Comments on: Pinch hitting: This Purist Bleeds Pinstripes

By: ray

ray — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 22:47:34 +0000

Rebecca,
You have a real gift for writing and your piece today even made this old Red Sox fan think about going to a game this year at Yankee Stadium!

By: Old Ranger

Old Ranger — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:59:44 +0000

Another Micky story…
I forget the year (56/57) the game was all tied up in 9th. Mick had a bad nite batting, so he lays down a bunt. Needless to say he beat it out, so anyhow he starts waving at Yogi. Yogi steps out of the batters box and looks down at mick, mick starts pointing at himself and then motions to 2nd base. Yogi steps back in and the pitcher throws a ball as micky slides into 2nd base. Now we all know that Yogi was the best bad ball hitter of all time, so whats next? About this time people start to get what is going on and start yelling go, go, go! So, Mick brushes himself off and dose the same thing again, only the pitcher spins and throws to 2nd…bad move, Micky had taken off for 3rd on the first move. By the time they relayed to 3rd, it was to late. Yogi hit a fly ball to win the game. The crowd went batty, people jumping around laughing, dumping beer etc.

By: Luke

Luke — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:30:21 +0000

Hey Buddy Biancalana,

Roy Smalley’s grand slam! It came against the Cleveland Indians. It was my first Yankee game, and the Yankees won 11-something. I was six years old. My Dad and I sat in the grandstand on the third base line… I’ll never forget Roy Smalley for that.

By: FLM

FLM — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 04:36:09 +0000

Rebecca,
great job, I’ve been reading this blog for months now and you’ve inspired my first post. My first yankee stadium memory came when I was about 10 years old, and I was with my parents and my aunt and uncle, it was a game against Toronto and we sat in right field behind Dave Winfield. Someone from Toronto hit a homerun that was tipped by some guy right in front of us, that kept my uncle pete from getting the ball. 21 years later and many many games, it’s still the closest I’ve come to getting a ball. As far as my favorite memories, it’s a toss up between hearing the stadium echo with chants of USA! USA! as the President tossed out the first pitch against the Diamondbacks in 2001. I was as high in the left field upper deck as you can get and was able to see Airforce One land on the baseball fields behind the Stadium! I was also fortunate enough to be in the left field bleachers as Aaron Boone sent the Yanks to the Series in 2003! I’ve never felt the Stadium vibrate with such poor joy and excitement! I actually picked up and gave a spinning bearhug to a NYC police officer as I was jumping in the stands! Let’s just hope that the old ghosts are ready to relocate as well and find their way next door as many new october memories are formed!

By: Ranting Guy

Ranting Guy — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 04:02:55 +0000

Dougko – I was just too lazy to go to Yahoo and log on. I was already hereso what the heck.

I won`t bet cash against those guys this year but Matthew will definitely hear about it if the Pats lose.

By: Thomo

Thomo — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 02:13:17 +0000

Rebecca,

a well crafted post. you have a rich writing style – keep working at it – you have real potential should you want to earn your living as a writer in the future.

as for the stadium memories you evoked from me…my first visit was in 1956- Mickey’s triple crown year – although I surely did not know what a triple crown was back then.

By: Dougko

Dougko — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 02:11:03 +0000

RANTING GUY

429 Central Ave
White Plains, NY 10606

(914) 946-3609

A few blocks North of Battle Hill. Google it.

By the way you could have just e-mailed me.
Or are you waiting until the Giants beat the pats so we can hassle Matthew together.

Use the Yahoo address.

By: Vince

Vince — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 02:07:21 +0000

When I was about to turn 9 years old I went to my third Yankee game and we took my best friend to his first trip ever to yankee stadium and first professional sporting event. It was also his first time eating cotton candy. I was with him and my parents and Dwight Gooden was facing an impossible Mariners lineup. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to see Mattingly or Griffey more, but I knew I was in for a good game. Needless to say the Yankees only mustered two runs, one of them thanks to an error.

But on this May 14th, 1996 night, two runs were good enough because Dwight Gooden, having once been the future of baseball-turned drug addict, pitched a no-hitter. Soda and Beer fell from the upper deck, people danced on limos and the prison across the street chanted “lets go yankees” for hours after the game was complete. An old man turned around to my friend and I and told us never to forget the moment because we may never see it again.

The night was magical and never to be forgotten.

And because you are capable of conjuring up memories such as those where each person benefits from his or her own experience, I have to say this is my favorite post, Rebecca. Great job and there are not many of us that can put what it’s like to experience Yankee Stadium magic so eloquently.

By: Paul Fiore

Paul Fiore — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:57:32 +0000

Great post, Rebecca. I even remember my first time at Yankee Stadium when I was about 8 years old (Circa 1993). I was very excited when I found out my Dad got tickets. I was excited that I hurt my neck and I couldn’t move it at all until I fell asleep for more than 5 hours. When I saw the Yankees game, as a kid, your amazed right off the get go because of the aura it brings. The point is I will still remember my first time at Yankee Stadium and all the moments they’ve had like the Leyritz’s home run off Mark Wholers (Sp) in the ‘96 World Series, Jeter’s home run in the ‘96 ALCS, etc.

For Tom in MA, I’m sorry for your loss man.

By: YankeeJosh

YankeeJosh — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 23:12:00 +0000

Rebecca, thanks again for this post. It was so great reading everyone’s memories of the Stadium. Given all the debate lately about steroids, a Santana trade, Bernie and Cashman, it was so nice to go and read a post without arguing and that let us all remember why we are fans of the greatest team in the history of American sports.

Fabulous job.