ham-and-egger

In the old days, mining camps would hold boxing matches on holidays; the winner got money, the loser got a ham and egg meal. Many miners with poor boxing skills would enter the competition just for the ham and egg meal, these were called 'Ham and Eggers".

ham-and-egger (plural ham-and-eggers)

1. Disdainful remark directed at someone deemed worthless or undesirable.
2. (wrestling slang) A preliminary wrestler; a jobber.
3. An ordinary person; a simpleton.
4. (boxing) A failed boxer; a tomato can.
   • 1976 November 21, Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, Rocky:

     Well, it's just that, you see, uh, I fight in clubs, you know, and uh, I'm really a ham-and-egger. This guy, he's the best, and uh, it wouldn't be such a good fight.