Reverse the curse: Is this sign a sign?

April 18, 2004

The "Reverse curve" sign on Storrow Drive as it appeared until last week, when the graffiti was painted over. (Photo / Judith Hourihan)

The ancient "Reverse curve" sign above westbound Storrow Drive at the Longfellow Bridge, which long ago was altered by graffiti to read "Reverse the curse," was recently cleaned up, and some Red Sox fans aren't happy. They say the sign could bring good luck to the Sox, who haven't won a World Series since 1918 and who some say have been cursed since they sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees. The folks over at the Department of Conservation and Recreation, who manage Storrow Drive (and are Sox fans themselves), argue that if the altered sign hasn't brought the Sox a World Series yet, maybe it's actually a bad omen.

Now we want to hear from you: What should be done about the sign? DCR suggests the following three options:

1. Keep the current sign and continue to correct the sign each time it is altered.

2. Remove the old sign because it hasn't broken the curse yet and may, in fact, be contributing to its continuance. Install a new sign that meets federal highway standards (yellow diamond with pictograph).

3. Remove the old sign, find the employees who installed it, and have them present it to the Red Sox as a means of breaking the curse.

Tell us which option you prefer, or weigh in with an original suggestion of your own.

Page 4

Send the sign to New York!

Bob, Walpole

You know what will break this so called "curse"? If people stop talking about it. Have you ever heard of the psychological term "SELF FULFILLING FANTASY"? Well that in my opinion is what is keeping the red sox from breaking through to winning the World Series. I bet you that most every Boston player thinks in their mind that something will go wrong, and then when they do that, something does go wrong. If every red sox fan and ever player just reject the curse idea outright, then maybe they wont do stupid things on the field to cause them to lose.

doug , Paramus New Jersey

I personally like option #3, but with a slight twist: also make miniture models of the sign that can be sold at Fenway, on-line, at Quincy Market, etc. Then donate all of the proceeds from the sale to a charity of the Red Sox' s choice (maybe Dana Farber or the Shriner's Burn Center, something that is local to Bean Town.) Doing that much good has to go at least part of the way to cancelling out the evil that is causing the curse. Repeat as needed every season until we win the Series... Go Sox in 2004-2005!

Bill, Waterbury, CT

I don't really care about the sign, but take a look at the rusted steel and rotted concrete behind the sign in the photo. What's holding that bridge up?

Neil, Groton

Although I do hope the Red Sox can "REVERSE THE CURSE", I don't think this type of vandalism should be tolerated. If a church or school sign was vandalized, even as innocently, there would be a full investigation. I agree that anytime the sign is altered, it should be changed back immediately. Also, those responsible should have charges brought against them.

TF, Chelsea

DIE HARD FAN FROM South Jersey. I had train tix reserved enroute to the WS Parade as soon as Henderson homered in the top of the 10th in game 6 of the '86 Series. As we all know I had to cancel my trip!!! Bring the sign down with the graffitti and present to the Sox to hang somewhere @ Fenway. I don't believe in the curse........., BUT we have to break it!!! :)

george, Atlantic city , new jersey

Lisa from Lynn--not to much room to talk from Lynn...anyways...I'll keep changing it to "REVERSE THE CURSE" each time it's fixed!!!!

Tom, Boston

the reverse curve sign should be a warning to all out of town drivers that boston discourages you driving thru, map or no map, that there are precious few straight roads and that the of the few straight roads they are one way streets going the wrong way. we have spent over 14 billion dollars on the big dig and that was not to make boston easier to drive in but rather to reduce the number of exits entering the city and reducing the risk of strangers being lost forever in the streets of boston. One new sign is not going to solve bostons traffic pattern issues but then again one sign is a budgetary drop in the ocean. "Charlie got lost on the MBTA" because he knew better than to drive himself

john , somerville

Keep the current sign and allow the DCR to clean it up from time to time if they must, but I look at the modified sign as creative art, not graffiti.

John, Woburn

As hard as it may be for even myself to believe, "I don't believe in them curses", as Mr. Martinez was once heard to say. However, I'm sad to see the sign go. Just another little peculiarity about Boston that has disappeared. I guess some folks just want every city to be characterless, bland, and Houston-esque. I can just imagine the one idiot in the highway department freaking out about how "confusing" the sign was. Sorry to see the old boy disappear.

Andrew, Brookline