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I have always wondered, when the Braves were in Boston (until 1952) what were the fans like in Boston? Were there and even amount of Red Sox and Braves fans? Did the Red Sox have more fans? Was it a regional thing, like the Brooklyn Dodgers in Brooklyn,the New York Giants in Manhattan, and the New York Yankees in the Bronx? I've always wondered about this, and I've never been able to find any answers.
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Originally posted by 538280
It's hard to understand why the fans seemed to support the Red Sox, more then they did the Braves, as neither team was so much better then the other in the standings. Except in the forties and early fifties the Red Sox seem to be a better team also having Ted Williams, and Jimmy Foxx, while the Braves had really only one major star at the time Warren Spahn and the rivalry with the Yankee's may have helped. I also think Fenway was a better ball park. Not sure I answered your question, maybe you would get better answers if you ask the question in the Red Sox forum.Last edited by JACKIE42; 07-04-2005, 10:19 AM. -
Offensively good team vs. a defensively good team. The Sox had the guys who could hit, the Braves had the guys who could pitch...Originally posted by 538280
And there's no "regional" rivalry since the two teams played literally a mile away from each other on the same trolley line...Best posts ever:
Originally posted by nymdanOriginally posted by RuthMayBondI understand, I lost all my marbles years ago
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Another puzzling thing is that in the famous "Summer of '49", which was made into a book by David Halberstam about how the Red Sox attracted huge crowds and got large fan support in their battle with the Yankees, that was actually the year after the Braves won the NL pennant. Why didn't the Braves attract the same attention?Comment
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A similar situation is with the Cubs/White Sox. Neither has had a particular edge in the standings, but it seems the Cubs always get more fan support.Comment
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I am going to start this same thread in the Red Sox forum, hoping for replies.Comment
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Two words: Ted Williams.
Also helps that the Sox were jostling with the best team in baseball of that era for the pennent...Best posts ever:
Originally posted by nymdanOriginally posted by RuthMayBondI understand, I lost all my marbles years agoComment
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The Red Sox didn't always have Ted Williams.Originally posted by efin98Comment
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They had him when they needed him, the Braves couldn't counter with anything like Williams until it was too late.Originally posted by 538280
Before Williams both teams were mediocre for a long 20 year span, it was Williams that tipped the scales in the Red Sox's favor.Best posts ever:
Originally posted by nymdanOriginally posted by RuthMayBondI understand, I lost all my marbles years agoComment
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But the Braves were indeed the team that lured Babe Ruth back to Boston - a bit too late, of course.Comment
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That was too short of a tenure with the Braves to have an impact.Originally posted by Iron JawLast edited by efin98; 07-11-2005, 07:22 PM.Best posts ever:
Originally posted by nymdanOriginally posted by RuthMayBondI understand, I lost all my marbles years agoComment
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Why didn't the Braves play Babe Ruth more? Even if he was in the twilight of his career and he wasn't that good anymore, he could still draw lots of fans.Comment
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He played as often as everyone else on the team, he was only there because he thought he was going to become manager of the team. He didn't, and left part of the way through the season.Originally posted by 538280Best posts ever:
Originally posted by nymdanOriginally posted by RuthMayBondI understand, I lost all my marbles years agoComment
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The Cubs are the "loveable losers" and play at the friendly confines of historic Wrigley Field. The White Sox suffered through the Black Sox scandal, had a horrid owner in Charlie Comiskey, played in an aging Comiskey Park for years and several threats of the team moving to Milwaukee, Tampa, etc. I'm not a great source of information on this subject but just from general knowledge this what I have gathered. The Yankees and Mets have a similar situation as well. The Yankees and Cubs have a national appeal while the Mets and White Sox have more localized fan bases.Originally posted by 538280Comment
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The Braves had a lot of internal dissention in 1949, regarding the managing practices of Billy Southworth, whihc I believe was led by Eddie Stanky. With the Braves in 4th place after 111 games, Southworth left the team. I remember reading that Southworth may have had a nervous collapse in 1949. During one of the games of the 1949 World Series, Southworth did a Gillette commercial and the announcer asked him if, health permitting, Southworth would return in 1950. Southworth said he hoped he could. He did return and managed the Braves in 1950 and part of 1951.Originally posted by 538280
I think that team dissension, especially in a city like Boston (which Halberstam said had probably the worst core of baseball reporters in the majors) was still bad for the box office. This was only 10 years after the Cry-Baby Indians of 1940. Combine this with a mediocre Braves team and a Red Sox team having a great season (until the end of the season), made the Braves the lesser draw.Comment
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