The Rise and Reign of the Loser: Emotionological Culture of the 1980s Red Sox

Abstract

The Boston Red Sox and their fans had a long, complex relationship marked by fierce loyalty and repeated disappointments. Over the course of the 20th century, the Red Sox brand cultivated a sense of destiny driven by losing; however, it did not start out this way. Following their inception in 1901, the Red Sox blazed on to the scene, winning five World Series in under twenty years. A hero in many baseball legends, George Herman “Babe” Ruth, carried the team on his shoulders. In 1920, under the guise of not wanting the team centered on a single individual, owner Henry Frazee sold Ruth to the team’s soon-to-be bitter rival, the New York Yankees.2 This singular event was thought to have catalyzed a near century without a World Series title and set the Red Sox destiny. The deep-seeded betrayal fans carried as a result led to a wary balance between the organization and their fans for generations to come, despite their devotion. Subsequently, the Red Sox initially suffered, later endured, and finally embraced an existence as the epitomized and eternal losers.