The day started at 5AM. I had 3 alarm clocks and a coffee pot set, so I wouldn't oversleep. The call was for 7:30 at the Stadium to start getting on the 20 buses to go to The Battery for the start of the Parade.
The police in this town are amazing! They shut the West Side Highway down for the Buses to go unimpeded the length of the road. Cars were stopped, people were cheering, honking their horns, and sitting on the tops of their cars and waving. Try THAT on a regular day...no road rage yesterday!
We had breakfast in the old Customs House...a gorgeous building that now houses the Native American museum. I got to meet Mayor Koch for the first time!!! I introduced myself and told him what an honor it was to meet him, that I voted for him every single time, and when he left office, I moved to Westchester! He seemed to like that! Mayors Koch, Dinkins, "America's Mayor, and Mayor Bloomberg, along with Senator Schumer were there.
John and I were taken to the "Mayor's Parade Car" - a vintage Lincoln Continental Convertible - and sat on the back (John took his 4 kids...who sat inside on the "jump seats").
People can TELL you about driving through the Canyon of Heros, and I've done it 4 times before this, but this was different. I am a Yankees Broadcaster now, the response is different and quite amazing. Signs everywhere...people holding up our "poster" from the Daily News. One man yelled..."Suzyn, over here!" I looked and there was a sign "This one is for Bobby!" I gave a thumbs up, yelled thank you, and immediately texted Kay Murcer to tell her. People told me they had been standing at the barricades since 5AM to get a good spot. There were well over a million people on the route and one of the policemen said it was twice as large a crowd as the Giants Super Bowl Parade. Not many of the police remembered the 1996 Parade, which was "the first"...and most special for a lot of us! How many "THE YANKEEEEEES WIIIIIN!!!!" calls did I hear? Lost count within the first 50 feet of the ride!
There were moms and dads holding up their little girls, the young girls smiling and waving and I tried to wave and say hi to every one of them. Now THAT makes it worth being spit at in l987 by the center fielder of the team across the Bridge.
City Hall
More food...the hot apple cider was great!
We were in a room facing and above the Podium, and one by the one, the Players took turns going to the big bay windows and waving...now THAT keeps a crowd riled up!
The ceremonies couldn't have been better. John, Michael Kay and I MC'd the event. The players had the time of their lives..and since I keep score on these things...the loudest ovations were for "The Core Four", then Damon and Matsui. When Damon and Matsui came down to get their keys to the City...chants went up from the crowd..."One more year! One more year!" Both would like that opportunity VERY much.
Jay-Z? Not that I'm your demographic, or that you care, but ok...ya' got me...it's a great song!!!! I even downloaded it on my itunes...paid the $1.25 and everything!!!
I GOT A REAL KEY TO THE CITY!!! Do I keep it on my desk or put it in a frame? I think a frame is in order..on black velvet perhaps!
And then, it was over. Why didn't I set my DVR? The player and their families back on the buses to clean out their lockers at the Stadium. "When are you leaving?" "Tomorrow morning"...."Sunday"....."later tonite when we pack up the car." Most of these men will see each other again next spring, some won't. Teams come and go, people change, and lives go on. But yesterday wrapped up the season in a bright blue and white bow. Yesterday was a day none of them will forget!
Go back to 1997, the year after the Yankees won their first World Series under Joe Torre, and two of the most talked about players were a couple of kids who were less than two years removed from their big league debuts in Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.
Welcome to February. It may not feel like it outside, but spring is right around the corner. Pitchers and catchers are just two weeks away, and if that’s enough to warm you up right about now then try another pair of socks and some hot tea.
I can’t imagine I’ll ever have the privilege of covering a player like Hideki Matsui again. The word “unique” is thrown around too much, but this was indeed a unique experience, right from Day One.
The Perks of This Job!!!!! The day started at 5AM. I had 3 alarm clocks and a coffee pot set, so I wouldn't oversleep. The call was for 7:30 at the Stadium to start getting on the 20 buses...
On December 26th, 1919, Harry Frazee sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees to finance the musical No, No, Nanette. Since that day, every time the Yankees win the World Series, it's because they have more money than anyone else...
The Yankees traveling party left the Stadium this morning on 3 buses to go to Penn. Station, for the Amtrak Trek to Philadelphia. As the buses turned down 31st Street, we saw the crowds...
Back in 1986, a friend of mine, a 20 year season ticket holder at Yankee Stadium, said to me: "Who do I root for in this thing...it's THEM against THEM!" I guess Mets fans think the same thing right now?
I’ve heard a bunch of different reactions to Mark McGwire’s “revelation” (seriously, if you were surprised by what he admitted, you need to stop taking your stupid pills). Some people were angry, others were disappointed, some were sick of steroids becoming a story again and other people actually felt sorry for the man since he kept crying.
Someone is going to have to explain this one to me. Why wouldn’t the same reasons the Yankees had for not signing Hideki Matsui also apply to Nick Johnson?
The Yankees should just close up shop, and pack it in until 2010. The only thing left to do is leave a contract offer on the table to Johnny Damon to think about over Christmas. Santa Steinbrenner should be fairly generous with a two year contract in the neighborhood of 20 million dollars. If another team finds him worthy of a three year deal, the Yankees should be content to watch him walk and
I hate to be the Grinch that stole Christmas for all you Yankees fans out there, but this is going to be a quiet offseason. There isn't going to be a CC Sabathia. There isn't going to be a Mark Teixeira. There isn't even going to be an A.J. Burnett.
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