Baseball and Tennis Fans Tell Favorites

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'The Harris Survey ISSN 0046-6875 * :~r?.elease: !.londa:: X'!, September ich, 1973 BASEBALL AND TENNIS FANS TELL FAVORITES

By Louis Harris

As the baseball pennant races mdve co a climax this xonth, fans are rooting for key eeams co win on a nacional basis rather than ?ulling for eeams in their own communities or regions.

Here is the ?ateern of Ian supporc in :he races for the pennants, according to the latest Harris Sports Survey of 634 bassball fans:

--In the American League, baseball fans are basically divided between the Yew York Yankees, with 26 percent of all fans hoping chat team will win the ?ennant, and the Boston Xed Sox, who have 23 ?ercrnt rooting for them to come out on top. aacking for the rest of the American League ceams is widely scattered: Kansas Cir!~Xoyals (6 ?ercent), California Angels (!, percent), 3etroit Tigers (4 percent), Yilwaukee 3rewers (3 sercent). Oakland X's (3 percent), Chicago 'hite Sox (3 percent), Baltimore Orioles (2 percent) and Cleveland Indians (2 percent).

It is apparent from these results that fan interest nationwide is heavily focused on the outcome of :he .American League Fast race, even :bough the scramble in the American League Yest has been a much closer race. Despite the Yanitees' troubles with slaver dissension, the Firing of their manager, Billy Yartin, and the controversy over cheir prchase of so nany free agent ballplayers, they still capture fan appreciation. The Xed Sox also have a big following chat extends across the country, and they are viewed as the nope co cut off a budding Yankee dynasty in the American League.

--In the Yational League, in :.STIS of rooting interest, if not in the way they have been faring lately, the Cincinnati Reds finish un top, with the hopes of 25 percent of all baseball fans riding an chen. Yuch further down on the list, fighting it out for secsnd place in fan supporc, are the Los hgeles 3odgers. with 13 percent hoping chev will zin, and the San Francisco Giants, with 11 percent backing. Then come the Philadelphia Phillies (6 percent), Chicago Cubs (5 ?ercent), Yew lork Xets (5 percent), Pittsburgh Pirates (3 ?ercent), St. Louis Cardinals (3 ?ercent) and Atlanta Braves (2 percent). L Fan interest appears to have focused on the Yational League Xest race, even though both iivisions have had tight contests. The Xational League East just does not appear to have s?arked nucn of an oucpouring of fan loyalty across the country. Fan support fsr the Cincinnaci Xeds was undoubtrdlv enhanced by Pete Rose's dramatic and successful effort to breaic the Yational League consecutive game hitting streak, even though he fell far short of Joe DLXaggio1s big league mark of 56.

In the controversial case of Silly Xartin, a 42-30 percent majority of baseball fans thinks it was wrong for the Yew York Yankees to fire him. Those rooting for the Yankees to win the pennant felt =he firing of Yartin was a mistake by a wide 56-28 percent margin.

However, the Yankees recouped some of the lost ground with the fans by announcing that Yartin would be rehired as manager in 1980. That move neets with approval by a 59-22 ?ercent najority of all who follow baseball and by an even larger 74-17 percent majority of Yankee fans.

By a sizable 52-31 ?ercent, a majority of baseball followers feels it is wrong for basebail ciub awners to nake key decisions about running clubs on a day-to-day basis, "as George Steinbrenner does sritn the Yew York Yankees." Yankee fans share :his feeling about Sceicbrenner's r-;e by an even nore lopsided 61-19 percent.

This latest finding of rhe Harris Sporrs Survey checks out with ?revious results, in which fans feel strongly that che game should remain ?rimarily a sport, even thougn they are aware that professional sports are also businesses. Fans deeply resent owner interfrrence with che way the game is ?laved on :tie field, and George Steinbrenner has become a s>mbol of che heavy nand of che owner in baseball.

(aver) In the G.S. Cpen tennis championships now taking place at Flushing Yeadows in New York, a cross secrion of 521 American tennis fans were surveyed and najoritiea indicated that they are rooting for Jimy Connors to win the nen's crown and for Chris Evert to win the women's championship.

men Connors was paired off against Swedish star Bjorn 3orq, a substantial 62-33 percent majority of cennis fans said they would like to see Connors win. Evert has 45 percent 02 the racquet fans rooting for her, well ahead of the 16 percent who would like Billy Jean King to win once more, 11 percent who were for Australian Evonne Goolagong, and 11 percent who favor 16-year-old Tracy Austin. Both King and Goolagong are sut of the singles due to recent injuries. Two other top women players,Vimbledon champ Yartina Xavratilova and Virginia Wade, have no more than 6 percent and 4 percent of tennis fans rooting for them respectively.

TABLES

On July 31st and August lst, the Harris Survey asked a cross section of baseball fans:

"Which team are you rooting for to win the American League baseball championship this year?"

BASEBALL FAVS ROOTIXG .FOR TEAMS TO WIX XXERICAii LEAGUE PENNANT

Baseball fans

New York Yankees

Boston Red Sox

Kansas City Xoyals

California Angels

~etnoitTigers

Milwaukee Brewers

Oakland A's

Chicago White Sox

Baltimore Orioles

Cleveland Indians

Yinneso ta Twins

Texas Rangers

Seattle Mariners

Toronto Blue Jays

None

Not sure

(over) "ind which tzams are you rooting for to win the Xational League Baseball championship this ear?"

BASEBALL FLUS ROOTIXG FOR TLLYS TO WIX XATIONAL LEAGUE TE9IZiANT

Baseball fans X

Cincinnati Reds

Los Angeles Dodgers

San Francisco 3iants

Philadelphia Phillies

Chicago Cubs

Yew York Yets

Pittsburgh Pirates

St. Louis Cardinals

Atlanta Braves

Houston Xstros

San Diego Padres

Yontreal Expos

Yone

Not sure

"Do you think that the Yev York Yankees were right or wrong to fire Billy Xartin as their manager?"

FIRIXG OF BILLY WTIN

aaseball fans Sew York Yankees fans 1 Z

Right

Wrong

Yot surs

"Do you thinic that the Yew York Yankees were rignt or wrong :a announce chat Billy Yartin would rerurn as their manager again in 1980?"

REHIRIHG OF BILLY >MTIX

Saseball fans New York Yankees fans X

Right

Urong

Yot sure "DO you feel it is right or vrong for baseball club owners to nake the key decisions about running clubs on a day-to-day basis, as George Steinbrenner does with the New York Yankees?"

BASEBALL OWNERS WING KEY DAY-TO-DAY DECISIONS

Baseball fans New Fork Yankees fans / %

Right

Wrong

Not sure

The Harris survey also asked a cross section of tennis fans:

I, 7~n the upcoming U.S. men's open tennis championship in New York, if you had to choose, who would you like to see win the tournament--Bjorn Borg of Sweden or Jimy Connors of the U.S.1"

~~0WANT TO WIN U. S. ??EN'S TEXNIS

Tennis fans

Bjorn Borg

Jimmy Connors 62

Not sure 5

"And which of these women players would you like most to win the S.S. Open women's tennis championsnip in New York--Hartina :iavratilova, Chris Evert, Evonne Goolagong, Virginia Wade, Billy Jean King or Tracy Austin?"

.XHO WANT TO WIX U. S. OPEN WONEN'S TEXIS

Tennis fans 2

Chris Evert

Billy Jean King

Evonne Goolagong

Tracy Austin

Xartina Yavratilova

Virginia Wade

Not sure