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 5

Doesn't matter what you do with the sign; the results are again going to be the same! It's not the sign; it's the karma around the whole team!!!!

Peter, Wood-Ridge

Bythis time next week some BU fraternity will add back the "the" and change the "v" to a "s".....make a deal with the rec dept. Keep it like that until we win a WS...then there's no need for the sign!

David, Waltham

It's can't be a bad thing that the sign was changed. We've changed everything else. Players, Managers, Owners, Sports Writers, Uniforms, Ballpark vendors and even the original design of Fenway Park since 'the curse' happened. Perhaps this is the final piece. Perhaps not. But I believe in them! Go Sox!

Patrick , Macungie,PA

Are you kidding me? The sign is harmless. It used to remind me of the passion that the people here have for baseball. If the Department of Conservation and Recreation needs some work to do, they should fix the bridge holding that sign. It looks like it needs some attention.

Brian, Norwood

definetely option #2. the city does not need to waste money on ending this in a ceremonious way. please... if the sign is not complying to federal standards, then maybe its time it does, since it is connected to federal highways (hello, big dig).

Eduardo, Boston MA

Put up a new sign. Superstition, although a large part of baseball lore, does not win games.

jay, nashua

Replace the sign with a proper one up to federal highway standards that reads: "Reverse the curse"!

Geoff, Somerville

Take the original sign down, make it say reverse the curse for real, have a big ceremony, make all current Red Sox players kiss the sign(similar to the kissing of the blarney stone) and put it back up there! Oh...and right next to it you can put one of those yellow signs...

Lisa , Saco, Maine

I loved the "reverse the curse" sign on Storrow drive, and Im sad that it was replaced with the original "reverse curve" sign.

Adam Motenko, Brookline

You people in Boston are PA -THETIC! This is exactly why you'll always be a bunch of losers. You think obsessing over an old highway sign that "long ago was altered by graffiti" and speculating about curses and omens like superstitious old fishwives is gonna change a thing? If I could manage to take it seriously for a second it would be so sad and least of all for the team. As it is, I can't stop laughing long enough to offer my condolences, A PROUD NEW YORKER!

Kryche , Wethersfield