Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2019 May 20

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May 20

chalk-marking thingie for sports field/pitch

Does Wikipedia have an article on this thing? Some models are called "line stripers" on google, but that redirects to Road surface marking which is paint-on-asphault. Some call them field chalk markers or dry line markers, but I can't seem to find anything on that, either. The article is The Tempestry Project which refers to an artist using one of these things in her work, but I had no idea what the source meant when it said she drew with a "chalk marker" until I found her website and a photo and went 'OHHH'. At any rate, I'd love to wikilink for other ignorant people if I could just find the article, if we have one. --valereee (talk) 13:03, 20 May 2019 (UTC)

In the UK they're known as "line marking machines". Unfortunately on Wikipedia, that just redirects to "road surface marking", which is unhelpful. I don't think that we have an article, although someone will no doubt be along to point out my error. Mikenorton (talk) 16:54, 20 May 2019 (UTC)

With all the mainly-sports-interest-editors out there, I'm surprised there isn't at least a stub already lol! Maybe it's because to them this is DUH! territory --valereee (talk) 17:38, 20 May 2019 (UTC)

Googling the subject yields "baseball field foul line dry marker" or some subset of those terms. There doesn't seem to be one predominant term. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:47, 20 May 2019 (UTC)

Google results are dependent on the googler's location and past history. As another UK user, googling 'line marker' gives me mostly 'line marker(s) / marking machine(ry)' with occasional additions of words including 'sports' and/or 'field', as well of course as 'paint', 'liquid', 'spray' and 'dry line'. This seems to corroborate my personal experience (as a sports/athletics player and later as a facilities maintenance administrator) that, in the UK at any rate, 'Line marker' is the common and usual term. Unfortunately that title has already been employed for something completely different, so disambiguation will be needed. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 2.122.2.132 (talk) 00:31, 21 May 2019 (UTC)

Similar results on a search here in Canada. If there is to be a new article, I suggest naming it line marker (sports) and renaming the existing line marker to line marker (diving). --76.69.46.228 (talk) 02:26, 21 May 2019 (UTC)

I guess I'll create a stub, just to have something we can put a photo on. Thanks, all! ETA ugh, but notability...how on earth do I prove that lol? --valereee (talk) 12:07, 21 May 2019 (UTC)

Does appearing in lots of online advertisements demonstrate notability? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 13:38, 21 May 2019 (UTC)

Baseball Bugs, unlikely to, I'd think? I'm thinking there might have been coverage around the time it was invented, maybe? Or maybe something along the lines of a book on the history of sports field development? --valereee (talk) 14:38, 21 May 2019 (UTC)

This may be helpful, and check out page 40 of the same book for a little on the history of their use. Mikenorton (talk) 14:18, 21 May 2019 (UTC)

Oh, thanks, mikenorton! --valereee (talk) 14:39, 21 May 2019 (UTC)

I've created Draft:Line marker (sports), would love some input from people who have some expertise in sports, as I have none --valereee (talk) 17:00, 21 May 2019 (UTC)

For another reference, see p. 5 of this publication relative to the maintenance of baseball fields [1]. The contraption is called a line marker and there is an illustration. Xuxl (talk) 19:01, 21 May 2019 (UTC)

Xuxl, thank you! I'm hoping that'll be the third reliable source to prove notability! --valereee (talk) 19:20, 21 May 2019 (UTC)

Don't exclude the marking of colored lines on a white surface, for hockey or curling. --76.69.46.228 (talk) 20:16, 21 May 2019 (UTC)

76.69.46.228, would love to include, do you have anything to source it? --valereee (talk) 20:25, 21 May 2019 (UTC)