Bronx, N.Y., August 24, 2002 —
But not true, I tell you. Debating with my better half whether or not to even attend last night’s game, she saw rain coming, and I saw fair skies. And hours later, I was shaking my head as I stood alone in the upper deck, looking up at a partly cloudy but decidedly nonthreatening sky. Continue reading
Bronx, N.Y., August 23, 2002 — Mrs. Carmela Soprano, who goes by the name of Edie Falco when she is not playing someone having a love/hate relationship with the idea of being a mafia wife, is currently appearing on Broadway in “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune,” a superbly written story of two people (and coworkers) struggling to connect on the night of their first date. At one point during their evening they call a radio station that invites listener requests, and ask the deejay to play “the most beautiful piece of music ever written.” Claude DeBussy would be 140 years old on August 22, so alas, we can’t ask him if he is flattered that the disk spinner chooses his Clair de Lune to play. Continue reading
Bronx, N.Y., August 21, 2002 — Citizens in my newly adopted home of Rye, New York, are celebrating what would have been the 100th birthday of favorite son — and poet of the silly — Ogden Nash, Monday. Several of Ogden’s witty and whimsical poems are being immortalized by being printed in minuscule type on a U.S. postage stamp this month, and it is good that he is finally receiving some long overdue credit. But I have a bone to pick with the sentiments (or the facts, actually) behind one of his most famous works, though sadly one many are unaware originated from Mr. Nash’s pen: “Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.” Clever? Yes. Funny? Sure. But candy isn’t dandy. Yankee fans know. Andy is dandy. Continue reading
Montclair, N.J., August 19, 2002 — “No truly great man ever thought himself so.” Apparently for no particular reason, a Web site I visit that is devoted to historical events of the day chose that saying by the English Essayist William Hazlitt (1778-1830) for their quote of the day for August 18. It may have been happenstance that led to its timing on that site, but those words carry a very pertinent lesson for this Yankee fan, as became clear after a long, hot and bittersweet day in Montclair, New Jersey. Continue reading
Bronx, N.Y., August 15, 2002 — Kansas City, 5-4, going to the ninth. Ho-hum. Don’t get me wrong. I was not simply bored. I was upset too. I really wanted this sweep of the Royals. True, we only took two out of three from them in the Stadium last week (and barely escaped with a .500 homestand). But we finish this road trip with a swing through Seattle. I know that we have had some success over the last few years with the Mariners, and that we have enjoyed playing in Safeco more than we ever did in the Kingdome. Our path to the World Series for two seasons running has taken us through Oakland and Seattle, and we have traversed it well. But you do not have to have been a Yankee fan too long to know that the west coast can be a House of Horrors for us. Continue reading
Bronx, N.Y., August 11, 2002 — Yes, I know the Yankees were just away on their longest road trip of the season (14 days, with 15 days between games at the Stadium), but they’re off on the road again after a week here, and honestly, despite a huge win today that evened the homestand at 3-3, my question is, “What took you so long?” Continue reading
Bronx, N.Y., August 8, 2002 — I’ve attended hundreds of these parties the Yankees have been throwing the last few years. And even though most of the time I have been seated in the boxes that are home to my two partial plans (Sundays in the Tier Section 3, Weeknights — and days — in Tier Section 12), over the years I have sat in pretty much every area in the Stadium. I was perhaps 14 when my oldest brother took us first, and we sat behind home plate a little down the first base side. Continue reading
Bronx, N.Y., August 7, 2002 — Yes, I think it is. We have just returned the favor to Kansas City on a pair of 6-2 games, and moments ago, in as thrilling an in-season non-Yankee (specifically, anyway) highlight as I have ever seen, Terrence Long robbed Manny of a three-run, game-winning bomb. I feel for the Red Sox and their fans, 34,000 of which must have been devastated by the near miss almost into Fenway’s low-walled right-centerfield bullpen. Continue reading
Bronx, N.Y., August 5 — The Yankees outscored their opposition 58-45 on this recently concluded road trip. We have a 69-41 record, computing to a winning percentage of .627, tops in the American League and trailing only Atlanta in all of major league baseball. We are celebrating our 100th year during this 2002 season, along with our unprecedented achievements of 38 American League Championships and 26 World Championships. So how come I can’t think of anything but the number 12? Continue reading
Bronx, N.Y., August 4, 2002 — Although I freely paraphrased from the title of a classic Rolling Stones hit from 1969 for the title (and the theme) of this column, it could have been just as aptly named, “Be careful what you wish for…” Of course, you’ll notice I replaced (or transposed) the last word I show of the Stones title with want (did you know that “You can get anything you want” in 1969’s movie [and song] Alice’s Restaurant?). The point is, I guess, it can be kind of dicey when you’re rooting in a game that, to be complete, generally has at least 51 individual outcomes (outs — and hundreds of pitches) choosing which verb (need, wish, want) to utilize, and when. Continue reading