Torre's #6 to Be Enshrined

1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 (twice), 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 42, 49. Those are the numbers that reside encircled in Yankee Stadium's Monument Park. Soon another number will be added to it - the 6 that Joe Torre wore on his back for the 12 seasons he was the Yankees' maanger.

With the announcement that Torre will be inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame this summer, Yankees GM Brian Cashman announced that the Yankees will retire Torre's number 6.

No one has donned the number since Torre left after the 2007 season and Cashman said it would be done officially "at some point".

Once Derek Jeter's number 2 is retired there will no longer be a single digit number available for a Yankees player to wear. Perhaps the team will go to triple digits one day.

The one thing missing in all this is the #51. It does not matter that Bernie Williams did not officially announce his retirement. It's time for the Yankees to get it done, have a day for the center field guitarist and add his number to Monument Park.


Yankees retired numbers

1 - Billy Martin
3 - Babe Ruth
4 - Lou Gehrig
5 - Joe DiMaggio
7 - Mickey Mantle
8 - Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra
9 - Roger Maris
10 - Phil Rizzuto
15 - Thurman Munson
16 - Whitey Ford
23 - Don Mattingly
32 - Elston Howard
37 - Casey Stengel
42 - Mariano Rivera
44 - Reggie Jackson
49 - Ron Guidry

Now Batting, Number 2, Derek Jeter...On Broadway

"Hey Mo, lets put on a show!"

The New York Yankees have been part of the Broadway scene before as the villainous, never lose team in "Damn Yankees". For those that don't know, it's the tale of Joe Hardy, a big fan of the Washington Senators that makes a deal with the devil. The show was a huge success and a movie version followed.

Now the Great White Way has a mix of old and modern day Yankees in the play, "Bronx Bombers". The play is written by Eric Simonson, who also brought (Vince) "Lombardi" and "Magic/Bird" (Magic Johnson/Larry Bird) to the stage.

Act I revolves the infamous 1977 contest between the Yankees and Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park. Yes, it is the game that Billy Martin pulled Reggie Jackson out of right field in the middle of inning. It was a national embarrassment as Martin and Jackson and their enormous egos nearly came to blows. Joining them in the stage version are actors portraying Yogti Berra and Elston Howard, who kept the two combatants apart in the dugout, and team captain Thurman Munson

The second act builds off of the first with Yogi stressed about the possibility of becoming the Yankees manager. He dreams of having dinner with his wife and Yankees Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Howard, and Derek Jeter, despite the fact the Yankees shortstop was three at the time and not a twinkle in the eye of a Yankees scout.

The play wraps up with the last game played in old Yankee Stadium. It sounds odd to say the least, and New York Times reviewer Daniel M. Gold described it as a "mawkish and sappy effort", and "...the play is no more than a schmaltzy sketch of athletes sitting around congratulating themselves."¹

I think I'll stick to watch the real drama that occurs every day with the Bronx Bombers. 


1 - NY Times, Oct. 9, 2013

YCN: 10 Greatest Yankees That Were Former Red Sox

This weekend's Yankees-Red Sox series doesn't quite have the oomph of many of their previous encounters. Clearly, Boston is a team in disarray at the moment. But Yankees fans do have to be thankful to the Red Sox for some of their former players- Johnny Damon, Roger Clemens, and Wade Boggs to name just a few.

For my latest feature for the Yahoo Contributor Network, I decided it was time to count down the 10 greatest Yankees that were former Red Sox. And no, Alan Embree is not on the list.

Click here to read the feature, and thanks as always for doing so.

Pinstripe Empire History of New York Yankees Rules the Book Shelves

Marty Appel's time working with and within the New York Yankees organization gave him the perfect insight to write his latest book, "Pinstripe Empire: From Before The Babe to After The Boss". It's a summation of baseball's most successful franchise from their humble beginnings as the New York Highlanders, through 27 world championships, and up to their playoff failings in 2011. 



The book begins with the idea of bringing a team to New York and the construction of Hilltop Park that would house the Highlanders, the pre-cursor to the Yankees. Those teams included Jack Chesbro, who won a team record 41 games. But save for one season, those Highlanders team were usually at the bottom of the barrel. 

Things would change with the acquisition of Babe Ruth, the construction of Yankee Stadium, and shrewd ownership and management. The first World Series title came in 1923 and Ruth hit his prodigious 60 home run in 1927. That was the year the lineup was known as Murderer's Row and to this day they are still part of the great debate as to which was the greatest Yankees squad of all time - '27, '39, '61 or '98? (For that matter the greatest team of all time.) I found it fascinating to compare and contrast the ownership over the years (e.g. Ruppert and Topping) and the styles of the managers (Huggins, McCarthy, Stengel, Martin, etc.).

The book allows all Yankees fans to share in those moments experienced in person or through the media, be reminded of moments forgotten, and to learn things anew. (I could name hundreds of Yankees off the top of my head, but I never had heard of one of their early great relievers, Johnny Murphy.) One of things I really enjoyed about the book is that it does not have to be read beginning with page one. (Though there are wonderful introductions from Yankees' greats Yogi Berra and Bernie Williams to kick things off.) 

I read the book in reverse order, going over 10 to 20 year periods at a time, starting with the reclamation of the 1990's up through today. It was a joy to relive the moment Charlie Hayes' squeezed the final out in Game 6 of the '96 series. It was the title that ended a drought of 18 seasons without a championship. 

Then it was on to the early 1970's when the Yankees began to be relevant again with new young stars like (my personal favorite) Bobby Murcer, Thurman Munson, Graig Nettles, and Chris Chambliss. It was a tumultuous time in baseball with the advent of free agency and the beginning of large player contracts (slim by comparison to today's deals), the inception of the DH in the American League (the Yankees' Ron Blomberg was the first to officially bat), the revolving door of managers- with Billy Martin seemingly caught inside the door - Steinbrenner's constant interference with all decisions, the renovation of Yankee Stadium and a temporary home at Shea Stadium, and last, but not least, the wife swap between pitchers Fritz Peterson (permanent) and Mike Kekich (temporary). 

It was also a time when young fans like me really got into baseball. Some of those Yankees teams came close to reaching the playoffs, but couldn't win the division when a division title meant everything. That all changed of course when a ship builder named George M. Steinbrenner III bought the Yankees from CBS. Appel did a great job of balancing his story telling between the early, crazed Boss with the later sentimental, sedate one. 

You can relive the race between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle to pass Babe Ruth's single season home run record as part of the great 1961 squad. Unfortunately, it was also the beginning of the end for the great Yankees teams. They won five consecutive pennants from 1960-1964 with two World Series titles, but by 1965 the team was in disarray. The farm system lacked talent and the Yankees greats retired or were in the process of putting a wrap on their careers. If you were lucky enough, you were too young to remember the worst of the worst- 9th and 10th (last place) finishes in 1966 and 1967. 

Going back further, it's still hard to believe the glory years of the 1930 through the 1950's when managers Joe McCarthy and Casey Stengel combined for 18 pennants and 14 World Series titles (Bucky Harris also won a championship in 1947). Those teams had larger than life players in Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Berra, Mantle, and Ford. You learn just what a corporation the Yankees really were. When a player was no longer useful, he was quickly shipped out, no matter how big a star he may have been. 

All of the above is just the tip of the iceberg. Even if you are not a Yankees fan, this is a great read to learn about the greatest franchise in baseball history. And if you are a Yankees fan, you'll enjoy knowing more about the franchise than you thought imaginable. 

YCN: No One Hits Home Runs Like The Yankees

Ever wonder who the Yankees' top 10 franchise leaders in home runs are? I'm sure you know where Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle are on the list, but what about Graig Nettles, Derek Jeter, and Jorge Posada.

That was the latest assignment for the Yahoo Contributor Network. Unfortunately, I was limited to 400 words and the first draft was over 1,000. Still I hope you find it interesting.

New York Yankees' Top 10 Home Run Hitters

Baseball Digest | Beltre Powers Texas Back To ALCS

Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre was just 1-11 entering Tuesday afternoon’s ALDS Game 4 match with the Tampa Bay Rays, but by the time the game was over, Beltre had put his name alongside the likes of Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson. Beltre became the sixth Major Leaguer to hit three home runs in a single playoff game to propel the Rangers to a 4-3 victory and a second consecutive trip to the ALCS.

The Rangers other run was their first run, a lead off home run by Ian Kinsler off of Jeremy Hellickson in the bottom of the 1st inning. One frame later, Beltre crushed one deep into the left field seats for a 2-0 Rangers lead. The Rays got the run right back in their half of the 2nd inning when Matt Joyce doubled off Texas starter Matt Harrison to score Sean Rodriguez from first base. Joyce was stranded in scoring position though when Harrison struck out Desmond Jennings for his third K of the inning. (Harrison would strike out nine batters in just five innings and earned the win.)

Read the rest of this free story at BaseballDigest.com.

Yankees Recognize Maris' 50th Anniversary

50 years ago this coming Saturday, October 1, Roger Maris stepped to the plate against the Boston Red Sox Tracy Stallard and sent a pitch into the right field seats for his 61st home run of the season. As the ball landed in the seats, the anxiety and stress of chasing the immortal Babe Ruth left Maris' body like an 800 pound gorilla jumping off his back.

Maris lost weight and his hair came out in clumps as he approached the ghost of Babe Ruth's legend. Then commissioner Ford Frick said the record would have an asterisk since Babe Ruth's record 60 home runs came in just a 154 game schedule. Everything had to be done to protect Ruth's legacy. But Maris did break the record and it held for 37 years until the first of two cheaters surpassed his mark.

With this weekend being the final regular season homestand, the Yankees honored Maris' legacy and his family with a ceremony at Yankee Stadium. In 1961 most Yankees fans wanted to see Mickey Mantle break the record. After all he was a lifelong Yankee. But 50 years later the Yankee Stadium crowd gave a huge ovation to Maris' widow Pat and their six children.

Captain Derek Jeter presented Maris' sons, Roger Jr., Kevin, Randy, and Richard with a bat used by their father. The ceremony came on a day when the Yankees were once again playing Boston.

On hand were former Maris teammates Yogi Berra, Bob Cerv, and Whitey Ford. Sal Durante, the then 19-yr old who caught the baseball was in attendance as well as Mickey Mantle's sons David and Danny.

If you ever in Fargo, ND, be sure to check out the Roger Maris Museum.


Red Barber's call of Maris' 61..not quite as effusive as Phil Rizzuto's call.

Baseball Digest Birthdays: Hank Greenberg | Baseball Digest

Baseball Digest Birthdays: Hank Greenberg | Baseball Digest

When Henry Benjamin Greenberg was born on the first day of 1911, little did anyone know of the impact he would have on major league baseball as well as society in general.

One of four children, his early youth in the Bronx, NY gave no indication of the athlete he would become. That all changed while he was a student at James Monroe High School. Hank stood out in soccer, basketball, and of course baseball, where he was a 1st baseman. His position would impact his future, because in 1929 the New York Yankees wanted to sign the 18-yr old, but Lou Gehrig was blocking his spot. So instead Greenberg enrolled at New York University. One year later he became a member of the Detroit Tigers organization.

He made his major league debut on September 14, 1930 and became a fixture in the Tigers lineup beginning with the 1933 season. Along the way there were minor league stops in Raleigh, NC, and Beaumont, TX. While he didn’t contend with the instant vitriol that Jackie Robinson faced as a black man, Greenberg’s name and religion brought out catcalls in the civil rights challenged south. But when Greenberg became a member of the Tigers he found out the north wasn’t much better- he faced antisemitism wherever he went, including from his hometown fans.

Greenberg used the insults as a motivational tool to bash opposing pitchers and became an icon to hundreds of thousands of Jewish sports fans.

My father, Charlie Sarver, is a die-hard Yankees fan. He was 19 when Greenberg retired after the 1947 season, but had this to say about him recently:

“Many Jewish baseball fans of other teams than Detroit followed his career with pride. There weren’t many players of our faith in the game then as there is today. I know (your) Grandpa Max liked the Giants because they had a player named Sid Gordon who played third base and the outfield at the time in the ’40′s. So we rooted for Hank, but not so much when the Tigers were playing the Yanks.”

In 1938 the orginal Hammerin’ Hank challenged Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record, finishing with 58. He also led the league in walks that year with 119 as some opponents were determined to keep him from breaking the Bambino’s mark. The prior year he finished with 183 RBI, one shy of Lou Gehrig’s American League record.

Greenberg was the winner of two MVP awards, the second coming in 1940 as the U.S. was readying to enter World World II. A year later he would become the first well known major leaguer to enlist in the armed services and spent four of his prime years fighting Nazi Germany.

He returned to Detroit in 1945 and one year later amassed a tremendous offensive season with 44 home runs and 127 RBI. But a falling out with the Tigers over his contract led them to sell the 35-yr old to the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he would play the final year of his career. With Pittsburgh, Greenberg became the first player with a $100,000 contract, but he decided to retire after 13 big league seasons at the conclusion of the 1947 season.

In 1977 writer Joe Falls reminisced about the “Big Bruggy’s” exploits in the old Tiger Stadium and had the chance to sit down with the Tigertown legend himself. Check it out here!

Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1956, Greenberg hit 331 home runs, drove in 1,276 RBI, and compiled an astonishing 1.017 career OPS. He was also a member of four AL pennant winners and two World Series championship teams.

Post active playing career, Greenberg served as the Cleveland Indians farm director and was later their general manager and part-owner with Bill Veeck. He would later serve in the same capacity with Veeck and the Chicago White Sox before leaving baseball for a successful career as an investment banker.

Hank Greenberg died in 1986 at age 75, having established a tremendous legacy in baseball, society, and among those of the Jewish faith. In 1998, filmmaker Avika Kempner released the remarkable documentary, “The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg”. A must see, not just for Jews, but for any fan of baseball.

Also Celebrating A Birthday Today:

Fernando Tatis, born on January 1 1975, has spent eleven years in the big leagues and is the only player in history to hit two grand slam home runs in one inning!

LaMarr Hoyt, born in 1955, won 98 games over 8 seasons with the Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres. He won the 1983 American League Cy Young Award with Chicago!

Tim Keefe, a Hall of Famer, was born in 1857 and spent 14 seasons in the big leagues with six teams. He won 342 games while pitching just one season where pitchers threw from the modern day distance of 60 feet 6 inches. During much of his career, pitchers threw from 45 and then 50 feet!

Drew Sarver is the Yankees content editor and a contributor for BaseballDigest.com. You can also read his work at his blog, My Pinstripes. He can be contacted at mypinstripes@gmail.com and can be followed on Twitter at @BD_Sarver and @MyPinstripes.

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A-Rod's Accomplishments in the Air

It should be a time of great excitement. A time for baseball fans to rejoice, to mark another milestone. A time when Alex Rodriguez should join the next pantheon of great home run hitters. But as soon as ball meets bat and sails into the seats at Yankee Stadium or some other venue, I’ll have the feeling of “Now what?”.

Ever since Rodriguez admitted his steroid use during his time in Texas, the air has gone out of the home run balloon. Whatever was left of it. There was widespread hope that Rodriguez was clean. That he would eventually erase Barry Bonds from the record books. That he would make us forget about the tainted home run totals of Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmiero.

Read the rest of this article at Baseballdigest.com

Yankees ready to open their new home

This was my write up for Baseball Digest on today's home opener.

Yankees ready to christen their new cathedral

Posted By Drew Sarver On April 16, 2009 @ 10:01 am In Yankees | No Comments

The Yankees much anticipated home opener has arrived. Though they played two exhibition games with the Chicago Cubs on April 3 and 4, today’s game with the Cleveland Indians is the real deal. The team is bringing back as many former players as possible to help officially unveil the new stadium. As expected, Yogi Berra will have the honor of throwing out the first pitch.

Dignitaries expected to attend include NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, NY Governor David Patterson, former NYC mayor Rudy Guiliani (who will not wear a Red Sox hat), local politicians (not Assemblyman Richard Brodsky), and many more.

The ceremonies will begin at 12:10 pm EDT with the West Point Marching Band performing John Phillip Sousa’s “Washington Post March” and “Stars and Stripes Forever“. Sousa himself performed at the original stadium’s opening in 1923.

Colors will be presented by New City Police and Fire Departments, and the West Point cadets will unfurl a 75′ x 150′ American flag. Then there’s the one part of the pre-game ceremonies I have an issue with. Kelly Clarkson, the American Idol winner and pop star, will sing the National Anthem. It’s great that they wanted to have a live performance, but a pre-recorded version by the late Robert Merrill should have been played instead. That truly would have brought the magic from the old stadium to the new. At the conclusion of the anthem, the Air Force’s 174th Fighter Wing will fly F-16 fighter jets overhead The unit recently returned home from Iraq.

The Yankees sent out a press release with the former players expected to be in attendance:

Luis Arroyo, Jesse Barfield, Berra, Ron Blomberg, Bobby Brown, Horace Clarke, Jerry Coleman, David Cone, Chili Davis, Bucky Dent, Al Downing, Dave Eiland, Ed Figueroa, John Flaherty, Ford, Joe Girardi, Gossage, Ken Griffey, Ron Guidry, Charlie Hayes, Rickey Henderson, Jackson, Tommy John, Jim Kaat, Don Larsen, Hector Lopez, Tino Martinez, Lee Mazzilli, Gene Michael, Jeff Nelson, Graig Nettles, Paul O’Neill, Joe Pepitone, Randolph, Bobby Richardson, Mickey Rivers, Buck Showalter, Bill “Moose” Skowron, Luis Sojo, Mel Stottlemyre, Ralph Terry, Bob Turley, David Wells, Roy White, Williams and Dave Winfield.

Opening Day History

This is the third time a version of Yankee Stadium has been opened/re-opened. The most famous opening, of course, was the very first one. An announced crowd of 74,000 (it was reportedly actually 60,000) packed Yankee Stadium on April 18, 1923 to see the Yankees play the Boston RedSox. Babe Ruth put his stamp on “The House that Ruth Built” with a 3-run home run in the third inning. The Yankees won the game 4-1.

After two years of exile at Shea Stadium, the Yankees re-opened the renovated Yankee Stadium on April 15, 1976. Bob Shawkey who won on opening day in 1923 threw out the first pitch. Minnesota Twins outfielder “Disco” Dan Ford hit the first home run (Mickey Rivers would hit the first Yankees home run two days later), but the Yankees prevailed 11-4 before 52,613 fans . Dick Tidrow was the winning pitcher.

Probable Pitchers for Series

Thursday - Cliff Lee (0-2, 9.90) vs. CC Sabathia (1-1, 4.50)
Friday - Anthony Reyes (1-0, 6.00) vs. Joba Chamberlain (0-0, 1.50)
Saturday - Fausto Carmona (0-2, 9.00) vs. Chien-Ming Wang (0-2, 28.93)
Sunday - Carl Pavano (0-2, 16.71) vs. A.J. Burnett (2-0, 2.70)

Just 3 More Days!

Calling on the Ghost of the Bambino to Smote the Red Sox

Seriously, can we get a little help here? The Rays were seven outs away on Thursday night of reaching their first World Series. We already had the Red Sox obituary 90% written when Boston came back from a 7-0 deficit to force a game 5.

Then it was Josh Beckett last night, fighting off a strained oblique, to hold the Rays to two runs on four hits in five innings. Let us make this clear- we don't like Beckett, but he's gained our respect. Something his big mouthed teammate with the ketchupy sock will never get from us. Beckett says he's not hurt, but he clearly is. He doesn't have to point out to the media how much he aches and what he has to do to compensate for it or how big his bowel movement was that morning. He just goes and pitches, and he's become one of the best big game pitchers in baseball.

Another big veteran on this Sox team, which is John Sterling's words, "gutty" and "gritty", is catcher Jason Varitek. The Sox captain could very well be playing his last days in a Red Sox uniform. He's a free agent to be and wants a Jorge Posada like contract (5 years). But Varitek hasn't hit in a month of Sundays. He still calls a great game, but swings a wiffle ball bat against 95-mph fastballs. But last night Varitek reached into the past and hit a James Shields delivery into the seats in right field to put the Sox ahead for good 3-2.

A Jason Bartlett throwing error contributed to an insurance run and then the biggest difference, besides experience, between these two teams came to the forefront. The Red Sox were able to send out Hideki Okajima, Justin Masterson, and Jon Papelbon to combine for four hitless, scorelss innings to even the series up at three games apiece.

The finale is tonight at the Trop with Jon Lester facing Matt Garza. We don't have to tell you who we think will win tonight's game. Now if some spectral force could have an impact...

Calling on the Ghost of the Bambino to Smote the Red Sox

Seriously, can we get a little help here? The Rays were seven outs away on Thursday night of reaching their first World Series. We already had the Red Sox obituary 90% written when Boston came back from a 7-0 deficit to force a game 5.

Then it was Josh Beckett last night, fighting off a strained oblique, to hold the Rays to two runs on four hits in five innings. Let us make this clear- we don't like Beckett, but he's gained our respect. Something his big mouthed teammate with the ketchupy sock will never get from us. Beckett says he's not hurt, but he clearly is. He doesn't have to point out to the media how much he aches and what he has to do to compensate for it or how big his bowel movement was that morning. He just goes and pitches, and he's become one of the best big game pitchers in baseball.

Another big veteran on this Sox team, which is John Sterling's words, "gutty" and "gritty", is catcher Jason Varitek. The Sox captain could very well be playing his last days in a Red Sox uniform. He's a free agent to be and wants a Jorge Posada like contract (5 years). But Varitek hasn't hit in a month of Sundays. He still calls a great game, but swings a wiffle ball bat against 95-mph fastballs. But last night Varitek reached into the past and hit a James Shields delivery into the seats in right field to put the Sox ahead for good 3-2.

A Jason Bartlett throwing error contributed to an insurance run and then the biggest difference, besides experience, between these two teams came to the forefront. The Red Sox were able to send out Hideki Okajima, Justin Masterson, and Jon Papelbon to combine for four hitless, scorelss innings to even the series up at three games apiece.

The finale is tonight at the Trop with Jon Lester facing Matt Garza. We don't have to tell you who we think will win tonight's game. Now if some spectral force could have an impact...

A Grand Finale

The final game and it's pre- and post-game ceremonies were a perfect send off to the Stadium. Kudos to ESPN and YES for a fantastic job all around. The day started out with ESPN Classic. We caught parts of Boomer and Coney's perfect games, Brosius' heroics in game 5 of '01, and Boone's big blast in '03.

We watched, with great envy, the fans pouring in from 1:00 on, stopping at the monuments, walking on the warning track, and the best of all, leaving their hand prints on the outfield wall.

ESPN's team of Karl Ravich, John Kruk, Steve Berthiaume, and Steve Phillips reminisced and talked to a number of former Yankees and some celebrities too. Getting John Sterling to do his body shaking, "thaaaaaaaaaaaa Yankees win" was classic.

At about 6:00 the ceremonies began with a great surprise. A pre-recorded message from Bob Sheppard, who then introduced the two emcees for the night, Sterling and Michael Kay.

The ceremony began oddly, using actors to re-create the 1923 opening day lineup. We think it was no coincidence that they were in the deepest part of center field so no one could see their faces.

Next was a salute to the players and managers who had plaques in Monument Park. More actors to represent Joe DiMaggio, Red Ruffing, Lefty Gomez, and Casey Stengel (the actor looked eerily like the Ol' Professor from the distance).

Each position on the field was saluted with a video montage and then an introduction of the past players from that position.

LF - Dave Winfield, Roy White

SS - Cora Rizzuto representing the Scooter,

3B - Graig Nettles, Scott Brosius

RF - Reggie Jackson, Paul O'Neill, Randy Maris representing his Dad

2B - Willie Randolph, who provided one of the highlights by sliding into second base, Bobby Richardson

1B - Moose Skowron, Tino Martinez

C - Yogi Berra, Joe Girardi, Michael Munson representing his Dad, Cheryl Howard representing her Dad

P - Whitey Ford, Goose Gossage, Ron Guidry, Helen Hunter representing her husband, David Wells, David Cone

CF - David Mantle representing his Dad, Kay, Todd, and Tori Murcer representing their husband and Dad, and then the biggest moment of the night. Bernie Williams, donning the Pinstripes for the first time in 2 years, returning to Yankee Stadium. Bern Baby Bernie received a raucous standing ovation for 2 minutes.

Notably absent was the inclusion of Roger Clemens in the pitching montage. And there was no real salute to the managers, which left out Joe Torre, Ralph Houk, and Buck Showalter.

The starting lineups were then introduced with each player joining the greats at their position. It also provided comic relief since Johnny Damon didn't realize what was going on and didn't have his cleats on. He quickly ran back to the clubhouse, put them on, and raced out to the field, the wrong field at that. They told him to go to left field even though he was playing center field, which only confused him further.

After the lineups were introduced, Derek Jeter, joined by his parents and sister, was presented with a Waterford crystal bat and ball, by Hal and Jennifer Steinbrenner (Swindal), to commemorate him becoming the all-time hits leader at Yankee Stadium.

The Babe's 92-yr old daughter, Julia Ruth Stevens, through out the first pitch to Jorge Posada, and then it was game time.

The Yankees won 7-3, more on that later, and then there were more festivities. Derek Jeter and his team gathered on the mound, and the Captain spoke to the fans. Thanks to Peter Abraham for the transcription of the speech,

“Every member of this organization, past and present, has been calling this place home for 85 years, There’s a lot of tradition, a lot of history and a lot of memories. Now the great thing about memories is you’re able to pass it along from generation to generation.

“Although things are going to change next year. We’re going to move across the street. There are a few things that New York Yankees that never change. That’s pride, tradition and most of all we have the greatest fans in the world.

We want you to take the memories from this stadium, add them to the new memories that come at the new Yankee Stadium and continue to pass them along from generation to generation. So on behalf of the entire organization, we want to take this moment to salute you, the greatest fans in the world.”

The players then took a lap around the Stadium, waving to the fans, who like them, didn't want to go home. Players did interviews with the media and scooped up dirt from the batter's box, the mound, and the bullpen, and took photos (would love to have the Bernie, Tino, Derek, Jorge, Mo, Andy photo).

Finally everyone went home and went to sleep. They had already lived a dream.

A Grand Finale

The final game and it's pre- and post-game ceremonies were a perfect send off to the Stadium. Kudos to ESPN and YES for a fantastic job all around. The day started out with ESPN Classic. We caught parts of Boomer and Coney's perfect games, Brosius' heroics in game 5 of '01, and Boone's big blast in '03.

We watched, with great envy, the fans pouring in from 1:00 on, stopping at the monuments, walking on the warning track, and the best of all, leaving their hand prints on the outfield wall.

ESPN's team of Karl Ravich, John Kruk, Steve Berthiaume, and Steve Phillips reminisced and talked to a number of former Yankees and some celebrities too. Getting John Sterling to do his body shaking, "thaaaaaaaaaaaa Yankees win" was classic.

At about 6:00 the ceremonies began with a great surprise. A pre-recorded message from Bob Sheppard, who then introduced the two emcees for the night, Sterling and Michael Kay.

The ceremony began oddly, using actors to re-create the 1923 opening day lineup. We think it was no coincidence that they were in the deepest part of center field so no one could see their faces.

Next was a salute to the players and managers who had plaques in Monument Park. More actors to represent Joe DiMaggio, Red Ruffing, Lefty Gomez, and Casey Stengel (the actor looked eerily like the Ol' Professor from the distance).

Each position on the field was saluted with a video montage and then an introduction of the past players from that position.

LF - Dave Winfield, Roy White

SS - Cora Rizzuto representing the Scooter,

3B - Graig Nettles, Scott Brosius

RF - Reggie Jackson, Paul O'Neill, Randy Maris representing his Dad

2B - Willie Randolph, who provided one of the highlights by sliding into second base, Bobby Richardson

1B - Moose Skowron, Tino Martinez

C - Yogi Berra, Joe Girardi, Michael Munson representing his Dad, Cheryl Howard representing her Dad

P - Whitey Ford, Goose Gossage, Ron Guidry, Helen Hunter representing her husband, David Wells, David Cone

CF - David Mantle representing his Dad, Kay, Todd, and Tori Murcer representing their husband and Dad, and then the biggest moment of the night. Bernie Williams, donning the Pinstripes for the first time in 2 years, returning to Yankee Stadium. Bern Baby Bernie received a raucous standing ovation for 2 minutes.

Notably absent was the inclusion of Roger Clemens in the pitching montage. And there was no real salute to the managers, which left out Joe Torre, Ralph Houk, and Buck Showalter.

The starting lineups were then introduced with each player joining the greats at their position. It also provided comic relief since Johnny Damon didn't realize what was going on and didn't have his cleats on. He quickly ran back to the clubhouse, put them on, and raced out to the field, the wrong field at that. They told him to go to left field even though he was playing center field, which only confused him further.

After the lineups were introduced, Derek Jeter, joined by his parents and sister, was presented with a Waterford crystal bat and ball, by Hal and Jennifer Steinbrenner (Swindal), to commemorate him becoming the all-time hits leader at Yankee Stadium.

The Babe's 92-yr old daughter, Julia Ruth Stevens, through out the first pitch to Jorge Posada, and then it was game time.

The Yankees won 7-3, more on that later, and then there were more festivities. Derek Jeter and his team gathered on the mound, and the Captain spoke to the fans. Thanks to Peter Abraham for the transcription of the speech,

“Every member of this organization, past and present, has been calling this place home for 85 years, There’s a lot of tradition, a lot of history and a lot of memories. Now the great thing about memories is you’re able to pass it along from generation to generation.

“Although things are going to change next year. We’re going to move across the street. There are a few things that New York Yankees that never change. That’s pride, tradition and most of all we have the greatest fans in the world.

We want you to take the memories from this stadium, add them to the new memories that come at the new Yankee Stadium and continue to pass them along from generation to generation. So on behalf of the entire organization, we want to take this moment to salute you, the greatest fans in the world.”

The players then took a lap around the Stadium, waving to the fans, who like them, didn't want to go home. Players did interviews with the media and scooped up dirt from the batter's box, the mound, and the bullpen, and took photos (would love to have the Bernie, Tino, Derek, Jorge, Mo, Andy photo).

Finally everyone went home and went to sleep. They had already lived a dream.

Thanks for the Memories

Thanks for the Memories

The Plaques

The Plaques