Plural of batman; military servants or officers' personal attendants, especially in the British armed forces.
From Middle Dutch 'batenman' or Old French 'bat' (packsaddle), originally referring to soldiers who managed pack animals and supplies. The term evolved to mean any enlisted attendant to an officer.
A batman's job was so critical that generals would sometimes fight viciously over who got the best ones—a good batman could make the difference between a comfortable military life and a miserable one during campaigns.
Historically male-dominated sport with gendered terminology. 'Batmen' exclusively uses masculine form despite modern inclusion of women in cricket and baseball.
Use 'batters' or 'batters (cricket players)' as gender-neutral alternatives that are widely accepted in both sports.
["batters","cricket/baseball players","hitters"]
Women cricketers and baseball players have fought for equal visibility; using 'batters' recognizes their participation rather than requiring feminine inflections or masculine defaults.
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