#Popups: Quirks of Albuquerque
Baseball and pop culture have intersected in America for more than a century. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum takes a look at these cross-over stars and events in our web feature #PopUps.
In the last installment of #PopUps, we examined the Simpsons episode “Homer at the Bat”. In this installment, we continue to look at the Simpson family and their hometown baseball team, the Springfield Isotopes.
We first learn of the Springfield Isotopes in Season 2 of the Simpsons: The Double-A ball club debuted in Episode 5 which aired Nov. 8, 1990. Homer tells the other regulars at Moe’s Tavern about his big chance that he blew in baseball – working as a mascot. The Isotopes were on a 27-game losing streak, and looking to lose game 28 when Homer danced to the song “Baby Elephant Walk”. His dance energized the crowd and players, leading to the Isotopes breaking the streak. Homer is then made a mascot for the team and is known as “Dancin’ Homer”. The Isotopes continue to win until Homer is called up to the big leagues. The Capital City team promotes Homer, who packs up his family and moves to Capital City. There, Homer must work with legendary mascot The Capital City Goofball, who looks surprisingly like the Philly Phanatic. However, Homer’s Antics are not appreciated by the Capital City fans and Homer is sacked before the end of his first game.
While the Isotopes appear in many episodes over the next decade, none ties in with the real world more than Episode 15 of Season 12, which aired on March 4, 2001. Homer, in a rare mood, decides to become a crusader for “the little guy”. After helping his daughter finish a puzzle by buying a deliberately missing piece, helping his son get a date to the dance, and helping his wife’s beautician with his finances, Homer goes to Duff Stadium (named after Duff Beer/the Duff Family), home of the Isotopes, in hopes of getting a refund for his friend Lenny. Lenny was upset because of how badly the Isotopes were playing.
While speaking with Isotopes owner Howard K. Duff VIII, Homer saw evidence that the Isotopes were planning to move to Albuquerque. Duff denies that the team is moving and gets his “muscle” (Duff Beer mascot Duff Man) to silence Homer. Homer then went to multiple media outlets with the news, but was ignored due to a lack of evidence. Finally, Homer decided to go on a hunger-strike and chain himself to the outside of the stadium to raise awareness. After his hunger-strike drew a large crowd, Mr. Duff moved Homer inside the stadium and used him as a promotion, known as Hungry, Hungry Homer. After 12 days, Homer became too thin and smelly, so the team decided to release him. In a public unchaining ceremony, Homer was offered a hot dog by Mr. Duff. Sticking to the episode’s theme of Homer acting uncharacteristically, Homer observantly noticed that the hot dog had Southwest toppings on it. The fans then noticed the packaging that said Albuquerque Isotopes. Homer finally had the proof he needed to prove the team’s plan to relocate. The grateful fans showered their hero, Homer, in food which he quickly and gratefully ate.
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The best part about the Springfield/Albuquerque Isotopes is that this is a case where pop culture impacted baseball. The episode “Hungry, Hungry Homer” was written by former Tidewater Tides broadcaster Ken Levine. When the Calgary Cannons moved to New Mexico in 2003, the teams allowed fans to vote on the team name. The Albuquerque version of the Calgary Cannon franchise would be the Isotopes. Fans overwhelmingly voted for the Isotopes name, as it netted 67 percent of the 120,000 votes cast. Not only is the team name popular due to The Simpsons connection, but also fits the region. As the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory, and Trinity Test Site are all near Albuquerque, and all are related to atomic research in some form, it is a rather fitting name.
This #Popups took another fun look at The Simpsons. This just goes to show, you never know when pop culture may have an impact on baseball. Also, you never know where the Simpson family may pop up.
Nate Tweedie is the manager of on-site learning at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
