The Green Weenie was a sportsgimmick inPittsburgh,Pennsylvania, co-created byBob Prince (1916–1985), thebroadcaster for thePittsburgh PiratesMajor League Baseball team, and Piratetrainer Danny Whelan.[1] It was most popular during the1966 season. The Green Weenie was manufactured by Tri-State Plastics, a Pittsburgh plastic thermoforming company between 1967 and 1974 and during the1989 season.
The Green Weenie was a green plastic rattle in the shape of ahot dog, which, when waved at opposing players, purportedly put ajinx on them. Conversely, when waved at Pirate players it allegedly bestowed good luck.[1] In September, theH.J. Heinz Co. offered a three-foot (0.9 m) inflatable version for onedollar.[2]
Thesuperstition began during a 1966 game against theHouston Astros, when Whelan shouted from thedugout at Astros' pitcherDave Giusti, "You're gonna walk him!" while waving a green rubber hot dog in the direction of thepitcher's mound. Giusti did walk the batter, and the Astros lost the game. During the next game's broadcast, Prince quizzed Whelan about the frankfurter incident, and the gimmick was born. Within weeks, Green Weenies were being sold to fans atForbes Field.
The gimmick didn't conjure up apennant for the Pirates in1966, as they finished three games back, swept at home by theGiants in the final three games. Writer Dave Cole has noted thatRoberto Clemente did win that year'sNational LeagueMVP Award,Matty Alou won theNational League batting title,Bill Mazeroski led the league indouble plays, andWillie Stargell had his personal best year in batting.
According to the August 12, 1966 issue ofTime magazine, however, the hex of the Green Weenie sometimes seemed to work: "When the Pirates played the Giants two weeks ago, Prince pointed a Weenie atJuan Marichal. Marichal won the game, 2–1, but next day he caught the third finger of his pitching hand in a car door and missed two scheduled turns on the mound. In Pittsburgh, the Pirates were trailing thePhiladelphia Phillies 3–1 in the seventh inning when Prince's fellow announcerDon Hoak begged Bob to use the Weenie. 'Not yet,' said Prince. In the eighth inning, with Pittsburgh still behind by two runs, Prince finally waved the Weenie. The Pirates scored four runs and won the game 5–3. 'Remember,' said Prince to Hoak. 'Never waste the power of the Green Weenie.'"
The Green Weenie was revived several times during subsequent seasons, but failed to stay popular with fans.
In1974, Prince invented anothertalisman, encouraging female fans to spark a Pirates rally by waving theirbabushkas (folded kerchiefs used as head coverings, especially byEast European women, a large immigrant minority in Pittsburgh). "Babushka Power", as it was called, most likely inspired theTerrible Towel, another sports gimmick created a year later by sportscasterMyron Cope for thePittsburgh Steelers, the city'sfootball team. The Terrible Towel has remained popular with Steeler fans for over thirty years.
