[Jambrains]

For year I have had the phrase "run until they tag you" in my head. Now I would like to incorporate it into one of my songs. I tried to Google it in order to find out the exact meaning of the expression. However, I have not been able to find a good explanation of it. I found out it's a baseball term and I understand it's meaning as something like running very fast, going all in. I would be very grateful if someone could confirm my understanding of this (or correct me if I'm wrong). And if I am correct would the line "you can run until they tag you, it will be to no avail" makes sense as a way of describing someone trying to escape the inevitable?

Tnx
/Johan

[Paulski]

Well if you want a Canadian perspective:

Yes - it's used in baseball. Typically one of the basemen needs to tag you with the ball for you to be "out". But you can run to the other base (you are trapped between two bases) the basemen must throw the ball to each other to keep you trapped. If one of them drops the ball, you can run by him and reach the safety of standing on his base, in which case you are "safe" and not "out". Sorry if that sounds complicated! So there is some "avail" in that you may end up being "safe" if you keep running away from the ball-holder.

The other thing worth mentioning is a child's game of "tag". In that game, you can run until they tag you in which case you are "it" (whatever that means  ). But again there is some "avail" because the person that is currently "it" could tag someone else and you've escaped that horrible status by running away.

Well I thought that would be simple, but we tend to complicate things here in the colonies.
Paul

[Jambrains]

Thanks Paulski, pretty much what I though but not quite 
I wonder why English speaking countries insist on having such complicated sports like baseball, football and cricket? Can't we all agree on hockey? Most goals wins. Simple.