- bench-warmer (n.)
- 1892, baseball slang; see bench.
The days for "bench-warmers" with salaries are also past. ["New York Sporting News," Jan. 9, 1892]
Old English had bencsittend "one who sits on a bench." - leg-warmer (n.)
- 1974, from leg + agent noun from warm (v.). Related: Leg-warmers.