straw that stirs the drink

• Possibly originating in 1977 with a widely-reported self-descriptive remark by baseball player Reggie Jackson.

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

straw that stirs the drink (plural straws that stir the drink)

1. (idiomatic, almost always preceded by the) The person who stimulates or inspires a group; the major factor affecting a trend or set of developments.
   • 1977 May 26, Dave Anderson, “Reggie's woes”, in Star-News, North Carolina, USA, retrieved 19 October 2012, page 7D:

     Reggie Jackson . . . apparently presumed his charisma would assume command of the clubhouse. . . . " I'm the straw that stirs the drink," Reggie Jackson is quoted by Robert Ward in Sport magazine. "It all comes back to me."

   • 1993 December 7, Jonathan Fuerbringer, “Credit Markets: Bond Prices Continuing to Rally”, in New York Times, retrieved 19 October 2012:

     "We have priced in 4 percent growth in the fourth quarter . . . ," said Alan Levenson, money market economist at UBS Securities. "Growth is the straw that stirs the drink."

   • 2009 December 31, Michael Avila, “Top 10 ‘geek’ movies of the decade”, in NBC News, retrieved 19 October 2012:

     [T]ake a bow, pop culture enthusiasts. You are now the straws that stir the drink. Geeks rule!

   • 2010 March 15, Josh Levine, “The Turbulent Times of Formula One”, in Time:

     [H]e's still the straw that stirs the drink. Ecclestone alone makes the big TV, sponsorship and track deals that keep F1's cash gushing.

• catalyst, instigator, mover and shaker, stimulus

• “straw that stirs the drink”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

• straws that stir the drink