Pregame ceremony: Celebrating two Yankees giants
Posted by: Sam Borden - Posted in Misc on Jul 16, 2010 
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The ceremony to honor George Steinbrenner and Bob Sheppard will begin in a moment. For those watching at home, here are a few things to look out for:
• As a tribute to Sheppard, the public address system will go silent throughout tonight’s game.
• There will be a special video tribute to The Boss and, after the video, two long-stem roses will be laid across home plate to honor both men.
• A moment of silence will then be held, followed by a rendition of “Taps,” which will be performed by Staff Sergeant Mikki Skinner, a bugler with the West Point Band. U.S. Army Sergeant First Class MaryKay Messenger will then perform the national anthem, while the West Point Color Guard presents the colors in deep center field. The field will be left nearly empty in salute of Steinbrenner and Sheppard.
• A wreath was placed in front of The Boss’s statue in the Gate 2 Lobby at the Stadium; another one was placed in front of Sheppard’s plaque in Monument Park.
• Throughout breaks in the game tonight, videotaped messages and memories of Steinbrenner will be played on the stadium boards.
• A video tribute to Sheppard will be shown before tomorrow’s game.
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We’ll have the regular game post up just before first pitch. Considering the circumstances tonight, it seemed appropriate to have a separate post for the pregame ceremony.
Rest In Peace
this is an emotional ceremony to say the least
does this mean first pitch will be delayed.
Beautiful tribute to the Boss……
Very moving tribute to the Boss…and it was very poignant, seeing the roses on home plate while Taps (a truly beautiful, haunting melody) was played.
if anybody is watching the game via MLB Network, would you mind sharing if the feed
is the Yankees MY9 or the rays tv network?
thanks in advance
Yankees always do things right. Very emotional and fitting tribute to the boss as well as sheppard
MLB Network has the YES crew.
Laura-Thanks for the info. I was hoping the baseball game would be televised via the Yankees feed and not the rays tv broadcast.
I had read some comments about how poorly the Steinbrenner patch was, as well as wonderings from some about why the tribute wasn’t going to be longer.
In my view, the patch, in its understated way, looks like it belongs right above the interlocking NY. Arm patches for players or other memorable members of the Yankees is fine, but this was the Boss, no other place than over the heart is correct.
The tribute was excellent. Not over the top. No need to get maudlin. Yankee fans know what he meant to the team, to the organization, and this tribute was enough to evoke the right mix of pride, of sadness, and projections of hope for the continued success of the Yankees.
Very nicely done, as the Yankees usually do.
I had read some comments about how poorly the Steinbrenner patch was, as well as wonderings from some about why the tribute wasn’t going to be longer.
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I still think the whole oval-shaped patch with his real name goes too far. If they just the word “BOSS” above the NY, that would have represented George perfectly.