knothole

noun

1. In a piece of lumber, a void left by a knot in the wood; such holes are often convenient for peering through when they occur in fences.

   “Looking in the same direction, I saw that the knothole in the wall had indeed become a human eye -- a full, black eye, that glared into my own with an entire lack of expression more awful than the most devilish glitter.”

   “These city-owned parks, regal concrete crowns with acres of parking lots and nary a knothole to peek through, are a definite swing away from the democratic character of the earlier ballparks.”

   “Besides, there's an old saying: peek not through a knothole, lest ye be vexxed.”

2. (Cincinnati, attributive)Youth league baseball.

   “But he was worried that a coach of a knothole team might not like the idea and not let me switch-hit. So, my dad went to the coach.”

   “I was a Cub Scout. I went to church with my family, and taught Sunday school when I was in my teens. I played knothole baseball and rooted for the Reds.”

   “Poetically enough, the New Richmond knothole field is situated right next to the low, open land between the old and new highway.”

   “In 1955 members organized their first baseball league; softball and knothole baseball were added later.”