Yankee Stadium Not Yanked Yet

No baseball farewell, perhaps no farewell in any walk of life, will ever be remembered as fondly as the one given by Lou Gehrig, July 4, 1939. Diagnosed with a fatal disease, Lou was saying "goodbye" to all of us, that day. Now, the Yankees are giving their loyal fans an extended opportunity through the end of the year to say “goodbye” to their old friend, “Yankee Stadium.” Mets fans have no such opportunity to do the same with Shea. As everyone knows, the Mets never ever did things to match the Yankees’ "class and tradition." In a hallowed place that’s given us so many wonderful memories, here’s a chance for Yankee fans, baseball fans and all New Yorker’s to have one last, intimate moment with the ballpark itself. Tickets will be $20 for adults and $15 for kids. Children 14 and under may enter free. For ticket information, call 718.293-4300.

Lou Gehrig’s Farewell Address, 7/4/39
Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.
I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans. Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day?
Sure I’m lucky.
Who wouldn’t consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball’s greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy?
Sure I’m lucky.
When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift - that’s something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies -- that’s something.
When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter -- that’s something.
When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body -- it’s a blessing.
When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed -- that’s the finest I know.
So, I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for.

Wrecking Ruth’s House

No bad trade, no bad free-agent signing, no bad season and certainly no good Red Sox team ever did it. No owner like the one who moved the Brooklyn Dodgers out of Ebbets Field or the one who moved Manhattan's Giants out of the Polo Grounds did it. Nobody ever took down the Yankees or the Stadium. Only Father Time and the pursuit of the almighty dollar have done that. Now, the city has requested bids from companies to demolish Yankee Stadium. They’ll put a wrecking ball hit on the House that Babe Ruth built for a $27,000,000 contract. New York City has given the New York Yankees until February 28, 2009 to "vacate the premises." And so they shall, to create a proud new tradition right across the street in their new Stadium. From March to May of 2009, asbestos will be removed from the old ballpark. The month of May will bring memorabilia collectors and recyclers to remove the stadiums treasures and valuables. The seats will be removed along with many of the smaller items. The well known "smokestack bat," a familiar meet-up spot and the white frieze along the roofline will be tougher items to sell. They may be moved to Heritage Field once it replaces the Stadium. Demolition will begin once everything worth taking has been removed, probably through early 2010. Many Yankee fans, find it hard to believe that the Stadium’s days are numbered. But we should remember is that we’ll remember uniform numbers even more than the Stadium. #3 Ruth. #4 Gehrig. #5 DiMaggio. #8 Berra. #10 Rizzuto. #7 Mantle. #16 Ford. #15 Munson. #49 Guidry. #23 Mattingly. #42 Rivera. #2 Jeter. The list of Yankee greats, near greats and others who have worn the pinstripes is a long one. With a tear in one eye to the end of an era, we look with a dry eye across the street. Yankee fans can start now to imagine the all-time players and memorable moments yet to come.

NYC Baseball Is The World Serious

NYU adjunct professor, John Tepper Marlin, prepared a report to show how much money New York City businesses will lose if New York’s two baseball teams fail to make the post-season this year. The following figures represent the amounts for each team at each level of play. For the Yankees elimination, $26 million for the AL Division Series, $54 million for the AL Championship Series and $61 million for the World Series. Should the Mets not play “October baseball,” $21 million for the NL Division Series, $45 million for the NL Championship Series and $81 million for the World Series. Marlin was chief economist for three former city comptrollers so he knows something about money. But, how can he be talking cash at a time like this? Neither team is a lock to get in! He may know money but he obviously knows nothing about the heart of Big Apple baseball fans. Should either team fail to make it, money lost will mean nothing to their faithful. We’re talking the end of the world, here.

Welcome Housewarmings Eight Months Away

Our neighbors are moving down their respective blocks. Both the Yankees and Mets move into new homes in 2009. The Yankees will welcome fans to their baseball home opener in the Bronx at the new Yankee Stadium on April 16th. The Mets start their season at Citi Field in Queens on April 14th. Let’s hope their new digs are as great a place to visit and cheer as the old!

Mad Dog On The Loose

The WFAN sports broadcasting team of Mike Francesa and Chris Russo is no more. Chris opted out of the last year of his contract. The pair will certainly be missed for the information and entertainment they brought to New York City sports fans. After nearly 19 years, Chris will no longer play Mike’s lap dog. Inside sources say that the salary difference between Chris and Mike (about $200,000) was the main reason for the divorce. It fed Chris’ resentment and insecurity. In recent months, increased tension in their on-air debates was painfully obvious to regular radio listeners and viewers on the YES cable network. Chris is expected to sign a $3 million deal with Sirius. Together, the boys brought WFAN $15 million annually in advertising sales. That total is very likely to drop. Time will tell though if Mike’s ego can fill the Dog’s void to maintain the show’s popularity. As the “boys” were well known for their predictions, I’ll make one myself. A new “team” will bump Mike's time slot within the year. Like the Yankees, Mike, no team stays on top forever. To both of you, thanks for the memories.

Yankees Win Games – Lose Money

Financially speaking, the New York Yankees (valued at $1.306B) lost $47.3 million dollars in 2007. So says Forbes magazine. There’s a well known economics adage that goes something like this: “What’s the difference between a good accountant and a great accountant? Ask a good accountant to add 1+1 and he’ll get 2. Ask a great accountant to add 1+1 and he’ll get any number you want!” Before I pity the Steinbrenners, I need to contact Forbes and borrow their accountant. I want to recalculate my taxes!

Concrete Curse Reversed, Guaranteeing The Red Sox Will Be Worse

Several weeks ago, a destructive construction worker surreptitiously buried a David Ortiz, Red Sox baseball jersey two feet below a freshly poured foundation in the new Yankee Stadium. Well, we New Yorkers (and fortunately, the new Steinbrenner high command too) have a thing about "dumping garbage" on what will soon become hallowed Bronx ground. The stained shirt was quickly dug up and removed. Recognizing it’s collectible value though, Yankee ownership acted magnanimously. The jinxed jersey was auctioned on eBay with the total proceeds ($175,100) donated to The Jimmy Fund; a Boston based charity for children stricken with cancer. Rest assured Yank's fans that that kind of act buys mucho good baseball karma for sure. Now, as in the early 1900’s, the Yankees (then the Highlanders) have spotted the Red Sox a few World Series Championships. Big deal! History is known to repeat itself. Check back here in 92 years to see how many more World Series the Yankees have won as compared to their beantown buds. Even if the attempted “curse in concrete” had gone undetected, a buried Sox jersey wouldn’t have any detrimental effect on a “player in pinstripes.” It could only have been a precursor of things to come … for your team Sox fans. We're gonna bury you for another century!

Yankees & Mets Want To Buy Their Old Homes

In 2009, both local ball clubs will play in new stadiums. New York City is the current owner of Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium, both slated for demolition after the 2008 season. The Houses that Ruth and Kranepool built will be no more. Gone, but not forgotten … and maybe not totally gone either. Negotiations are taking place to let the Yankees and Mets buy their old ballparks. Their similar plan is to dismantle and peddle stadium memorabilia to fans and baseball collectors worldwide. Revenue from the sales of seats, lockers, bricks and even dirt are expected to bring in tens of millions of dollars for each team. Now, if these stadium deals go through (and they will), wouldn’t it be nice if the teams donated their collectible revenues to building and improving baseball fields around New York City? It’s fans, past and present, that contributed to the success of these teams. It’s the teams that should give more to our city's baseball youth and develop their fans of tomorrow. Each team is now looking to go out with cash in their pockets. Donating this cash to our kids let’s them go out as winners.

Mets To Ignore Their Roots On New Turf

In 1962, the New York Metropolitans (Mets) came into being as a baseball franchise. They were a consolation gift to National League fans still broken-hearted over the departure of their beloved, California dreaming Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants 5 years before. From their original logo and team colors (Blue-Dodgers, Orange-Giants) to their opening day ceremonies, the Mets were to be an amalgam of two teams with long histories in New York. However, it seems as though half of the team’s origin has been lost in the construction and celebration of their new Citi Field. Ebbet’s Field and the Dodgers are openly lauded while the Polo Grounds and Giants are nearly ignored. Though the Giants were always the third most popular team in town behind the Yankees and the Dodgers, they, their fans and those who cherish the history of baseball deserve much better representation at Citi Field.

In 2009, the Mets replace their Shea Stadium digs with the new Citi Field ballpark. The Yankees move as well from Yankee Stadium across the street to Yankee Stadium. No name change for them. No need. There’s something to be said for knowing one’s history and honoring tradition. Unfortunately for Mets’ fans, their team’s ownership isn't the best one to discuss history and honor.

P.S. Giants fans everywhere should demand that their team not be forgotten in Met's history like perhaps ... the Brooklyn Superbas.

Feng Shui Gives Yankees Win Over Mets

Feng shui (pronounced FENG SHUWAY) is the ancient Chinese practice of placing and arranging things in space to achieve the most agreeable harmony with the surrounding environment. Chi (pronounced CHEE) is the life force or spiritual energy within all things. What’s all that have to do with baseball, you ask?

Judith Wendell, a noted feng shui and chi expert declared the new Yankee Stadium superior to that of the Mets’ Citi Field. A variety of tests and “energy vibrations” she felt at each construction site convinced her of that. In other words, better feng shui in the Bronx will give the Yankees better chi than their cross-town rivals. Or, put yet another way … more chi, more wins. Great news for Bombers’ fans!

Both fields are scheduled to open for the start of the 2009 baseball season. Perhaps a new chant will rise up from the crowd to the facade in the Bronx on opening day … “We got chi! We got chi!”

Joe Torre Departs The New York "Yankees Universe"

Thanks for twelve glorious baseball seasons and a lifetime of wonderful memories to enjoy. I wish, most Yankee fans wish, that you would have stuck around for at least two more. You certainly earned them along with our eternal respect.