By DEVIN BATES
Intern
On Thursday night, two nationally recognized sports writers squared off at Shortstop Bar and Grille to debate which city, Boston or New York, is the better sports town.
Dan Shaughnessy, a writer for The Boston Globe with over 30 years of experience under his belt, sat with Ken Davidoff of the New York Post to debate which of their respective cities has had the most success throughout their lengthy history.
Davidoff argued that New York has a much larger impact on sports culture and history, citing several barriers that New York has broken in sports.
“I think what makes New York great is that they are a groundbreaker,” said Davidoff. “You have the story of Jackie Robinson, the first African-American athlete in baseball. More recently, you have Jason Collins of the Brooklyn Nets become the first openly gay athlete in American professional sports. Babe Ruth was one of the first stars. Joe Namath became a sex symbol for the NFL.”
Boston Globe sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy, left, squares off against New York Post columnist Ken Davidoff in a friendly debate on the two cities’ greatness Thursday night at Shortstop Bar & Grille. (Photo by Devin Bates)
Dan Shaughnessy chose a much more statistical approach, citing the recent flurry of Boston championships as a major indication of the city’s thriving sports scene.
“From the Red Sox in 2004 to the most recent Patriots title, Boston has had a stretch that can never be replicated,” Shaughnessy said.
The evening began with a short meet-and-greet session, a time for spectators to meet with Shaughnessy and Davidoff one-on-one to discuss their take on the rivalry.
The debate itself featured a series of questioned asked by Players Edge co-owner Dave Sweeney, a key player in bringing the two writers to Westfield for the event.
“We’re here in this great facility, so I thought it’d be fun to do something for the community that would gather interest in this debate,” said Sweeney.
One of the first questions asked of the two writers got to the core of what makes a great sports city; an iconic moment.
“I think the moment has become that Super Bowl we just saw between the Falcons and Patriots,” said Shaughnessy. “For me, however, it’s not really a moment, but a story. That 2004 Red Sox team holds a special place in my heart.”
For Davidoff, the 2001 World Series stood out as a memorable moment in New York history.
“After the tragic events that occurred on 9/11, I think even Boston was rooting for New York,” said Davidoff.
Shaughnessy agreed with the sentiment, citing George W. Bush’s ceremonial first pitch as one of the most powerful moments in modern sports.
“I’m not a political person, but when he threw that pitch right down the middle from the mound, that was special,” Shaughnessy said.
When it comes to rivalries, both writers seemed to feel that collegiate sports seem to be picking up in recent years.
“I think the rise of social media has intensified rivalries,” said Davidoff. “I would put Michigan and Ohio State up against any professional sports rivalry.”
After answering several questions from Sweeney, the two writers fielded questions from the audience about players, coaches and their personal experiences as sports writers.
