Monday, July 12, 2010

On a high



New York Yankees outfielders Brett Gardner, Nick Swisher, and Curtis Granderson celebrate in Safeco after the defending champs smoked the Seattle Mariners 8-2 for baseball's best record at 56-32 heading into the All-Star break. The Yankees have the most number of players in the mid-summer classic with nine: Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Phil Hughes, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, CC Sabathia, and Nick Swisher. 


Of the nine, three of them -- Jeet, Mo, and A-Rod have been to the All-Star game more than 10 times. Good job, Joe Girardi!


And RIP to the Voice of Yankee Stadium --- Bob Sheppard. He was 99 years old. Am lucky enough to have watched a hundred-some matches in the Stadium and heard your elegant voice. When I watched the segment on Sportscenter with Buster Olney reporting, I felt a shiver up my spine and my hair stood up. I had a tear in my eye. Seeing that goodbye to Mickey Mantle all over again... I got misty eyed. You see as a kid, my grandfather would read to me those Life magazines with Mantle as the subject. I had dreams of becoming a baseball player. And the Mick -- who didn't want to hit moonshots like him? I dreamed of being a New York Yankee. Of watching games in Yankee Stadium. Even before I became a fan of the Blue Eagles, I was weaned on this team. I knew everything about the team more than my damned algebra. Thanks, Bob (and to my grandpa)! Great memories. Great memories.


And my fave Bob Sheppard quote, "Most men go to work but I go to a game. How many men would love to do that?"

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