ABC News Defeats NBC News in Baseball Bet -- With a Goatee Intact

Oct. 23, 2009— -- Every time a sports championship rolls around, the mayors of the two competing cities make a hokey bet that generally involves the most well-known food from each city.

Chowder is on the line when it's a New England team. Cheesesteaks are a staple of all bets involving Philadelphia.

But when two Washington political journalists make a sports bet, the wager gets a bit more creative -- and more personal.

A friendly wager on baseball's National League pennant could have ended with NBC White House correspondent and political director Chuck Todd shaving the signature goatee he has sported for nearly seven years.

Instead two charities -- one benefiting an ob-gyn in Pakistan and another that helps homeless and addicted men and women -- are $1000 richer.

It all began last Monday when the defending World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies pulled off a come-from-behind victory in the bottom of the 9th inning to beat the Colorado Rockies and earn a spot in the National League Championship Series.

Once the winning run crossed home plate, Jake Tapper, ABC News' senior White House correspondent, a Philadelphia native, aimed some good-natured taunting on Twitter at Todd, his NBC counterpart and avowed fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"Dodgers win, I grow a goatee, Phils win, [Todd] shaves it?" Tapper tweeted.

Todd seemed hesitant to take the bet from the start.

"So, I'm supposed to put the goatee in the hands of one-time Phillie castoff, Vicente Padilla? Really?" he said of the Los Angeles pitcher.

In the Goatee Gamble, Can NBC's Todd Save Face?

Though at times it looked like it may not happen, the terms of the bet came together before the start of the championship series last Thursday.

The goatee rule was still in effect but an opt-out clause was added -- remember these are television correspondents and appearance does matter.

In order to literally save face, the loser could donate $1,000 to the charity of the winner's choice.

Tapper chose Dr. Shershah Syed, an ob-gyn who has devoted himself to saving poor women in his native Pakistan from complications during pregnancy. Todd chose Samaritan Inns, which provides housing and recovery services to homeless and addicted men and women.

On Wednesday night, the Phillies finished off the Dodgers, winning the best of seven series 4-1 to advance to the World Series.

As the fireworks started in Philadelphia, so did the Tapper taunting on Twitter.

"It's great, because at home I have my baby son, and at work I will have @chucktpolitical whose chin will soon be smooth as a baby's behind," Tapper wrote.

Despite the loss, Todd was a good sport.

"Congrats to the Phils @jaketapper," he tweeted. "Good news is I'll get to sleep earlier for the rest of the playoffs. As for the bet, well ... Stay tuned..."

On Thursday, Todd was still rocking the goatee -- and still being coy about his plan to pay up the bet.

It seemed like some of his colleagues at NBC News may be pushing for him to get rid of the facial hair.

"So, apparently, Chuck's going to have to shave live on TV, we're going to have to do that... he's going to look like a 17-year-old," said "Today Show" anchor Matt Lauer Thursday morning.

Even White House press secretary Robert Gibbs got in on the ribbing and offered up space at the White House for the trimming.

"Apparently, there used to be, many moons ago, a White House barber -- that office now occupied by the White House photographer. But I'm sure they'd move the fancy computers out and we could get a little space," Gibbs said at his briefing Thursday.

But on Friday morning, Todd said he had cut checks of $1000 to both his and Tapper's charity.

Washington Press Corps Takes Sides, Weighs In

They may be impartial in their day jobs, but members of the Washington press corps were not shy in voicing their opinion on how the bet should end.

Christina Bellantoni of Talking Points Memo thinks Todd needs to hold up his end of the bet and whip out the razor.

"How about this: Chuck should have a public event for the makeover and charge $5 per viewing. He can donate that haul instead," Bellantoni said.

Politico's Patrick Gavin, who has been egging on Tapper and Todd on Twitter, thinks Todd should get out his checkbook.

"I actually think that if Chuck doesn't shave his goatee and, instead, gives the money to charity, it'd be a huge victory for humanity," Gavin said. "First, Jake's great charity would benefit. And, second, it'd be a much-needed thorn in the side of those who would rather see someone without a goatee than for women in Pakistan to be helped."

Others agreed.

"Chuck's best bet at this point is to cut a check. I'm worried about a Samson situation: If the goatee goes, so does all his political pundit power," said Real Clear Politics' Mike Memoli. "He may never regain his ability to calculate delegate math."

Ken Baer, spokesman for the Office of Management and Budget and loyal Phillies fan, suggested a creative twist.

"To commemorate Jayson Werth's two startling home runs on woeful Dodger pitching, Chuck should shave his goatee down to a Jayson Werth soul patch," Baer said of the funky facial hair on the Phillies right fielder.

CBS News' Mark Knoller, who may be a bit defensive about facial hair given the thick beard he has had since 1975, took issue with the terms of the bet.

"I'm sure I'm not alone in denouncing the idea of wagering on one's beard," he said. "Just think of the great people who have had beards: Lincoln, Freud, Darwin, to name but a few. You wouldn't see me and Wolf Blitzer betting on our beards."

Knoller suggested Tapper and Todd "wager on something with less meaning and value -- such as money."

Tapper said Thursday that he would prefer Todd donate to Dr. Syed and said he would match the donation.

"As much as I'd enjoy a clean-shaven Chuck, I'd rather see his money go to Dr. Syed's work," Tapper said.

Others were still hoping that Todd would break out the razor.

Politico's Gavin suggested that Todd could "just shave it and auction off the remains for charity ... a win-win."