The Team America Loves to Hate

Book excerpt: This book examines the animosity towards the New York Yankees among fans of Major League Baseball and what that revilement says about the game, its fans, and America itself. For anyone wondering what exactly fuels Yankee hatred—and for those who think they know quite well, thank you very much—The Team America Loves to Hate: Why Baseball Fans Despise the New York Yankees is a revealing look at the relationship between the guys in pinstripes and the rest of the baseball world. Ranging beyond the legendary New York-Boston feud, The Team America Loves to Hate taps into the world of Yankee-loathing by listening to fans of all other teams—from the Mets to the Mariners, from Anaheim to Baltimore. There are some surprises—judging by the number of Yankee-hating episodes submitted, Pittsburgh seems to be the most aggrieved city, while the Red Sox are now as much hated as their hated rivals. Along the way, the book offers some serious insights into the Yankees themselves, the country's relationship to New York City before and after 9/11, our long-running love affair with sports, and our decidedly fickle feelings about success.