Final sports/election link
posted by Howard Wasserman
One final sports “predictor” of the presidential election: The winner of The Game–a Harvard win means a Democratic president, a Yale win means a Republican president. This held form this year, as Harvard won 34-24.
More broadly, since they have been playing since 1875, we actually have some data to work with.
• Since the origins of the rivalry, there have been 35 presidential elections and 32 games (no games in 1888, 1894, or 1940), this has held 20 times (62 %–not that impressive). That includes the Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 tie in 1968. Maybe that election should have gone to the House of Representatives.
• Over the last 18 elections and 17 games going back to 1940 (again, no game in 1944 because of World War II), it has held 14 times (82 %–much better).
• In my lifetime, going back 12 elections and 12 games to 1968, it has held 9 times (75 %).
• Over the last 9 elections going back to 1980 (call it my political lifetime), it has held 8 times (89 %); the only miss was W’s reelection in 2004.
Of course, since The Game usually is played in mid-to-late November, this is less a predictor than an ex post correlation. Except in 2000, that is, when they played while the Florida debacle was playing out. Maybe we should not have been so surprised when Bush v. Gore came out as it did.
November 19, 2012 at 10:31 pm
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Joe - November 20, 2012 at 3:35 pm
“That includes the Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 tie in 1968.”
Hey, they “beat” Yale then too! btw, that was the subject of a good documentary a few years back.
In 2000, Monday Night Football had a bit where a Pats/KC game was allegedly the deciding factor. This was before the Pats had their current dominance. NE won. Seems almost fitting.
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