Before the game I stated I was rooting for Green Bay.
I like to break superstition whenever possible. In this case, I view it as middle America defeating Washington elites. ;-)
Claim: The outcome of Washington Redskins home football games has correctly predicted the winner of every U.S. presidential election since 1936.
Status: True.
Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2004]
Origins: Our desire to understand and assert some control over the world around us is often manifested by our attempts to find predictive signs that enable us to prognosticateevents — even 
when there is no seeming connection between predictor and event. Sometimes one natural phenomenon supposedly forecasts another, as in the belief that a groundhog's seeing his shadow on February 2 portends another six weeks of winter. In other instances the linkage is between affairs of mankind, as in the superstition that the winner of football's Super Bowl augurs that year's stock market performance (or vice-versa).
A recent item of this ilk maintains that the results of the last game played at home by the NFL's Washington Redskins (a football team based in the national capital, Washington, D.C.) before theU.S. presidential elections has accurately foretold the winner of the last fifteen of those political contests, going back to 1944. If the Redskins win their last home game before the election, the party that occupies the White House continues to hold it; if the Redskins lose that last home game, the challenging party's candidate unseats the incumbent president. While we don't presume there is anything more than a random correlation between these factors, it is the case that the pattern has held true even longer than claimed, stretching back over seventeen presidential elections since 1936: 6 November 1932 they won at home against the Staten Island Stapletons, 19-6, a result that should have foretold a presidential victory for the incumbent Republican party. Neither the Redskins' team name nor their predictive powers were yet evident, however, as President Herbert Hoover lost to his Democratic challenger, Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt of New York, on 8 November 1932
What do we make of all this? Nothing. We see it as coincidence, as evidence that anyone who tries long and hard enough can find apparent patterns in any collection of data. But for those who believe in this sort of thing, the Redskins' last home game before the2 November 2004 election is a Halloween Day contest against the Green Bay Packers. Republican supporters will be rooting for the Redskins, and Democratic supporters will become Cheeseheads for a day.
Update: On 31 October 2004, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Redskins in Washington,28-14 , which — if the established pattern holds true — predicts that Democratic challenger John Kerry will unseat incumbent President George W. Bush in the upcoming presidential election.
Last updated: 31 October 2004
The URL for this page is http://www.snopes.com/sports/football/election.asp
Urban Legends Reference Pages © 1995-2004
by Barbara and David P. Mikkelson
This material may not be reproduced without permission.
Sources:
Status: True.
Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2004]
FOOTBALL + ELECTION Did you know....?? The Washington Redskins have proved to be a time-tested election predictor. In the previous This election year, that deciding game takes place on Sunday, Go Pack!!! |
Origins: Our desire to understand and assert some control over the world around us is often manifested by our attempts to find predictive signs that enable us to prognosticate
when there is no seeming connection between predictor and event. Sometimes one natural phenomenon supposedly forecasts another, as in the belief that a groundhog's seeing his shadow on A recent item of this ilk maintains that the results of the last game played at home by the NFL's Washington Redskins (a football team based in the national capital, Washington, D.C.) before the
- On
30 October 2000 the Washington Redskins lost a Monday night game at home to the Tennessee Titans,27-21 , presaging a loss for the incumbent Democratic party. Since President Bill Clinton had already been elected to the constitutionally-mandated maximum of two terms in office, the7 November 2000 presidential election pitted Democratic Vice-PresidentAl Gore against Republican GovernorGeorge W. Bush of Texas. In the closest (and most controversial) presidential election since 1876, Governor Bush gained the White House by the slim margin of five electoral votes, thereby fulfilling the Redskin prophecy.
- On 27 October 1996 the Washington Redskins defeated the Indianapolis Colts at home,
31-16, predicting a win for the incumbent Democrats. Sure enough, in the5 November 1996 general election, Democratic President Bill Clinton wonre-election over his Republican challenger, Senator Bob Dole of Kansas.
- On 1 November 1992 the Washington Redskins lost to the New York Giants at home,
24-7, predicting a similar loss for the incumbent Republicans. As expected, in the3 November 1992 , Republican PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush lost hisre-election bid to Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas.
- On 6 November 1988 the Washington Redskins edged the New Orleans Saints at home,
27-24, predicting a win for the incumbent Republicans. As President Ronald Reagan had already been elected twice, the8 November 1988 election once again matched a sitting Vice-President, RepublicanGeorge H. W. Bush , against a challenger, Democratic Governor Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts. True to form, Vice-President Bush emerged victorious.
- On 5 November 1984 the Washington Redskins bested the Atlanta Falcons in a Monday night home game,
27-14, predicting a win for the incumbent Republicans. The next day, President Ronald Reagan handily defeated his Democratic challenger, former Vice-President and Senator Walter F. Mondale of Minnesota, winningre-election with an electoral vote landslide.
- On 2 November 1980 the Washington Redskins were trounced at home by the Minnesota Vikings,
39-14, predicting a loss for the incumbent Democrats. As expected, on4 November 1980 President Jimmy Carter failed in hisre-election bid, losing to his Republican opponent, former California governor Ronald Reagan.
- On 31 October 1976 the Washington Redskins were spooked by the Dallas Cowboys in a Halloween Day home game, losing
20-7 and predicting a loss for the incumbent Republicans. Two days later, on2 November 1976, Democratic Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia unseated President Gerald Ford (who had been appointed Vice-President after the resignation of Spiro Agnew in 1973 and became chief executive in 1974 after President Richard Nixon also resigned).
- On 22 October 1972 the Washington Redskins edged the Dallas Cowboys,
24-20, predicting a win for the incumbent Republicans. The7 November 1972 election resulted in the electoral vote landslidere-election of President Richard Nixon over the Democratic nominee, Senator George McGovern of South Dakota.
- On 27 October 1968 the Washington Redskins lost a close game to the New York Giants,
13-10, predicting a loss for the incumbent Democrats. Since PresidentLyndon B. Johnson had announced several months earlier that he would not seek another term as president, the 1968 election was a contest between sitting Vice-President Hubert Humphrey and a former Vice-President, Republican Richard Nixon. In a mirror of the Redskins game, the Democrats lost in a close contest (the two candidates were separated by a slim 0.6% margin in the popular vote).
- On 25 October 1964 the Washington Redskins beat the Chicago Bears,
27-20, predicting a win for the incumbent Democrats. As predicted, on3 November 1964 President Lyndon Johnson (who had ascended to the White House after the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963) won a landslide victory over Republican Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona.
- On 30 October 1960 the Washington Redskins were pasted at home by the Cleveland Browns,
31-10, predicting a loss for the incumbent Republicans. PresidentDwight D. Eisenhower had already served two terms, so Vice-President Richard Nixon took up the Republican mantle against SenatorJohn F. Kennedy of Massachusetts in the8 November 1960 presidential election. Like the Redskins, the Republicans lost; unlike the Redskins, the Republicans made the contest a very close one. (Kennedy bested Nixon by a mere 0.2% margin in the popular vote.)
- On 21 October 1956 the Washington Redskins soundly defeated the Cleveland Browns at home,
20-9, predicting a win for the incumbent Republicans on6 November 1956. And, for the second straight election, the Republicans and their standard-bearer,Dwight D. Eisenhower, prevailed over the Democratic nominee, Adlai Stevenson.
- On 2 November 1952 the Washington Redskins lost a squeaker to the Pittsburgh Steelers at home,
24-23, predicting a similar loss for the incumbent Democrats. PresidentHarry S. Truman declined to run forre-election (he had already served eight years), leaving the field open for former Illinois governor Adlai Stevenson to stand against the Republican candidate, GeneralDwight D. Eisenhower. The Democrats' loss on4 November 1952 was not nearly as close as the Redskins' had been.
- On 31 October 1948, the Washington Redskins walloped the Boston Yanks at home,
59-21 , predicting a win for the incumbent Democrats. Two days later, In one of the most stunning political upsets inU.S. history, President Harry S. Truman (who had assumed office in 1945 when PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt died shortly after beginning his fourth term) defeated his Republican challenger, GovernorThomas E. Dewey of New York.
- On 5 November 1944, the Washington Redskins trimmed the Cleveland Rams at home,
14-10 , predicting a win for the incumbent Democrats. And win the Democrats did, as PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt secured an unprecedented fourth term by defeating the Republican nominee, Thomas Dewey, on7 November 1944.
- On 3 November 1940, the Washington Redskins thrashed the Pittsburgh Pirates (forebears of today's Steelers team) at home,
37-10 , predicting a win for the incumbent Democrats. Likewise, DemocratFranklin D. Roosevelt became the first (and only) three-term president as he thrashed Republican challenger Wendell Willkie of New York (a former Democrat who had never held high elected office) on5 November 1940.
- Going back to 1936 puts us beyond the beginnings of the Washington Redskins, as that year the Redskins franchise was still playing in Boston. Nonetheless, their knack for foretelling the outcome of presidential elections was already in place. On
1 November 1936 the Boston Redskins downed the Chicago Cardinals at Fenway Park,13-10 , predicting a win for the incumbent Democrats. Two days later, PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt wonre-election over Republican Governor Alf Landon of Kansas.
What do we make of all this? Nothing. We see it as coincidence, as evidence that anyone who tries long and hard enough can find apparent patterns in any collection of data. But for those who believe in this sort of thing, the Redskins' last home game before the
Update: On 31 October 2004, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Redskins in Washington,
Last updated: 31 October 2004
Urban Legends Reference Pages © 1995-2004
by Barbara and David P. Mikkelson
This material may not be reproduced without permission.
Sources:Bikoff, Ken. "Coincidence or Something More?" Pro Football Weekly. 29 October 2004.