Rooting for the Yankees is like...

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21 October 1953, Sporting News, pg. 1, col. 5:
Give or take a syllable or two, the most significant quip to come out of  the
World Series press box during the late departed classic was: "Rooting
against the Yankees is like rooting against U.S. Steel." The author could  scarcely
have called upon a more powerful simile.
...
It ranks up there with the one coined after someone had dusted off Phil
Rizzuto and in the next inning three rival batters had to sit down in a hurry to
keep from being brained. The crack then was: "Throwing at Phil is like hitting
a  cop."
...
The last crack may expire eventually from disuse because there is only one
Phil Rizzuto and he isn't getting any younger, but they're likely to be talking
 about, and linking, the Yankees and the nation's No. 1 steel corporation for
 some time to come.
...
...
6 January 1954, Sporting News, pg. 36, col. 1:
Best gag line in the stands came from Jim Little, the TV actor, who said,
"Rooting against the Yankees is like rooting against United States Steel."
...
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LARRY URDANG COMMENT ON ANS-L
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It was a minor thing that brought forth that comment.
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This is all part of my promotion for the world tour of: THE TWO LARRYS!
URDANG AND HORN! LINGUISTICS! LAFFS!