So is the nine-yard myth, but no one can find a nine-yard belt of aviation ammo anywhere.
As to source, not currently, but KSFO had at one time Dr. Richard Lederer on their morning show the last Friday of every month and he addressed that chestnut once. He is the author of several books on word and phrase origins and derivations. He pointed out the problem of the "balls to wall" pre-dating the age of flight and that as far as he could research it no Multi-engine aircraft throttle actually had throttles that went to a "wall" except for a couple of German designs, yet this is an English phrase. Some small aircraft had push-pull throttles, but not big bombers, but their throttles were out for full, not into the wall. Dr. Lederer suggested the rowing scenario from literature, but also allowed the train engine and baseball as possible alternatives in response to callers who offered alternatives from the Internet. . . But he thought the rowing was more likely, given that the steam engine governor was generally not in proximity to a wall, and baseball field perimeters were usually referred to as fences, and the early literature reference to rowing.
Thanks, interesting. I’ve got at least one of Lederer’s books.