around the horn

1. In baseball, throwing the ball from third base to second base to first base, either as part of a double play or as a tradition following a strikeout. Taken from the nautical term "around the Horn," referring to Cape Horn of South America, the long way to navigate around the continent since the creation of the Panama Canal. Primarily heard in US, South Africa. The players always toss the ball around the horn after the batter strikes out as a way to keep their arms limber.

2. A difficult route chosen despite a simpler alternative. This meaning is also taken from the nautical term. If traffic on the highway is too bad, we might have to go around the horn instead.