For those who haven't checked it out, Will opens up with:
RealClearReligion: Why are the Chicago Cubs losers? Is Wrigley Field to blame?
George Will: If I have such a thing as a thesis in this light, little book, is that that's been part of the Cubs problem. The fans, who are so loyal -- not just to baseball, but to something else -- there was diminished incentive to put a better team on the field. Phil Wrigley inherited the team from this father and didn't really want it, but he felt trapped by the family legacy to keep it. He often said: The team's terrible, but the ballpark is fabulous. We will sell the green grass, the sunshine, the ivy, and the cold Old Style beer. At one point, he even asked Cubs broadcasters to quit referring to it as Wrigley Field, but "Cubs Park" instead.
You can demonstrate that attendance doesn't vary much with the win-loss record; it varies with the price of the beer.
...
And how long have the Cubs been losers, might we ask?
...
By the way, that's Chuck Armstrong's phrase, if you can believe that. "We're going to offer a competitive club and a nice night at the ballpark." He said it for public consumption.
Odd thing is, the Mariners don't benefit from Wrigley Syndrome. Their attendance does vary much with the W/L record.
Add new comment
1