Saturday, August 2, 2008

Live Blogging Old Timer's Day

Crappy weather, but hopefully it holds off during today's festivities. They started things out with Michael Kay interviewing the newest Hall of Famer, Goose Gossage.

1:38 PM - A tribute to Bobby Murcer, who was always miked during the OT games.

1:45 PM - Kim Jones talks to new OT attendee Tino Martinez. Some great stories from The Bamtino, including a funny one involving Moose Skowron riding him over the years for not wearing socks to the ball park.

1:51 PM - Paul O'Neill and Al Leiter on field and in uniform. Paulie's 2nd OT game, the 1st for Leiter. Paulie is already hoarse.

1:54 PM - A pre-recorded Bob Sheppard welcomes everyone to Yankee Stadium. Ed Randall, a great baseball man, will do today's intros.

Okay, actually John Sterling and Michael Kay will be doing the intros, Ed Randall just intro'ed them.

As corny as Sterling is, boy does he have the pipes. Kay always sound like he has a mouthful of phlegm (hope you weren't eating).

1:58 PM - The first player introduced is Paul Blair. One of the best CFers we ever say.

1:59 PM - "Tolly", Wayne Tolleson

Jay Johnstone...hard to still imagine he was a Yankee. Also Sterling's 1st radio partner.

And now yes, has lost the sound as Brian Doyle, one of the heroes of the '78 WS, gets intro'ed.

2:00 PM - Rich Monteleone

Steve Balboni or "Balbummy" as we sometimes called him.

The sound is back - Ron Blomberg, the first DH in MLB history. Injuries kept him from a big career.

Mickey Klutts: Not much applause, more "who??"

Scott Bradley: Smooth hitter, never quite had the career we expected. Now head coach at Princeton.

Gil Patterson: A much better pitching coach than he was a pitcher.

Ron Davis: "The Vulture" Won games he blew - was very good and then stupidly traded for Roy Smalley Jr..

Pitching Coach Dave Eiland.

2:04 PM

Pat Kelly - Great to see him back. Still looks like he could play. Had the big home run when the Yankees finally made it back to the playoffs in '95.

Oscar Gamble: The Big "O". No more 'fro, but we always loved the Big O, and how Bob Sheppard would announce his name.

Homer Bush: Wish his career could have been more. What speed in 1998.

2:05 PM

Kevin Maas, the one year wonder. Still looks like a kid.

Bobby Meacham: Lousy player, lousy 3rd base coach.

Jessie Barfield: What a great arm and tremendous power. Never could match the years he had in Toronto.

Al Leiter: ...Who happened to be traded for Barfield. Bad trade.

2:08 PM

Mike Torrez: Our hero in '77 and '78, haha

Ed Figueroa: Great, great regular season pitcher. Stunk in the playoffs. First Puerto Rican born pitcher to win 20 games.

Jim Abbott: You all know the story well. Hard to believe its 15 years since his no-no.

Ken Griffey Jr.: "Before there was Junior, there was Senior". Great intro by Sterling.

2:10 PM

Don Baylor: Always loved seeing him take those big swings. Not too many people remember he was once a tremendous base stealer.

Tony Fernandez: The last Yankee to hit for the cycle in '95.

2:11 PM

Aaron Small: Mr. 10-0 in 2005. What a shock that was and what a tremendous contribution to the Yankees making the post-season.

Tommy John: 288 game winner, much more than just a name on a surgery.

2:12 PM

Mickey Rivers: Mickey the Quick. Thought grammar was a relative. He was so much fun to watch.

Bucky "Bleepin" Dent: :) Hero of the 1 game playoff and the 78 WS MVP. And he hit that home run off Torrez with Rivers' bat.

2:14 PM

Chris Chambliss: There goes that HR off of KC's Mark Littell. The first pennant in 12 years, ending the declinasty. Should have gotten a chance to manage in the bigs.

Jeff Torborg: Long time Yankees coach and a very good major league catcher.

2:15 PM

Buck Showalter: Nice to see him back in Pinstripes for the first time since 1994.

Mike Stanley: The man that caused Joe Girardi to be boo'ed at the Yankee fanfest.

2:16 PM

Graeme Lloyd: What a turnaround. He barely made the post-season roster after being acquired from Milwaukee in '96 and then was dynamite in the playoffs and World Series.

Gene Michael: "The Stick" Give that man a big hand, he helped save the team from George.

2:17 PM

Ramiro Mendoza: What a 1999 playoff series he had against Boston.

Jimmy Key: What a tremendous acquisition. Gave the team credibility, and won the clincher in the '96 WS. He's silver and bald - it has been a while.

2:19 PM

Luis Sojo: "Coney, how come you don't have a dance?" Everyone loves Luis.

Joe Pepitone: 1st hair dryer in the clubhouse - for a toupee no less.

2:20 PM

Al Downing: A great pitcher, mostly remembered for surrending Hank Aaron's 715th home run while a member of the Dodgers.

Jerry Coleman: Hall of Fame broadcaster, but had a great career as the Scooter's double play partner.

2:21 PM

Eli Grba: 1959-1960 Yankees. Obviously not too well remembered by the crowd.

Andy Carey: 3rd Baseman from 1952-1960. Unfortunately, in a wheelchair.

2:22 PM

Charlie Silvera: '48-'56. I remember seeing these guys in 1972-73.

2:23 PM

Horace Clarke: I just had a nightmare flashback to the late '60s/early '70s.

Luis Arroyo: Unbelievable 1961 season as a closer before there were closers.

2:24 PM

Dr. Bobby Brown: Great 3rd baseman, former AL League President.

Hector Lopez: '59 - '66; tremendous sub (that's from others, not our recollection). Always comes to OT day.

2:25 PM

Rickey "I love me" Henderson: I actually hear a few boo's while Sterling intro's. Nice hand though.

Is Billy Crystal considered an old-timer?

2:26 PM

Tim "Rock" Raines: What a graet hitter. Definite Hall consideration.

Jeff Nelson: A big combo with Stanton (all but '96) in the pen in 4 WS.

2:27 PM

Daryl Strawberry: "The Straw" gets a big hand. Stay clean Straw.

David Wells: Look at Boomer! He may ask for a tryout while he's here. Did Sterling really just say he had many "huge" victories- with a wink in his voice.

2:28 PM

David Cone: Actually, Coney and Wells probably couldn't be worse than the current back end of the rotation.

2:29 PM

Some guy named Joe Girardi. ;)

Little Dante Girardi looks good in '27 too.

2:30 PM

Tom Tresh: AL ROY in 1962 Didn't quite live up to his hype, but was a good ball player. His Dad, Mike, played in the bigs too.

2:31 PM

Bullet Bob Turley: Look him up in your record books. One of the most clutch Yankee performers, especially in the '58 series.

Bobby Richardson: Tremendous 2nd baseman. We believe he is the only losing player to win the WS MVP, in 1960.

2:32 PM

Johnny Blanchard: Probably would have been a regular on another team if not for Yogi and Ellie Howard in front of him. Tremendous power.

Don Larsen: Greatest game ever pitched in Yankee Stadium. 'Nuff said. :)

2:33 PM

Bill "Moooooooose" Skowron: Tremendous power. Recently said he didn't keep his '63 WS ring he won with the Dodgers.

2:34 PM

Graig Nettles: What a 3rd baseman!

2:35 PM

Paul O'Neill: :)))))))))))

2:36 PM
Tino Martinez: :The Bamtino!" And, yes, Kay had to say "Constantino Martinez" haha. Great high 10 with Paulie.

2:38 PM

Ron Guidry: "The Gator". Never ever forget the '78 season he had. Sigh - I wish his catcher was there. Whispered to Paulie: "Nice ovation, kid".

2:39 PM

WILLIE RANDOLPH: :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
"Once a Yankee, always a Yankee" screamed out by Michael Kay. Great job. And Willie is so appreciative of the huge ovation he's getting. :) A long, great ovation for one of the classiest guys around.

2:41 PM

Wade Boggs: Hall of Fame career, Hall of Shame Hair ;)

2:42 PM

Dave Winfield: If you never saw him play in his prime, you missed something special. A true 5-tool player.

2:43 PM

Rich "Goooooooose" Gossage: Too bad Louuuuuuuuuuuuu isn't there.

Amazing how many Hall of Famers have played in the Pinstripes.

2:44 PM

Reginald Martinez Jackson: "Mr. October" Say what you want about him, he was clutch.
Wow, its been 15 years since he went into the Hall.

It's not looking like Bernie will be there :(

2:45 PM

Whitey Ford: The Chairman of the Board.

2:46 PM

Yogi Berra: The man, the myth, the legend.

2:48 PM

Arlene Howard, widow of Elston Howard: What a great player and gentleman Ellie was.

Jill Martin, widow of Billy the Kid.

2:49 PM

Helen Hunter, wife of the great Catfish: One of the best pitcher we ever saw - money in the big games.

2:50 PM

Diane Munson: Widow of the Captain. 29 years ago today - WOW.

Guidry, Reggie, Willie...when did my boys get so old?

2:51 PM

Cora Rizzuto, widow of the Scooter. His beloved Cora :(

2:53 PM

Michael Kay talking about the magnificence of the Yankees organizations: "They are once and forever, New York Yankees."

2:54 PM

Time to remember those who have passed from the Yankees and MLB. Too many to remember, but here are some memorables.

Johnny Podres

Tommy Holmes

Joe Nuxhall

John McHale

Bill Robinson

Tommy Byrne

Phil Rizzuto

Bobby Murcer

2:56 PM

The National Anthem, sung by the late, great Robert Merrill, who wore number 1 1/2 at OT games.

2:59 PM

Cora Rizzuto throws out the ceremonial first pitch. A little delay while someone comes to get it and, appropriately it's Derek Jeter.

You Jeter haters: How can you hate a guy who does so many things right as a person, never mind as a player?

3:02 PM

Al Leiter warming up with Luis Sojo: Leiter says he's trying to hurt Luis' hand to get him back for that 10-hopper back in the 2000 WS. He's jokingly trying to impress Girardi too. Good stuff.

Singleton: "Who is starting Al?" Leiter: "Mussina" Singleton: "In the old timers game."

3:05 PM

Kim Jones talking to Reggie about Rickey Henderson's pending Hall of Fame election. Now talking about Willie Randolph's warm reception.

3:06 PM

Game about to begin with Goose on the mound. That's going to do it for the live blogging for now. Hopefully, someone followed it besides us. :)

3 comments:

  1. anyone know where the "hitman" was for the oldtimers day?

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Dodgers had a game, so he was coaching.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great blog-thanks for sharing-we always miss the OTG subscribing to MLB package here in North Carolina-thanks again for your description and roster of attendees!

    Kevin Kelleher

    ReplyDelete