The Curse of the Babe

Throughout the past 85 years this phrase has reverberated across the lips of baseball fans. More specifically, the phrase has served as the theoretical basis for the Boston Red Sox continued struggle to gain exclusive access back to baseball immortality. It was incorporated into the nighttime prayers of young Yankee fans. It whispers through the squeaks of the B and D trains. And it provides the twinkle in the eye of all the Yankee greats watching from Monument Park.

But, the phrase carries a lot more metaphorical weight. Take the focus off of the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox and view this statement in terms of US economic and political health. For the past 85 years the US has evolved from a supplemental power on the other side of the Atlantic to a global force that has been able to tap every international resource and export American culture for an unbelievable return.

Over the last century New York has arguably been the Economic Capital of the world. It is the home of Wall Street, Time Square, and the Yankee’s. Though it was the natural capital of the young nation following the revolutionary war, a Dinner party deal between the financial genius Hamilton and the articulated pen Jefferson allowed the move to the swamp land on the Potomac. This moved political undertones to the south and opened New York to the benefits of capitalism. With the boom of capitalism, the expectations and wealth have transferred from the towers of Wall Street to the grounds of Yankee Stadium. Therefore, when the Yankees are winning, the US is winning.

So to get back on the economic tracks, the US needs to re-embrace the Yankees. We need to reacquaint ourselves with our past momentum and realize that the Yankees were right there with the upward trends. The Yankee’s have hoarded 26 World Series Trophies to their display case. Take note of the following years that the Yankee’s finished on top: 1923, 1927-1928, 1932, 1936-1939, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1949, 1950-1953, 1956, 1958, 1961-1962, 1977-1978, 1996, 1998-2000.

The 1920’s was a credit explosion. The flapper nation was thoroughly eating up the financial freedom that lending and credit provided. The art of commodities were introduced. US citizens went from the necessity driven individuals to a company’s target market. With the credit explosion and the lending power of American’s, the owners of the Yankee’s made one of the best investments in New York history, Babe Ruth. The babe was the 1920’s version of an economic stimulus. The swing of his bat and the long ball buzz that he created is why Yankee Stadium is coined “the House that Ruth Built”. 1923 saw the Yankee’s relocate into the newly built Stadium, an edifice that gave New Yorkers the emotional equivalent of what yesterdays Romans felt when they came upon the Coliseum.

In the same year, the Yankee’s took their first championship. Later in the decade as the wealth of the growing nation continued to balloon, the “murder’s row” Yankee’s enjoyed the 1927 World Series. 1928 was also a banner year due to the sustained strength that saw the pin stripes repeat. 1929 was a down year not only for the Yankees; Black Tuesday is a benchmark day in American History. It was the end point of Stock Market Success in the 1920’s as on Black Tuesday the market was deflated at an unprecedented rate that carried on for over a month. With this bottoming out, the Bronx also saw a decline in post season success.

With a tumultuous economic situation, countless individuals looking to the government for answers and assistance, FDR was elected to the chief seat. A native New Yorker, the situation was a welcomed relief. With the newly elected President in place, a renewed sense of confidence in the US economy, an eager Yankee club appropriately welcomed the World Series Trophy in 1932. While the US continued to rebound, seeing employment rates climb out of the basement, and the alphabet soup initiatives impacting multiple communities, the Yankees enjoyed the return to stability and success by taking 4 championships in the second half of the 1930’s. With Europe erupting into World War II, the US enjoyed a public appearance isolationist. But, in 1941 just a couple months removed from the Yankee’s 10th Championship, Japan gave the US naval force based in Hawaii a horrific wake up alarm on December 7, 1941.

From December 1941 through May 1945 the US would work with European allies to defeat the axis of evil. With the worlds focus on the events of Western Europe and the Pacific campaign the Yankees took one more championship in 1943. It was during the War that a lot of talent from the baseball diamond transferred to the various branches of the US forces. Joltin’ Joe, Teddy Williams, and the like joined the rest of the American all stars in the fight.

Let it be noted that never again since World War II has such an unprecedented rally or participation taken place. It is hard to imagine the sport starts of today returning home from Iraq; this isn’t a direct shot at current athletes not is a cheap jab at the war efforts. But, I am sure that leaving for war, or stepping away from contractual obligation to Team A and putting your marketing efforts on hold for Company B isn’t at the top of a modern athletes priority list.

With bits of confetti still decaying on the curbs around Manhattan the Yankees enjoyed another Championship in 1947. They would add one more to the display case before the decade was over. While the newly formed United Nations was trying to assess aid needs to war torn Europe in the early 1950’s; in the Bronx it was business as usual. The Yankee’s enjoyed a 4 year run atop the baseball’s summit. The rest of the Decade was full of “Ike,” the Korean War, I love Lucy, and 2 more world championships for the Yankees. Though much of what took place during the ‘forgotten’ war has never been promoted in our textbooks, the world has a lot more to it than the Yankees and the commercial age of the 1950’s.

The 1960’s had a palpable tone of change in the air. With John F. Kennedy narrowly beating Richard Nixon, the youth of America felt like their President had ascended to the White House. While Kennedy was asking “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country…” the Yanks were entering Training Camp with the 1960 AL MVP Roger Maris. 1961 would prove to be a record year for the Yankees. Not only did the M and M boys (Mantle and Maris) chase the Babe, the historic season saw the homerun record leave Ruth’s resume for Maris’s, and yet another trophy for the Yankee front office. The Bronx Bombers would also be successful in their defending title role in the 1962 season. This would be the last Championship for New York for the next 15 seasons.

The 1960’s was an intense era in the US. On the political side, the assassination of JFK, Bobby Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X spoke to the undertones of destructive energies. The sense of hope and the belief in progress was all but eliminated. Though the Civil Rights movement did take steps forward, had the individuals listed above lived, the world we know today could be radically different. On the culture side, America welcomed the Beatles, Height Ashbury, and Woodstock.

The counterculture revolution saw experimentation, peace, and protest take progressive strides to make their presence known. Never before, nor since, has a movement of mass participation taken place. And throughout, a stunning soundtrack was solidified by The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan; voices of an era that still find a home on iPod playlists nationwide. The 1960’s also saw the US take on the French effort in East Asia; Vietnam. This is a topic much bigger than this piece however it should be noted that the Yankees did not obtain October gold throughout the ‘Police’ conflict.

It wasn’t until 1977 that the Yankee’s hoisted the championship trophy. This was the first taste of baseball glory for the new owner George Steinbrenner who led the charge to purchase the team from CBS in 1973 for a mere $10 million dollars. Steinbrenner or “the Boss” has been one of the most vocal and outspoken owners in Major League History. Through confrontations with managers and players alike, championships, and media controversies, The Boss has elevated the Yankees to one of the richest franchises in American sports history.

Under his stewardship, the Yankee’s have won 6 championships including a run in the late 1990’s that saw the pin stripes collect 4 rings in 5 years. And though he has, for the most part, removed himself from the day-to-day operations, he is still the Boss. During the championship runs of the 90’s, the US went from budget deficits to surpluses, job unemployment rates declined annually, and America knew little of international conflict.

I understand that times change, certain actions need to be taken. But, in the absence of Yankee success, America is suffering as well. Since the Yankee’s last championship in 2000 we saw a scandalous Presidential race conclusion, the experience on September 11th, 2 simultaneous wars, and an economic crisis that borders on the conditions of the Great Depression.

I am not a Yankee fan. In fact I actually have enjoyed their absence from the Fall Classic. Additionally, I am by no means under the assumption that should the Yankee’s start winning again, that somehow our country will start turning around. But, as history has demonstrated, the country has enjoyed certain successes while the Bronx was collecting trophies. On the eve of a critical election, and with the Yankee’s moving into their new stadium, let us all hope that through one means or another, some good is in store for all of us in 2009.