force-A-Nature's knockback.

The World Series, the championship series of Major League Baseball, is commonly referred to as the "Fall Classic".

First Blood Get the first kill in an Arena or Competitive match.

First Blood, Part 2 Kill 5 enemies with the First Blood crit buff in an Arena match.

These are references to the first two Rambo films, titled First Blood and First Blood Part II.

First Blood is also a common term in other FPS games, used when someone gets the first kill in a match.

Foul Territory Cause an environmental death by stunning or slowing an enemy.

In baseball, foul territory or foul ground is defined as the area of the field outside of the foul lines. The foul lines and foul poles are not part of foul territory.

Gun Down Destroy an active sentry gun using your pistol.

This is a play on the phrase "Run Down" in which a runner is stranded between two bases, and runs back and forth to try to avoid fielders with the ball. The fielders (usually basemen) toss the ball back and forth to prevent the runner from getting to a base, and typically close in on and tag him. "Gun Down" is also a term used when any fielder makes a strong throw to any base in anticipation for a close play, most notably a catcher attempting to throw out a would-be basestealer.

If You Build It Destroy 3 enemy buildings while they are still under construction.

"If you build it, he will come" is a line from the fantasy/drama film Field Of Dreams and has been used many times in popular culture.

I'm Bat Man Survive 500 damage in one life.

This is a reference to the fictional vigilante Batman. In addition, this line was spoken by Michael Keaton in the 1989 movie adaption. It also should be noted that the Scout uses a bat in his arsenal, referring to him being a "Bat-man."

Moon Shot Stun an enemy for the maximum possible duration by hitting them with a long-range ball.

In baseball, a "moon shot" is a particularly long, high home run.

No-Hitter Steal and then capture the enemy intelligence without firing a shot.

A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one pitcher holds the opposing team to no hits, while possibly allowing a walk or error.

Out of the Park Bat an enemy 25 meters.

"Out of the ballpark" is a Home Run in which the ball goes over all of the outfield seating and outside the arena.

Pop Fly Kill 20 players while double-jumping.

A pop fly is a fly ball that goes high up in the air without traveling far out in the field.

Quick Hook Kill a player in Well before the round starts.

"Quick hook" refers to a situation in baseball where the manager removes a pitcher in the early innings because the pitcher is getting hit hard by the offensive team.

Race for the Pennant Run 25 kilometers.

A Pennant Race is the quest for a league or division title in baseball.

Retire the Runner Kill a Scout while they are under the effect of Crit-a-Cola.

In baseball, to "retire" a runner is to throw them out at a base.

Round-Tripper Capture the enemy intelligence 25 times.

A "round tripper" is another name for a home run in baseball. The analogy is to a commuter who buys a round-trip ticket from home plate to second base and back again to home.

Set the Table Initiate 10 point captures that ultimately succeed.

To "set the table" in baseball is to get runners on all of the bases in preparation for a powerful batsman, who can then get all of them home at once.

Side Retired Capture the last point in a CP map.

In baseball, when the third out of an inning is called, the side is "retired" and the other team takes its turn at bat. A pitcher or a defensive team can be said to have "retired the side".

Stealing Home Start capping a capture point within a second of it becoming available.

Stealing Home is the act of running to home base during the pitcher's windup and throw, a particularly difficult and rare feat in baseball.

Strike Zone Kill or assist kill 50 enemies while they are stunned or slowed.

The "strike zone" is an imaginary area on a baseball field used to call strikes.

The Big Hurt Stun 2 Medics that are ready to deploy an ÜberCharge.

Frank Thomas is a Major League Baseball designated hitter. He was given the nickname "The Big Hurt" by broadcaster Ken Harrelson, who coined the term in 1992.

The Cycle In a single life, kill an enemy while you are on the ground, in the air, and in the water.

Hitting for the cycle means to hit a single, double, triple, and Home Run in the same baseball game. To accomplish this feat in order is termed a "natural cycle". Hitting for the cycle is a rare enough occurrence that Major League Baseball keeps special statistics on it.

Additionally, the means of getting this achievement reference the water cycle, in which water goes from evaporation to precipitation to infiltration.

Triple Play Capture three capture points in a row in one life.

A Triple Play is the act of making 3 outs during the same hit.

Triple Steal Capture the enemy intelligence 3 times in a single CTF round.

In baseball, when three runners try to simultaneously steal a base, it is called a "triple steal".

Weapons

Baby Face's Blaster

The weapon is modeled after a Browning Auto-5 shotgun, commonly used in bank robberies in the early 20th century. Its name is derived from famous bank robber Baby Face Nelson.

Bat

The Scout's use of a bat as a melee weapon reflects the avid baseball culture of the Boston area.

Bonk! Atomic Punch

This is a reference to the term "The Bonk" or "Hitting the wall", a condition when an athlete (usually in an endurance sport) suddenly loses energy or becomes fatigued.

Boston Basher

Boston is the Scout's home city.

Bashing is a harsh or prejudicial attack on a person. It can be physical or verbal — in this case, the weapon physically bashes enemies or the Scout wielding it.

The Scout believing himself to be a "lady killer", the weapon's name may also refer to the Boston Slasher, a serial killer who murdered numerous women in the 1950s.

Candy Cane

All Candy Canes are level 25, referring to Christmas Day, which falls on the 25th of December.

Crit-a-Cola

This weapon's name is a play on popular soft drink Coca-Cola.

It also sounds like the word "critical" when spoken with unusual emphasis.

Fan O'War

"Fan O'War" is a reference to Man O'War, a British Royal Naval expression for powerful warships used between the 16th and 19th centuries.

Flying Guillotine

The flying guillotine is a legendary ranged weapon from the Qing dynasty that is usually in the form of a hat.

Force-A-Nature

In physics, the "force of nature" is one of the four fundamental forces that occur naturally and affect the structure of the universe.

The Scout describes himself as a "Force of Nature" in Meet the Scout.

Holy Mackerel Getting hit by a fish has got to be humiliating.

The Holy Mackerel's level, 42, is a reference to Douglas Adams' book series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in which 42 is considered to be the answer to "Life, The Universe, and Everything".

Two further references are the books So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish and The Salmon of Doubt, both also written by Adams.

Lugermorph The ultimate in semi-concealed weaponry. There's no question you need this gun, the only question is: where will you keep it?

The name "Lugermorph" is a portmanteau of "Luger P08", a German sidearm that the Lugermorph is based on, and "lagomorph", any member of the mammalian order made up of mostly rabbits and hares. Max (who uses this weapon in the Sam & Max series) claims to be a member of this group.

The description references a running gag in the series — namely, where Max keeps his gun when he is not using it, as he has no clothes.

Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol

This weapon's name derives from renowned bank robber Pretty Boy Floyd.

Sandman

The Sandman is a mythical character who tosses sand into the eyes of people to put them to sleep, fitting well with the fact that the Sandman's secondary attack puts hit enemies "to sleep" for a short duration.

The name is also a reference to Sandlot ball, a variation of baseball.

Shortstop

This weapon's name is a reference to the "shortstop", the fielding position between second and third base in baseball.

The Special Delivery

The promotional poster for the Special Delivery pack has the tag line "Fish Slapping Dance!", which is a reference to the Monty Python's Flying Circus sketch The Fish Slapping Dance.

Sun-on-a-Stick Spiky end goes into other man.

The description refers to a line spoken by the character Alejandro Murrieta in the The Mask of Zorro.

Unarmed Combat So nice of the Spy to lend an arm...

The description is a pun on the phrase "lending a hand", which means to help someone with a task.

The weapon's title is a reference to "unarmed combat", a term which involves two or more people fighting each other with their bare hands (rather than using weapons).

Batsaber

The weapon is a reference to the iconic Star Wars Lightsaber, which is used by the Jedi and the Sith.

Cosmetic Items

B-ankh!

"B-ankh!" is a combination of the words "Bonk!" (the Scout's signature phrase) and the Egyptian Ankh, the symbol on the medallion worn around the Scout's neck when this item is equipped.

Batter's Helmet You'll be batting a thousand (skulls in) when you don this red piece of plastic!

The term "batting a thousand" comes from baseball statistics, where it signifies getting a hit for every turn at batting. It was transferred to other activities in the 1920s.

Big Elfin Deal You ask me if I wanna be a dentist one more time, pal, I'm gonna kick your teeth in.

The name "Big Elfin Deal" is a pun on the colloquial phrase "big effing deal".

The description is a joke based on the elf Hermey from the 1960s television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, who aspired to become a dentist.

Bombing Run Death from above!

A "bombing run" is the part of a flight of a bomber aircraft that brings it to the point over a target at which its bombs are released. This is referenced in the description.

Bonk Boy

This mask was designed to resemble the DC superhero The Flash, who, like the Scout, is famous for his speed.

Bonk Helm When drinking one radioactive beverage at a time is not enough.

The Bonk Helm is a reference to similar beverage-carrying headwear that is stereotypically worn by sporting event spectators, usually referred to as a "beverage hat", "beer helmet", or "thirst aid hat".

Bootie Time You dasher! You dancer! You prancer! You VIXEN! Pull Santa's sleigh all by yourself, you sexy little man.

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and Vixen were four of the original eight Reindeer from the 1939 children's story Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

This item's only attribute, "Jingle all the way", is a reference to the popular Christmas song Jingle Bells.

Boston Boom-Bringer Walkin' down the street to the hardcore beat while his Mann Co. boom vibrates the concrete.

The description is a reference to the LL Cool J song I Can't Live Without My Radio.

Buck Turner All-Stars

The item's name and design is a reference to the Chuck Taylor All-Stars shoes produced by Converse.

Champ Stamp

The name is a reference to the term "Tramp stamp", referring to a tattoo which a woman places on her lower back.

The Curse-a-Nature

Similarly to the Force-A-Nature, the name of this set is a reference to the Scout's description of himself in the Meet the Scout video.

El Jefe

This hat gives the Scout a likeness to the iconic Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara.

"El jefe" is Spanish for "the boss".

Flapjack

The design resembles Shotaro Kaneda's jacket from the 1988 anime, Akira. The original name before it was renamed to Flapjack was "Neo Tokyo Runner", Neo Tokyo being the main location of the story.

Flight of the Monarch Unlike real wings, these don't help you fly at all, or have Paul McCartney in them. However, these wings ARE 100% made from Steve Winwood.

This item resembles the fake wings worn by the Monarch's henchmen from The Venture Bros. The name comes from the fictional book by the same name written by Henchman 21 that begins a chain of events leading up to the Monarch being arrested and incarcerated.

The item's description refers to Sir Paul McCartney's former band Wings and the English singer-songwriter Steve Winwood.

Flunkyware

This item resembles the belt and boots worn by the Monarch's henchmen from The Venture Bros.

Fortunate Son

The item's design is a reference to the movie Full Metal Jacket.

The item's name is a reference to the song of the same name by the band Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Front Runner This commemorative sweatband is a loving tribute to the heroes – and we don't use that word lightly – who live their lives like sweaty candles in the wind.

In a race, the front-runner is the person in the lead.

The description references Elton John's song Candle in the Wind.

Futankhamun

The name is a portmanteau of the word "foot" and the name of the famous Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun.

Greased Lightning

This item is based on the hairstyle of Danny Zuko from the 1978 film adaptation of Grease. Likewise, this item is named after a song from the film with the same name.

Hanger-On Hood Protect your civilian identity from those who would harm you for your complicity in nefarious deeds, and those who would punch you in the stomach for dressing up like a moth.

This item resembles the masked hood worn by the Monarch's henchmen from The Venture Bros. The line in the description about dressing like a moth refers to the running gag of the Venture brothers mistaking the Monarch's and his henchmen's guise as that of a moth, by which the Monarch is particularly offended.

Hermes Don't shoot the messenger. Actually, go ahead and try. Can't be done, pal! Too fast!

In Greek mythology, Hermes is the messenger of the Gods, best known for his ability to move extremely quickly. The Scout's class icon is taken from Hermes' winged shoes.

The term "don't shoot the messenger" is used to describe attacking a bringer of bad news.

Hero's Tail Possibly the result of pigmentation loss due to horrible experiments. Possibly a mop of some kind.

The item's description is a reference to The Witcher, a book about people who hunt dangerous monsters. The main character's skin and hair have lost pigmentation as a result of the consumption of mutagens, a prerequisite of his transformation into a full witcher.

The description also refers to mops commonly used as makeshift wigs in comedy pieces.

Hot Dogger

The term "hot dogger" or "hot dogging" refers to someone in sports who shows off and generally engages in unsportsmanlike conduct, which the Scout is well known for doing.

Lucky No. 42 Why fight in the sun when you could lounge in the shade?

The name of this item is a reference to the book series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Written by Douglas Adams, it states that a hitchhiker should always have a towel with him, and that the number 42 is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything.

The description references a famous line spoken by Leonidas's general when a Persian ambassador threatened to "block out the sun" with their arrows, "Then we shall have our battle in the shade." This line was made famous in the movie 300.

Planeswalker Goggles

These goggles resemble the ones worn by Chandra Nalaar, a planeswalker character from the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering. In the game, Chandra is aligned with "red magic", which is associated with impulse, speed, and chaos — clearly similar to the Scout.

Sign of the Wolf's School One wolf, no moon. Collect all three!

In Witcher 2, the Witchers must be trained in the Wolf's School.

The description is a reference to the "Three Wolf Moon", a viral T-shirt design featuring three wolves howling at a moon.

Troublemaker's Tossle Cap Straight outta control point.

Beanies are often associated with gang members and juvenile delinquents, most often in urban areas such as New York, Los Angeles, and the Scout's city of origin, Boston, thus the name "troublemaker's cap".

The description is a reference to Straight Outta Compton, an album and song by hip-hop group N.W.A.

Whoopee Cap You'd have to be a jughead not to realize this cap is the pinnacle of fashion for the discerning youth.

This hat looks similar to the one worn by Jughead Jones from Archie Comics, who is referenced in the hat's description.

Wrap Battler

A rap battle is a contest between two rappers to brag about superiority.

Ye Olde Baker Boy Extra! Extra! You're frickin' dead!

The Baker Boy, or Newsboy cap, is commonly associated with newspaper boys, also called newsboys or newsies, and this association is referenced in the item's description. People who sold newspapers in the late 19th Century often shouted "Extra! Extra!" to attract the attention of passers-by.

Taunts

Sandman

The Grand Slam attack is a reference to Babe Ruth's called shot.

Responses

Dominating an enemy Scout

"Oh what, you gonna cry? You gonna cry now?"

This is a reference to the "There's no crying in baseball" scene from A League of Their Own.

Dominating a Soldier

"What is your major malfunction, brudda?"

This is a line spoken by Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket. The Soldier himself seems to be based loosely on Sergeant Hartman.

Dominating a Demoman

"The best man won, ya bomb-throwing drunk!"

The quote "May the best man win" is said by certain players who hide the fact that they know they'll be the one winning the game when it ends. This also makes a reference to the Demoman's alcoholism.

"Your clock just got cleaned, rummy!"

Someone who "gets their clock cleaned", means that they got hit or beaten up severely.

Dominating a Heavy

"$400,000 to fire that gun, huh? Yeah, money well spent!"

"Dem $200 bullets ain't so hot when they don't hit nothin', are dey?"

This is a reference to the high price of operating Sasha, which the Heavy boasts about in Meet the Heavy.

"I...eat...your...Sandviches! I eat 'em up!"

A famous line in the film There Will Be Blood has similar wording to this.

This is also a reference to the Scout's taking of the Heavy's Sandvich in Meet the Scout.

Dominating an Engineer

"Don't bring a wrench to a gunfight!"

This is a reference to the famous saying "never bring a knife to a gunfight."

Dominating a Medic

"I... hate... doctors!"

Left 4 Dead's Francis, who often expresses his hatred for numerous things, speaks this line.

"Where's your precious Hippo-crates now?"

Hippocrates is regarded as "the Father of Medicine".

The way he pronounces Hippocrates is a possible reference to the movie Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure; both main characters of said movie pronounce the name of philosopher Socrates in the same way, saying "So-crates", much like the way Scout is pronouncing Hippocrates' name.

"Real nice effort, Deutsch-bag!"

This is a reference to the comedy film Beerfest, in which Todd Wolfhouse insults Johann von Wolfhausen by calling him a "Deutsch-bag," a play on the words 'douchebag,' a somewhat outdated insult, and 'Deutsch,' the German word for 'German.'

Dominating a Sniper

"It was a mercy killin', ya live in a... camper van!"

This is a reference to the Sniper's choice of abode as seen in Meet the Sniper. A running joke in various response lines has the other classes mock the Sniper for living in a van.

"Look at this, just caved in your skull- my Bat's still dry. No clumps a' hair, nothin'."

This is a reference to an advertisement for ShamWow.

Dominating while wearing the Magical Mercenary

"Friendship is freakin' magic, pal!"

This is a reference to the 2010 television series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

Scream Fortress 2013 Special Responses

"You shall not freakin' pass!"

This is a reference to Gandalf's line, "You shall not pass!", from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring.

Spectral Halloween Special Responses

"He-hey, Siegfried and Roy! I am gonna mess...you...up!"

Siegfried and Roy are German-American entertainers notable for their appearances with white lions and white tigers.

"Hey Houdini, where ya hidin'?"

Harry Houdini was an Austrian-Hungarian stunt performer famous for his escape acts.

"I'll show you some eldritch horror, H.P. Dumbcraft! (laughs)"

This is a reference to H. P. Lovecraft, an American author of horror, fantasy, and science fiction.

"Wooh! Check it out Casper!"

This is a reference to Casper the friendly Ghost, the main protagonist of a film of the same name.

"Ah, my blood! He spilled out all my blood!"

A slight revision from Scout's line after being punched by the Heavy in Meet the Sandvich.

"Grass grows, Sun shines, Birds fly, and brother? I come back from the dead!"

This is a reference to the line from Meet the Scout.

Other Responses

Several of the noises the Scout makes when dodging bullets under the effects of Bonk! Atomic Punch are imitations of sound effects from the Super Mario Bros. series.

"Ding dong!" - after stunning an enemy with the Sandman's baseball.

The "Church Guy" from Left 4 Dead says this while ringing the church bell. Both he and the Scout are voiced by Nathan Vetterlein.

"Wananananana" - after drinking Bonk! Atomic Punch.

This is an imitation of the slow-motion sound effect from The Six Million Dollar Man.

"I'm battin' a thousand!" - after a bat kill.

This term comes from baseball statistics, where it signifies getting a hit for every turn at bat. It was transferred to other activities in the 1920s.

"No other class gonna do that!"

"You see dat?"

"You seein' dis?" - after unlocking an achievement.

"If you order now, I'll throw in a second beating, absolutely free!" - after a revenge kill.

These responses are quotes from an advertisement for ShamWow.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God! OH, MY GOD!" -after finishing a wave and collecting rare loot in Mann vs. Machine

This is a slightly better version of the same line he said in Meet the Sandvich.

"I gotta bucket of chicken and I'm here to kick ass! And I'm all outta chicken...so I lied about the chicken." - - starting a rare Competitive game

This is a reference to the 1988 film They Live, where Lada, played by the late "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, said "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."

"Grass grows, birds fly, sun shines...and brother? We are the freakin' best!" - upon achieving a top score in Competitive Mode

This is another reference to Meet the Scout.

"Let's waste 'em!" -at the start of a round

"I wasted you!" -when getting a revenge kill or killing an enemy with the Boston Basher or Three-Rune Blade

The above quotes are references to the term "Wasted" in the Grand Theft Auto series when the player dies.

Media

Meet the Sandvich

"He's already dead! He's already deaaad!"

This line was borrowed from The Simpsons (specifically, the episode "Homie the Clown") and recorded for Meet the Sandvich, though it was eventually not used.

Meet the Heavy

Four hundred thousand dollars to fire that gun, huh? Yeah, money well spent!

Them two hundred dollar bullets ain't so hot when they don't HIT nothin', are they?

Scout makes a reference to the cost to use Sasha mentioned by the Heavy in Meet the Heavy.