Idiots Write About Sports

So a while back, the Infinite Monkeys blog — your primary source for uncomfortable and awkward obsessions with conservative radio talk show hosts — directed me toward FundRace 2004, which shows just who’s given what to which presidential candidates. You type in a name or a zip code, and presto — you can find out which candidates your friends and neighbors are brib… er… supporting in the upcoming presidential race.

Well, all my friends are deadbeats, so that’s of little amusement. And I have little to no interest in what my neighbors are doing with their money. But baseball owners… that’s a horse of a different color.

So I typed in the names of each of the principal owners of the 30 Major League Baseball franchises just to see who they’re giving their money to instead of backup shortstops and left-handed relief specialists. In the case of corporate owned teams like the Chicago Cubs or Atlanta Braves, I used the name of the team president or whatever high-ranking executive would accept the trophy from Chairman Bud. In circumstances where it was evident that wives and children were also kicking into the kitty, I included their donations in the grand total (I don’t know the name of the wife of Padres owner John Moores, for example, but there’s a woman who claims to live at the same address writing sizable checks to John Kerry).

My findings? People rich enough to own ballclubs tend to give money to Republicans. Who would’ve figured?

Most suprising donation: the $2,000 contribution to Bob Graham from George M. Steinbrenner of Tampa, Florida. Graham, you may remember, dropped out of the race before a single primary vote was cast. So much for that theory about Steinbrenner backing winners.

* The Reds total does not include $2,000 worth of contributions to the Bush campaign from Margaret U. Schott of Cincinnati, Ohio. The dead have risen, and they’re writing checks to Republicans!

** While Indians owner Larry Dolan has no contributions to his name, Charles Dolan kicked in $2,000 to the Bush campaign, while James sent $2,000 to Bush and another $2,00 to Joe Lieberman.

*** I’m going to assume that Milwaukee homemaker Suzanne Selig is the same Suzanne Selig married to Bud Selig. What’s that you say? Bud Selig has no ownership stake in the Brewers? Now who’s making ridiculous assumptions?

**** Don’t worry, good-government fans. That $1,000 contribution isn’t coming overseas from Mariner owner Hiroshi Yamaguchi but from team president and American citizen Charles Armstrong.

While it is not surprising ther money would go to a Republican president, the odds are increased even more considering the president is a former owner himself.

I'm assuming the 4,000 to Kerry and 2,000 to Clark was from the new Dodgers (i.e. Frank McCourt) ownership? I don't think Murdoch with Fox News (O'Reilly, Hannity, etc.) would be making those donations!

E-Mail me any thoughts.

John Moores' wife is named Rebecca, they are large donors at the University of Houston and have the Rebecca and John J. Moores School of Music in their name.

I'd guess that is McCourt, since he's from Boston and Kerry would thus be his home state Senator. Clark might be his wife's choice, who knows?

Indeed, the Dodger numbers reflect the contributions of the McCourts.

If you're interested in Fox money, it will probably not surprise you that Keith Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and CEO of News Corp., donated $2,000 to George W. Bush. Lachlan Murdoch and Wendi Murdoch also contributed $2,000.

However, Robert Daly -- who ran the Dodgers under the Fox ownership -- kicked in $2,000 to Dick Gephardt's campaign.