Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Yankees Announce All Star Game Ticket Opportunity

Yankees announced today that they are giving fans a possible opportunity to purchase MLB All Star game tickets on a lottery style basis. If you want a shot at these tickets log on to Yankees.com and fill out the form. While all season ticket holders will be getting a chance for tickets, it is still recommended that you also enter your name in the drawing to increase your chances of being offered tickets. They did not mention what the price of these tickets will be.

For more information about All Star Tickets and
All Star voting go to.

I am hoping to get my hands on a pair of tickets, but if my ticket plan fails to produce any opportunity to buy them I fear they will be out of reach for me, with pairs going upward of $1,000!

Monday, April 28, 2008

April 28, 1985 - Billy Martin Named Yankee Manager Again!

On this day in 1985 Billy Martin was named New York Yankees manager for the fourth time! This little piece of information got me to thinking about 1985 Yankee season and The Bronx Zooera.

The season began with Yogi Berra as Yankee manager of the club but was abruptly fired by George Steinbrenner after only three weeks into the season. Berra had been re assured by Steinbrenner that he would be allowed to complete one full season without fear of being fired. Stienbrenner not only went back on his word, but he did not even confront Berra face to face. He had King Clyde do the dirty work for him.

Steinbrenner then, went ahead and hired Billy Martin for the fourth time. He was hired and fired once more before this dysfunctional Martin/Steinbrenner relationship finally came to an end with Billy Martin's death in 1989.

Yogi vowed never to return to Yankee Stadium again until George Steinbrenner was no longer there. This feud lasted for almost 15 years. Even when a monument to Berra was erected in Monument Park in on August 22, 1988 Yogi did not attend. It wasn't until July 18, 1999 that Berra returned to the Bronx. That day was designated Yogi Berra Day by the New York Yankees in order to celebrate Yogi's return. We all know what happened that day! That was the day David Cone pitched his perfect game with Yogi and Don Larsen in attendance. I had the great honor to be at that game, as well as David Wells perfect game a year earlier. But I will save those stories for another time!

During the off season a trade brought Rickie Henderson the Yankees from the Oakland A's. The Yankees then signed him to a five-year deal. He went on to set a club record of 80 stolen bases that year bringing the Yankees much needed speed on the bases. Not only did Rickie prove to be fast on the bases but he scored 146 runs that season. It was the most runs scored in a season since Ted Williams scored 150 runs for the Red Sox in 1945.

Don Mattingly was AL MVP that year putting together his second straight season of 200 hits, with 48 doubles, 143 RBI's. He hit for a .324 average with 35 home runs. Donnie Baseball at its best.


Of course what I remember most is the fight that broke out after a game in the Hotel Baltimore between Billy Martin and pitcher Ed Whitson. The drunken brawl broke out in the bar and soon spread to other parts of the hotel, leaving Martin with a broken arm.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Today in Yankee Stadium History-Honoring the Babe

April 27, 1947-Babe Ruth Day. On this day in 1947, a crowd of over 58,000 fans turned out to honor their ailing hero.

In Yankee families, history and stories of Yankee legends are passed from generation to generation. Never having the pleasure of seeing the Babe play I can only watch these old newsreels and recall my grandfathers stories. I wonder what he would say if he knew what was happening to his house.

Monday, April 21, 2008

Mass at the Cathedral


Yankee Stadium truly became the cathedral in the Bronx yesterday with Pope Benedict XVI visit. The stadium never looked more beautiful. The pope said mass before a crowd of 60,000 people. Many Vatican analysts have said that the Pope's real mission during his visit to the United States was to keep American Catholic's in the flock as many have left the church in recent years. Whatever his mission, I do feel that his trip earlier in the day to Ground Zero provided much needed comfort and healing families and survivors of 9/11.

This is my favorite photo of the Pope in the Yankee Dugout. I hope he blessed it! We need all the help we can get.


Tuesday, April 1, 2008

April Fool's Day


That's right folk's, April Fool's Day came early in the Bronx. It was supposed to be Opening Day (April Fools!) but instead the crowd waited for hours in a steady, cold rain and mist for a game that management clearly never intended to play...that is until we had shelled out $17 bucks to park and paid for all the $5 hot chocolate we could drink.

That's okay. We are seasoned Yankee fans and can not be deterred. We will gladly shell out more $$$ tomorrow night at 7:30 pm for a chance to see our boys take the field!

Saturday, March 29, 2008

The Last Opening Day


As Opening Day approaches, the heaviness in my heart increases. The thought that this will be our last Opening Day in this ballpark, my home, is incomprehensible to me. I am not here to debate whether or not the Yankees needed a new stadium. By all modern standards, they probably did. Besides, the Steinbrenner's were never going to consult me on this one anyway!

I am here to celebrate what this building has meant to me, to reminisce, to share photos and stories with others and to chronicle our last season here. I hope you will share your memories with me.