Who people identify with

     I have been reading the book The Bronx is on Fire by Jonathan Mahler.  I think that in interesting topic that the book unearthed is who our communities identify with.  This book was about the turbulent season of the Yankees in 1977.  There were also the sub-plots of the mayoral race between Mario Cuomo and Ed Koch in which both sides led extremely negative campaigns as well as the .44 caliber killer who called himself "Son of Sam" who terrorized the city with it's first serial killer in decades.

Billy (left) arguing with Jackson (right).

     One of the big problems in the Yankees 1977 season was Reggie Jackson and his conflict with just about everyone.  He was universally disliked because he was given a 3 million dollar deal by the big spending owner of the Yankees George Steinbrenner.  Also his attitude that he was the center of the world and that "he was the straw that stirred the drink" didn't get him any sympathy.  His biggest problem was with Billy Martin.

     Billy Martin was who everybody in New York identified with.  He was always the good guy in his fights with George and Jackson.  He represented the working class, struggling Americans.  When he stood up to his boss, it was all of New York standing up to the boss.  When he stood up to the rich ballplayer that was full of himself, all of New York was with him.  He was the scrawny underdog and all of New York adored him because they could relate to him.  They all wanted to stand up to the power. The money.  The greed.

     I think that people identify with people that they think that they can relate to.  They tend to side with the underdog, even when the other side isn't doing anything wrong.  I think that this is very interesting.