Bronx, N.Y., June 10, 2002 — It was the early nineties, on Old Timer’s Day. I was delirious (as I always am that day), sad (once again a given; so many have come, wowed us, and gone), but this time a bit apprehensive too, and not just about the score of the actual game after the Classic, though that’s always there too. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., June 9, 2002 — The Scoreboard really set the theme for the day when they played that Paul McCartney-penned anthem to sun and happy times. Delighted that we had such a gorgeous afternoon for the day that we had my partner’s brother, nephew and her brother’s friend as Yankee game guests, we were surprised when early in the festivities her brother and his friend went looking for a shady spot. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., June 6, 2002 — What follows is a tale of one of my many favorite days at the Ballpark, one I’ll share with you in the absence of the scheduled Yankee game tonight. First however, even though I believe I have a true tale to tell regarding this tale’s title, I in no way mean to belittle the very serious discussions on both sides about that practice. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., June 5, 2002 — It’s critical if you’re going to score games, count pitches, record first-pitch strikes, differentiate between called, struck (foul) and swinging strikes, and try to notice little numerical anomalies that pop up during the games, that you learn not to be obsessed about it. They’re just numbers. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., June 4, 2002 — Sometimes you get the bear. Sometimes the bear gets you. A not so witty cliche for the transitory nature of good and bad fortune. But it became painfully obvious both that I’ve been looking at the baseball world through Yankees-tinted glasses, and the rest of the world sees what it wants to see. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., June 3, 2002 — And I wouldn’t characterize the Cathedral in the South Bronx as a place without joy either, but 114 years to the day since “Casey at the Bat” was first published, the mighty were vanquished tonight in the Bronx, and I tip my hat to Sidney Ponson (no matter how trying it is to be hat-tipping two consecutive days to the opposing team’s starting pitcher). Continue reading →

“They say it’s alright
Say it’s alright
It’s alright, have a good time
Cause it’s alright, whoa it’s alright”

Bronx, N.Y., June 2, 2002 — Curtis Mayfield would have been 60 years old today, and his anthem to keeping on and looking up was a fine song to think of and hum during a beautiful, if disappointing (and eerie, but more on that later) day in the Bronx. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., June 1, 2002 — “It was 100 years ago today…” Well, actually, 35 years ago today the Beatles released “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” but for us (Yankee fans), we’ve had “the boys to play” for a century now. Though during that time we’ve had some of the most recognizable stars in spectator sports history highlight our unprecedented success, we’ve never been averse to getting “a little help from [our] friends,” from the little guys at the end of the bench. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., May 31, 2002 — I didn’t take meteorology in school, so I can’t back that up with any textbook facts. And neither weather conditions nor that part of the country have been the subject of much of my reading, so no casual research can be cited to back up my theory. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., May 29, 2002 — “Someone might be gainin’ on ya.” It’s a famous quote from a baseball legend, and it may be truer in this American League baseball season than it has since the day Satchel Paige first uttered it. The Red Sox and their fans had to be feeling pretty good about themselves again tonight, as they won their second consecutive come-from-behind road victory in Toronto. Continue reading →