Santa Claus Curse (New York Mets)

The New York Mets hold an annual Christmas party for New York City schoolchildren. The “Santa Claus curse” holds that the Mets player who dresses up as Santa Claus the following year suffers a major injury, has a large drop in production, and/or is traded away from the team.
 
The “Santa curse” began in 2004, when Mike Cameron dressed as Santa Claus. The following year, he suffered a major injury. In 2005, Kris Benson dressed as Santa Claus. The 2005 Christmas party was notable mostly for Benson’s wife, Anna Benson, who wore a low-cut costume. Kris Benson then had a poor season and was traded away from the Mets.
 
David Wright played Santa in 2006, and then had a career year in 2007. However, he also played Santa in 2010 and had an injury-filled year in 2011.
 
     
New York (NY) Times—Bats blog
December 17, 2008, 11:55 pm
You Better Watch Out
By JAY SCHREIBER
In recent years, the Mets have had various players take on the role of Santa Claus at the team’s Christmas party, and more often than not it has not led to the best of luck the next season. Mike Cameron, the 2004 Santa, had a serious outfield collision with Carlos Beltrán the following August that put him on the disabled list for the remainder of the season.
 
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SportsNation
‏@SportsNation
Could there be a Curse of Santa? The Mets are making it seem possible… (read the part at the bottom) http://tinyurl.com/y944a2k
11:22 AM - 16 Dec 09
   
Mets Cetera by Anthony DiComo
December 9, 2010
The New York Mets and the curse of Santa Claus
Beware, Mets fans: the team revealed Tuesday that David Wright will play the role of Santa Claus at next Tuesday’s holiday party, one of the club’s most popular annual charitable endeavors. But like an action shot on the cover of Sports Illustrated or an appointment to defend the dark arts at Hogwarts, it is not an honor to be taken lightly.
(...)
You’ll notice one year missing from the story: 2006, the only only other time Wright played the role of Santa Claus. All Wright did the following year was enjoy the best overall season of his professional career, winning a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger and perhaps proving he is immune to the curse.
 
That’s the gamble, at least, that the Mets are taking in 2010.
     
The Wall Street Journal
NY METS
Curse of the Mets’ Santa Suit
Playing Santa Claus Has Claimed Numerous Victims
By JARED DIAMOND
Dec. 17, 2013 8:23 p.m. ET
(...)
But maybe he shouldn’t feel so safe. After all, he played Santa Claus at the Mets’ annual children’s holiday party on Tuesday—the most doomed role this side of Broadway.
 
The Mets’ Curse of the Santa Suit began nearly a decade ago, and it has claimed numerous victims. In almost every instance, the player tasked with dressing up as St. Nick at the annual party either sustained a major injury, left the team or saw a huge drop in production the very next season.
(...)
2004: Mike Cameron
Cameron played Santa the same winter the Mets acquired star outfielder Carlos Beltran, forcing him to relinquish his familiar spot in center field and slide over to right. That following season, Cameron was involved in a horrific outfield collision with Beltran, suffering a concussion and multiple fractures of his nose and cheekbones. He exited the field on a stretcher and never played another game for the Mets.
 
2005: Kris Benson
The kids at the party that year remember seeing Benson in a funny red suit. The adults remember seeing Benson’s outspoken wife, Anna, in a different sort of outfit. She came to the party dressed in a skimpy Mrs. Claus outfit, far too revealing for a family-friendly event. A month later the Mets dealt Benson—and his wife—to Baltimore.
 
Mets Cetera by Anthony DiComo
The Mets and the Curse of Kris Kringle (2013 Edition)
The Mets hosted their annual children’s holiday party on Tuesday, with Daniel Murphy reprising the role of Santa Claus that he first played in 2011. He should know better. The suit is cursed, and has betrayed him before.
(...)
The Year: 2011
The Santa: Daniel Murphy
The Fallout: Perhaps Murphy ended the curse once and for all? It was not until after tearing ligaments in both knees that Murphy played Santa in 2011, still recovering from the second injury. Though he recovered to play a full healthy season in 2012, Murphy did not enjoy the same type of success that he had in 2011.
 
The Year: 2012
The Santa: John Franco
The Cameo: R.A. Dickey
The Fallout: The Mets wised up in 2012, using a former player instead of a current one for their Santa. It didn’t matter. Despite not receiving an original invite, Dickey attended the party as well, using it as a platform to express disappointment with his contract negotiations. A week later, the Mets traded him to the Blue Jays.
   
Bleacher Report—Swagger
Forget Madden, This New York Mets Santa Curse Sounds Terrifying
BY GABE ZALDIVAR (POP CULTURE LEAD WRITER) ON DECEMBER 18, 2013
(...)
Ackert also reminds fans of the Santa Curse, which has hobbled and derailed many a fine Met in the past and supposedly started with Mike Cameron in 2004.
 
It begins with a player wearing the Santa suit for the organization’s holiday party for schoolchildren, something Murphy did on Tuesday.
 
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Rob Schmidt
‏@RobSchmidt89
“Player tasked w dressing up as Santa either sustained major injury, left team or saw huge drop in production.” http://on.wsj.com/1bSrj4V  #Mets
8:21 AM - 19 Dec 13