An annoying phrase popularized by
ESPN in the late 1990's. The
phrase is slowly being adopted both on
radio and in print.
A walk-off homerun is nothing more than a game-ending homerun. In every baseball game there is a game-ending hit or out. The game being over, players can walk off the field. Why 'walk-off ' is replacing 'game-ending' is unknown. Apparently it sounds more hip.
Of course if the player(s) run off the field following the homerun will they start saying 'run-off' homerun? Trot-off? Hop-off? Two skips and a jump-off?
You think I jest, but while originally applied only to homeruns, it is now being applied to singles, doubles, double-plays, and even walks - giving us 'walk-off walk'. Ugly, absolutely ugly. Grantland Rice must be turning in his grave.