308 - Take Me Out To The Class War feat. Andy Gittlitz
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In this richly layered episode of Iron Weeds, host Chris welcomes Andy Gittlitz, author of 'Metropolitan's New York Baseball Class Struggle and the People's Team,' to explore the radical political undercurrents of the New York Mets and baseball's role in American class struggle. The conversation traces the Mets' historical ties to leftist movements—from 1960s sit-ins by minor league players to Tom Seaver's anti-war World Series dedication—and contrasts this with the Yankees' transformation from populist symbol to elite capitalist icon. Andy argues that the Mets have become a cultural vessel for working-class identity, fandom, and collective joy, especially through grassroots fan culture, DIY zines, and inclusive communities like the trans girl baseball league. The discussion expands to broader themes: the commodification of sports, the mechanization of baseball through instant replay and AI, the normalization of sports gambling, and the eerie parallels between AI's potential for systemic collapse and the mythos of technological apocalypse. The episode closes on a hopeful note, celebrating the 2024 Mets' 'gay grimace' season as a fleeting but powerful moment of communal joy and solidarity, reminding listeners that while friendship and culture can't win the revolution alone, they are essential fuel for it.
Baseball’s history is deeply intertwined with labor organizing—sit-down strikes began on a baseball diamond in Akron, Ohio, in 1935.
The Mets’ identity as the 'people’s team' is not just a meme but rooted in real historical resistance and populist energy.
The Yankees were once a symbol of working-class rebellion (thanks to Babe Ruth), but were later co-opted into a symbol of elite capitalism.
Sports gambling and AI-driven instant replay are eroding the human, contingent nature of sports, turning them into algorithmic spectacles.
Fan culture—zines, friendship bracelets, inclusive leagues—can be a form of revolutionary practice, building affinity groups and solidarity.
…and 2 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Welcome & The Mets as the People's Team
Chris welcomes Andy Gittlitz, author of 'Metropolitan's New York Baseball Class Struggle and the People's Team,' and sets the stage by discussing the Mets' upcoming book events and their symbolic role as a leftist fanbase. The episode begins with a playful yet pointed exploration of why leftists should care about the Mets.
The Radical Origins of Baseball
“It all began on this baseball diamond and typically American fashion.”
Babe Ruth, the Yankees, and the Whitewashing of History
“They took his Yankee years and then reverse engineer what they're trying to turn the Yankees into into what Babe Ruth stood for which is actually the exact opposite.”
The Politics of the Strike Zone & Umpire as Athlete
“The strike zone itself is a bit of an abstraction. It has to do with the height of the player. It has to do with their stance. And obviously the catcher manipulates the way the umpire perceives a ball on a strike in various ways.”
Gambling, AI, and the Commodification of Sport
The conversation turns to the normalization of sports gambling and its impact on baseball. Andy argues that the rise of prediction markets and AI-driven instant replay are not just technological advances but ideological shifts that strip sport of its unpredictability and human drama, turning athletes into data points.
“They have to form affinity groups and link and build a revolutionary party from the ground up. Fuck yeah.”
“They took his Yankee years and then reverse engineer what they're trying to turn the Yankees into into what Babe Ruth stood for which is actually the exact opposite.”
“The power of friendship. That's what 2024 was. But you know what? It doesn't get you all the way there. You gotta fight.”
Host
Guest
The Mets
other
The Yankees
other
Babe Ruth
person
Andy Gittlitz
person
Trump
person
Anthropic
organization
Mythos
other
CLR James
person
Zoran
person
2024 Mets Season
other
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