Charisma of the New York Yankees

When most people are asked what the word "charisma" means, they often reply with a phrase along the lines of 'well, its hard to explain.' By combining various definitions of charisma from authors such as Edward Shils, Sydney Hook, Max Weber, Professor Schneiderman, Philip Rieff and Burns, the concept of charisma can be better understood. Max Weber defines charismatic people as "natural leaders...holders of specific gifts of the body and spirit: and these gifts have been believed be supernatural, not accessible to everybody." Shils' definition of charisma refers to a body or group of people. "Bodies come to possess charismatic qualities simply by virtue of the tremendous power concentrated in them...Charisma can also be, simply, a quality that characterizes a person, or in Shils' case group, above most others. A charismatic group is considered to have an invisible force that drives them to success and leadership.

The New York Yankees are the best example of a charismatic group in Major League Baseball. They have maintained their charisma from when the team first started in 1903 through the times of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig until today with Derek Jeter and Joe Torre. Their charisma is due to a number of different aspects and qualities ranging from amazing players such as Ruth, Gehrig, and DiMaggio to the way to the team plays, from the team's appearance to Yankee Stadium itself. These aspects of the New York Yankees are the distinguishing factors that classify the team as charismatic and can correspond with the opinions and definitions of the aforementioned authors. From their beginning in 1903, the Yankees have been a team comprised of the best players in Major League Baseball, each of whom has added his own charismatic qualities to the team. Babe Ruth, possibly the greatest player in all of baseball, was a member of the Yankees from 1920-1934. For many reasons, Babe Ruth can be considered an event-making man in history. According to Sidney Hook, the event-making man happens to be in the right place at the right time, but also imagines what he wants to accomplish and how he will do it.

> "The actions [of the event-making man] are the consequences of outstanding capacities of intelligence, will, and character." Babe Ruth was an event-making man because not only was he a great player with astounding statistics, but he also changed the future of baseball. By exuding great power and confidence both on and off the field, he "compelled other teams to follow suit: Ruth was the focal point of the start of arguably the greatest sports dynasty in history, the New York Yankees. His international fame helped to fuel the rising interest in sports in the 1920s and 1930s. He significantly expanded the fan base of baseball and triggered the major expansion of nearly all the ball parks in the major leagues."

> Even Yankee Stadium was considered the "House that Ruth Built" because of his history and success.
According to Weber, "The charismatic leader must perform miracles...he must perform heroic deeds. His divine mission must 'prove' itself in that those who faithfully surrender to him must fare well." Because Babe Ruth was an event-making man, he performed "miracles" on the field, his batting record can even be considered "heroic", with a record 60 homeruns in a single season. So under Weber's definition of a charismatic leader, Ruth can be considered the most charismatic leader in baseball's history.

Not only did Ruth's fans believe him to be great, but his fellow players did too. Tommy Henrich, in his own book about the Glory Years of the Yankees, speaks of 'The Babe' with incredible respect and admiration. "I can say with pride that Babe Ruth...was the greatest thing that ever happened to any sport in any year. Today he remains the all-time sports idol of America. Seventy years after he arrived in New York, his is the Number One name in any conversation about sports heroes." Ruth's popularity was not simply due to the number of home runs he hit, but also his personality, his ostentation and his energy, all of which made up his charismatic persona. This larger-than-life persona, in turn, increased the charisma of the entire team.

Even though he was unable to escape from under the shadow of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig was a fascinating member of the team (from 1923-1939) who added to the overall charisma of the Yankees as well. "Lou was the perfect team man," wrote Tommy Henrich, "he did what he was told, and in so doing, he set an example for the rest of us." Gehrig's behavior both on and off the field exemplified that of a leader.

In the book Spellbinders, Willner says, "Charismatic leadership is a very special subtype of leadership with unusual qualities not found in leadership in general." Most leaders try to lead with their words and opinions, but Lou Gehrig, as a charismatic leader, led by example. Henrich went on to say, "He was a marvelous human being, with that beautiful blend of kindness and consideration for others mixed with the pride and determination that makes a talented athlete a champion." He always wanted to improve himself as a player and a person in every single game he played, thus demonstrating his drive for excellence.

When Gehrig was overcome with illness (now Lou Gehrig's disease), 61,808 fans turned out to the stadium for his farewell speech in July of 1939. He considered himself "the luckiest man on the face of the earth." The number of fans that came out to support him is evidence of his charisma. His death two years later at the age of 37 had an enormous impact on the Yankees and New York City. "The news of his death was depressing for every New Yorker, every baseball fan, and every American. It was doubly depressing for us as his teammates...We worshipped the man...To become his teammate was every boy's dream come true," added Henrich.

Out of respect and honor, Gehrig was the first Yankee to have his number, 4, retired. His personality and love of the game led him to be team captain. "When Ruth left the Yankees after the 1934 season, it appeared the Yankees would be Gehrig's team, but in 1936 the Yankees added a new superstar who would now steal most of the headlines from Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio."

Joe, "The Great DiMaggio" as he was often called, was perhaps the greatest Yankee of all-time, in terms of charisma. According to Henrich, Joe was the greatest baseball player he ever saw. Joe believed that the only way his team would succeed was if he succeeded and "that inner toughness put him above all other greats." Joe DiMaggio became the team's leader almost immediately when he started with the Yankees in 1936. Joe was the perfect example of a transformational leader; a term coined by Burns in his book Transforming Leadership.
He transformed the Yankees as a team, rather than simply "changing" them. The difference here is that change refers to substitution or exchange of two things while transformation is "a change in the very condition or nature of a thing...a radical change in outward form or inner character." Joe DiMaggio had a sense of empowerment that comes hand in hand with being a leader. Rather than presiding over people, in this case his team, Joe supported and motivated his teammates, or followers. He had a sort of charismatic authority that "derives from the capacity of a particular person to arouse and maintain belief in himself..." By being there for his teammates as a role model to look up to, he was considered a charismatic leader.

"He led the way all great leaders do - by example," commented Henrich. Joe DiMaggio tried to encourage rookies and newcomers alike and instructed them on what it meant to be a Yankee. "It seemed true that without imitations of compelling characters, character itself could not develop," said writer Philip Rieff. If DiMaggio had not exemplified such a personality that those around him wished to emulate, the New York Yankees during his era would not have been so charismatic or full of character.

For example, Yogi Berra was in a slump during one game, which was evident because he walked out to his position instead of running. The next time, Joe waited for him in the dugout and jogged onto the field next to him, telling him to get moving and not to let the other team know they were affecting his self-esteem.

The previous example displays Joe's charisma because he is a leader who wants his "disciples" to follow in his footsteps, and part of this is by maintaining composure even in times of difficulty. "He always wanted his performance to reflect his stature" and so he always played like a champion. He displayed superhuman qualities during his record-breaking, 56 game hitting streak when he himself turned the Yankees into a winning team.
Since a possible definition of charisma is the "belief that a person possesses extraordinary and perhaps divinely ordained powers" , DiMaggio is the ideal example. After Lou's death, Joe's hitting streak kept the team going, he kept their attitudes positive. He also had a major effect on New York City. He gave people something to look forward to reading about or watching on television. Everyone wanted to know what feat he would perform next. He knew he was a champion.

Although he was the team's leader with incredible inner-strength and toughness, playing through many injuries, he did not have the ego that is common in most charismatic leaders. "Joe did one of the most unselfish things...in any sport. He took himself out of the game. He came off the field with that graceful, gliding stride of his, his head cocked slightly to one side, he received a thunderous ovation and deserved every decibel of it," admired teammate Tommy Henrich. Without a doubt, this action describes a person full of charisma and worthy of such respect.

DiMaggio earned his leadership role by 'proving himself' (on the field and at bat) and thus 'maintained his recognition', an example of charisma according to Max Weber. In Henrich's opinion, "Joe was 'the Yankee Clipper' - and more. He was the Yankees. Period." This statement clearly defines Joe DiMaggio as the most powerful, most charismatic leader on the New York Yankees whose status has yet to be surpassed.

Of course there have also been many other players that contributed and still contribute to the allure of the Yankees. Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle are two examples of players whose effect and personality were understated. Mickey Mantle came with manager Casey Stengel and played for the Yankees for a total of eighteen years. He replaced DiMaggio in centerfield and was famous for his switch-hitting. The Yankees were preparing him to be DiMag's successor.

Mantle was said to have hit the longest homerun in baseball history, having been measured at 565 feet. Other than that one hit, and a few seasons of great statistics, he led the American league in strikeouts five times, totaling 1,710 in his career. Mantle's unbelievably long hit can refer back to Weber's definition of charisma, "holders of specific gifts...believed to be supernatural," and therefore he can be considered a charismatic leader with 'superhuman' qualities.

However, "when he couldn't play ball anymore a whole generation felt older. When he got cancer a whole generation felt the fear of death." Something other than the way he played was appealing about him. Something intangible helped him to earn the respect and devotion of his fans.
Roger Maris was also belittled by fans and the press, but still added to the Yankees' success. Some believed him to have broken Babe Ruth's homerun record of 60 in one season, having hit 61. However, avid Ruth fans argued that Ruth hit is homeruns in 154 games while Maris hit his homeruns in 162 games. Therefore, Maris was never given the respect he was due as a Yankee even though he did contribute to the success and helped to further the continued triumph of the New York Yankees.

Finally, the most recent player to enhance today's charisma of the New York Yankees is Derek Jeter. Jeter has led the team by example since his rookie season in 1996. He was given the honor to be named the 11th captain since 1903. Jeter is the modern day American hero. He is an athlete featured on many magazine covers and national ad campaigns. He is the object of every female Yankee fan's desire.

Jeter is one of the main reasons for the packed attendance at Yankee Stadium in the 21st century. Without Jeter, the Yankees would be a completely different team today. It is hard not to be impressed by the way he plays. His finesse on the field and his tenacity at the plate are worthy of the admiration he receives. His captivating and omnipresent smile is emblematic of his charismatic leadership.

In addition to the actual players themselves, the renowned Yankee Stadium not only adds to the charisma of the New York Yankees, but also is a charismatic structure in and of itself. In Shils' article, he disagrees with Weber on the definition of charisma:

"I do not think the matter is as clear-cut as Weber apparently thought. It seems to me that an attenuated, mediated, institutionalized charismatic propensity is present in the routine functioning of society. There is, in society, a disposition to attribute charismatic properties to ordinary secular roles, institutions, symbols..."

This means, according to Shils, that something as ordinary or commonplace as a stadium can be charismatic. The features of Yankee Stadium distinguish it from virtually every other stadium in the country. In 1903, it began as Hilltop Park, which slowly evolved to the Polo Grounds and eventually into Yankee Stadium by 1923, the setting of the first Live World Series broadcast. Soon the stadium began holding other events like college football, professional football and boxing matches in the off-season.

Yankee Stadium was also the first ballpark to even be labeled a stadium. The Stadium was originally constructed with a Façade, a series of copper arches around the roof of the upper deck. This characteristic defined Yankee Stadium until the 1970's when it was greatly reduced. Monument Park is another aspect of Yankee Stadium that gives it a lot of meaning and history. It is a section of the stadium that contains plaques and retired numbers of past Yankees.

Outside the main entrance of the stadium, charisma was immortalized when a bat was constructed to replicate that of the Louisville Slugger used by Babe Ruth. The asymmetry of the stadium also adds to its distinctiveness; it is much harder to hit a homerun in left or centerfield than in right field. Perhaps the most interesting characteristic of the stadium is the "bleacher creatures". These are season ticket holders in a section in right field, infamous for their "roll call" chant (they chant each field players name until he gives a signal of acknowledgement), a tradition that has been going on for many years.

For the Yankees, the Stadium was the home of the famous "5 O'clock Lightning", the time during most games when the Yankees would start hitting homeruns. The stadium contained "an extraordinariness constituted by high intensity with which certain vital, crucial qualities are manifested, in contrast with the low intensity with which they appear in the ordinary round of life." This extraordinariness that the stadium exudes shows that an ordinary blue-collar fan can be transformed just by walking into Yankee Stadium.

The magnitude and importance of the stadium were unbelievable. Mel Allen, the voice of the Yankees for many years, said, "The stadium was like the Empire State Building or the Grand Canyon of baseball." For every person that stepped inside the stadium for the first time, they were overcome with a sense of esteem and disbelief. The fame and charisma of Yankee Stadium is undoubtedly due to its past, tradition, and history. "That's what the stadium is about," commented today's manager Joe Torre.

Shils, in his article, talks about "charismatic quality as perceived by others." The average American with very little knowledge about baseball's history still has an opinion about the Yankees; Americans either hate them or love them, there is no in between. This perception is due to the extreme hate the Yankees elicit from Red Sox fans.
Weber states, "The holder of charisma seizes the task that is adequate for him and demands obedience and a following by virtue of his mission." This can refer to the Yankees and their fan base. The passionate New York Yankee fans, called "Yankee Universe", have been loyal and zealous from the beginning, passing down their love of the team from generation to generation. Because of their fans, the New York Yankees are able to maintain the franchise that has been successful since the 1920s. "Followers believe their leader to have superhuman qualities or to possess to an extraordinary degree the qualities highly esteemed in their culture...associated with...outstanding heroes." The pride the fans have for the Yankees and the pride the Yankees have for themselves is a distinguishing characteristic that virtually no other team can exceed.

This pride is also evident in the uniforms of the Yankees, which are different from those of every other team in both the National and American Leagues. They are the only team with pinstripe uniforms, which clearly gives the team another form of charisma. The pinstripes, in a way, are mesmerizing. They make the Yankees look good when they line up for the anthem, when they run out to their positions, and when they huddle for a talk.

Interestingly, the away uniform for the Yankees is solid grey, without pinstripes. This can show the pride they have for the games they play inside Yankee Stadium and what it means to be a Yankee playing at home. Aside from the pinstripes, they are the only team that does not have their names on the backs of their jerseys. The rareness of the Yankee uniforms refers back to Shils' definition of a charismatic body which "does not depend on its foundation by a charismatic person but comes to possess charismatic qualities by the virtue of the tremendous power concentrated in the body." This implies that the Yankees are a "team" and no single player matters more than another. They are the New York Yankees and that's it: "the team" is far bigger than any one of its superstar players whom together make up an incredibly charismatic body.

Also, the Yankees were the first team to permanently introduce numbers to their jerseys in 1929. Numbers were assigned to the players in order of the lineup. Shortly thereafter, other teams began adding numbers and names to the backs of jerseys. This made the Yankee uniform distinct and special. In an interview, Tommy Henrich said it best, "I hope the pride a player has in being a Yankee doesn't die out. It's more than a tradition. It's a mental, almost physical, lift for a player to put on a Yankee uniform." To be a Yankee means to be part of a family, or a dynasty that has existed for over 100 years.

The appearance of the Yankees is a very important factor adding to their charisma even today. George Steinbrenner, who has added to the charisma of the Yankees through his absolute authority and has run the team like a dictator, prohibits the Yankees to have long hair or facial hair below the lip. With their distinct, mesmerizing uniforms and clean-cut physical appearance, the Yankees look like a well put-together team who not only win championships but also deserve to win.

Dressing like a team that was destined to thrive was not the only reason they succeeded. The Yankees were made up of players who had the ability to overcome individual weaknesses and support one another in times of difficulty. From the beginning, they were a team comprised of charismatic leaders. The New York Yankees have been World Champions 26 times, more than any other baseball team, and have won the American League Title 39 times. Much of this can be due to the Yankees most recent manager, Joe Torre.

"All effective rulers possess charismatic qualities," says Shils. Joe Torre may be hated by many, but if he were not a charismatic figure, and most importantly a transformational leader (Burns), he would not still be in the same position that he was in almost eleven years ago. When he was first hired as manager of the Yankees, his goal was to manage for five years, a goal unlikely under Steinbrenner. However, eleven years later and still managing, Joe Torre even surprised himself.

Having led the team to the World Series seven times and winning the Championship four of those years (undoubtedly making him an effective leader), George Steinbrenner had no reason to rid of Joe Torre. One of the main reasons Torre enjoys managing the Yankees so much is because of the players. He said that he had no idea it would be this much fun.

Torre's longer than expected commitment to the team displays his leadership skills. "On the one hand, he is the patriarchal head of the family, and on the other he is the charismatic leader of the hunt and war, the sorcerer, the rainmaker, the medicine man...the arbiter, the chieftain of peace." According to Derek Jeter, "His best asset is the way he handles people. He's honest with you. He doesn't embarrass you. And he knows how to push the right buttons." Another great aspect of his leadership and method of managing is his "ability to avoid fretting about decisions that fail. One of the reasons that Torre looks so unflappable is because he said he makes decisions, trusts them and does not bemoan negative results."

Without a doubt, these are characteristics of a true transformational (Burns), event-making (Hook) leader. Joe Torre took the first step to initiating change by "imagining and envisioning things that did not yet exist." He pictured in his mind, like an event-making man, what he desired to accomplish during his tenure as manager of the Yankees and this vision has helped both him and his team to succeed. Again referring to Shils, Joe Torre helped to disperse charisma throughout the Yankees. "The sharing of this charisma which flows from the central authority...led to the direct attribution of charisma to all citizens of the national state," meaning Torre, being the authority figure on the team, was able to disperse his charismatic qualities through to his players.

The charisma of the New York Yankees, however, is not solely due to its outstanding players, coaches, and managers or its uniforms, stadium, and fan base. "A widely dispersed charisma is an indispensable condition of civility, but it is not sufficient ground for its existence," said Shils. One of the chief factors that contributes to the Yankees' charisma is the team's location, New York City.

"Great power announces itself by its power over order; it discovers order, creates order, maintains it or destroys it. Power is indeed the central, order-related event." The Yankees have been the most powerful team in a city widely considered the seat of power, arguably the most charismatic city in the world. Throughout the 20th century, because the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Mets, and the Yankees were all within 15 miles of each other, most of baseball's attraction and attention was focused on New York City.

There were, without a doubt, many great players who were not on the Yankees and therefore did not receive the attention they deserved.

"Most human beings, because their endowment is inferior or because they lack opportunities to develop the relevant capacities, do not attain that intensity of contact...They are capable of such appreciation and occasionally feel a need for it. Through the culture they acquire and through their interaction with and perception of those more "closely connected" with the cosmically and socially central, their own weaker responsiveness is fortified and heightened. "
This paragraph right out of Shils' article can be directly applied to players not playing in New York City but who deserve acknowledgement. For instance, Lefty Grove had one of the greatest pitching records ever (only pitcher to strike out the side with just nine pitches, twice in one season). He played for the Athletics and the Red Sox but because he was not in New York, he was not as highly recognized as pitchers such as Whitey Ford (Yankees) and Sandy Koufax (Dodgers).

Also, Roberto Clemente (Pirates) and Ted Williams (Red Sox) were great fielders and hitters, respectively. Clemente, who played from '55-'72, was competing during the time of players like Mantle, Maris, Ford, and Berra, who together made up one of the greatest baseball teams in history. Even though Clemente's accomplishments were equal to those of Willie Mays, he is not considered one of the most charismatic, celebrated players.

Ted Williams was a great hitter who played during the time of Joe DiMaggio.

Because Joe was on the Yankees and also well known for his batting, Williams was not considered to be nearly as great as the DiMag. From these examples, it is obvious that the Yankees are, and were not the only team with charismatically great players.

The whole concept of charisma begs the old philosophical question: If a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it, is it still considered noise? This can be applied to defining charisma because the most potentially charismatic figure or institution in the world would not really be charismatic if know one knew about it. This is where the fact that the New York media is the most powerful and influential in the world enters into the charisma factor of the New York Yankees. Without a doubt the media has contributed to the larger than life perception of the Yankees by the rest of the sports world.

Recently, there had been talk that the local Triple A team for the Phillies, who play in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania, would be leaving town. At the same time, the Yankees happened to be looking for a new home for their Triple A affiliation. On Thursday September 21, it was announced that the Yankees would be bringing their farm team, who will keep the nickname of the Red Barons, to the W-B. The effect of this news has been astounding.

With just "one announcement on Thursday...the phones at Lackawanna County Stadium were jammed like the Cross Bronx Expressway at rush hour." Callers were hoping to score tickets for the upcoming 2007 season in order to catch future stars of the Yankees in action. In one day, the Public Relations director of the stadium said that it was possible that the stadium, which holds over 11,000 people, is already sold out for 2007. This is a wonderful display of the charisma and appeal that permeates from the very top of the Yankee franchise in New York and filters all the way down to their farm team in Northeastern Pennsylvania, with help, evidently, from the media.

The myriad distinguishing factors of the New York Yankees have undeniably given them the title of the most charismatic team in the history of baseball. 'The Babe' and 'The Iron Horse' were the first to enhance the atmosphere and charm of the Yankees. After Babe Ruth, came 'The Yankee Clipper, the great DiMaggio,' who single-handedly led the Yankees for years on end. Then big players like Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle were added to the team, further advancing the magnetism of the New York Yankees.

Today the Yankees have Joe Torre, George Steinbrenner and Derek Jeter to carry out the responsibility of keeping with the impressive tradition of the Yankees. Each of these features, along with the charismatic stadium itself, the incredibly faithful fans, the attraction of the pinstripes, and the location, add, in their own way, to the overall charisma of the New York Yankees.

The word charisma has many varied, complicated meanings, many of which were explored by the numerous authors previously cited. The best, most inclusive definition of charisma is, "A certain quality of an individual personality by virtue of which he is set apart from ordinary men and treated as endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities." The phenomenon known as the New York Yankees certainly fits all of these different meanings of charisma.

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