Date	Time/Scores	Team	Home/Away
Fri, April 18	Lost 2-8	Orioles	Away
Fri, April 25	Lost 4-6	Indians	Away
Fri, May 9	Lost 5-6	Tigers	Away
Fri, May 16	Postponed	Mets	Home
Fri, May 23	Won 13-2	Mariners	Home
Fri, May 30	Won 6-5	Twins	Away
Fri, June 13	Won 2-1	Astros	Away
Tues, June 17	Won 8-0	Padres	Home
Fri, June 20	Lost 2-4	Reds	Home
Tues, June 24	Lost 5-12	Pirates	Away
Fri, July 11	Lost 0-5	Blue Jays	Away
Fri, July 18	Won 7-1	Athletics	Home
Fri, July 25	Won 1–0	Red Box	Away
Fri, Aug. 1	Lost 0-1	Angels	Home
Fri, Aug. 15	Lost 4-3	Royals	Home
Fri, Aug. 22	Won 9-4	Orioles	Away
Tues, Aug. 26	Lost 7-3	Red Sox	Home
Sat, Sept. 13*	Won 6-5	Buccaneers	Home
* Friday night game was postponed by rain to Saturday.
Tues, Sept. 16	Lost 6-2	White Sox	Home
Fri, Sept. 19	Won 7-3	Orioles	Home
Fri, Sept. 26	7 p.m.	Red Sox	Away

Fenway ... The Place To Be ... For The Rival-ry!

By Scott Stanford, My9 Sports Reporter/Anchor

Yankee fans, don't get mad at me when I say this, but Fenway Park is the place to watch the Red Sox take on the Bombers. Period! The end.

I mean, sure Yankee Stadium is the iconic building with all the history and heroics, but when it comes to the best rivalry in sports, the best place to be is Beantown. Read More

Back in the Bronx

By Jim Driscoll, My9 News Director

When you grow up in the Bronx, being a Yankee fan just goes with the territory.

I know it's a cliché, but you bleed pinstripes. Going to Yankee Stadium was priceless. When I was 12 years old my buddies and I would hop on the #12 bus across Fordham Road, and then switch at the Concourse and head to 161st Street. You could do that back then without an adult. Times change. Read More

All Stars on Parade – For Free

By Fran Ham, My9 Newswriter (and ultimate Yankee Fan)

Seeing a parade of All Stars and Hall of Famers ride on the Red Carpet up 6th Avenue was fantastic for fans! It was the best way to experience the 2008 All Star Game festivities for free!

It was a real homerun for me in my hometown! Read More

 

 

 

My First Yankee Game
It was 1969. March to be exact. I remember it clearly. We had just moved into a new tenement apartment on the fourth floor in The Bronx. 163rd Street. I was 7 years old. The cutest thing you ever saw.

Started school in the middle of the school year. Boy, did that stink! Cliques were formed already. I had to create my own or join one already created. I opted for the latter. When I met Mimi, (that was her nickname, full name was Maria Milagros Rivera De La Cruz ... I liked calling her Mimi), we hit it off from the get-go. We started talking on my second day. That morning as I was leaving our apartment to take my 1 1/2 block trek to school, I spotted Mimi. She was coming out of the apartment on the third floor. I thought she looked like the girl in my class. Yep, it was her. So we walked to school together and we've been friends 'til this day.

Neither Mimi nor I were allowed to step foot off the curb on our block. The furthest we were allowed to go was two cars length to the left and two cars length to the right. That's it. So we played Hopstotch, Double Dutch, handball--all on that 4-car area.

My family was a wacko case. My mother was the sweetest, funniest person you would ever know ... and she was truly loved her. My brother, Chino, was 2 years older than me. He could cross the street if he wanted! My father was, like in most households at that time, the bread winner. Hard working, strict, and old-fashioned. He had a lot of nice qualities. Except for one. He was (still is) a METS fan. Well, guess no one's perfect, eh? He wouldn't miss a game ... on TV that is. And when they weren't broadcast on TV, he'd have his ear clued to the radio.
On the days when the Mets weren't on TV ... I'd get a chance to watch a little TV. You know back in those days, there was only one TV in every household. So, I'd flip thru the channels anxiously trying to find something to watch. Here was my opportunity. No one has the TV ... It's all mine!! I'd start at channel 2, go to 4, 5 7, 9, 11, 13 and 21. Nothing. Then I'd do it again.

Then this one day, as my father was listening to the Mets on the radio, I start surfing thru the channels and something caught my attention. A song. A beat. Something so special ... it sounded like angels playing instruments. I thought, 'what the hell is this?' OMG! I did a little dance. Did a little shimmy. Heard my father yell from the other room ... "MIRA, NENA!! 'TOP THAT! How he ever survived in this country with that ridiculous English of his, I will never know!

Anyways, turns out, that the angelic music playing from my TV ... on that beautiful sunny Spring day in April was no other, than the YANKEES PRE GAME THEME! OMG! It rocked!

So, I called my father over and told him that the game was on TV and that he could watch it and not have to listen to it on the radio. I was a good kid. Really.

He comes running over and looks at the TV with this confused look on his face and says. "How culd tat be tee Mess?". "Way a minit.....tat's no tee Mess. Tat them stoopid Jankees!" Oh. Well, what do I know. I saw baseball and thought it was his team. So, he walks back to the room...mumbling under his breath.

'thoes no tee Mess....dem stoopid Jankees. Oh chit....hom-run! Mess winning 1 to no thing. Oops, guess he missed it.

I sat there and tried to figure out ... how is it possible to choose listening to a game on the radio to watching it on TV. Baseball is baseball right? I mean, They were both from New York. What's the difference?

So, since there was nothing else to watch, I sat watching for a few minutes.

The announcers said "Welcome to Yankee baseball ... blah blah blah ... It's a beautiful day here in The Bronx ..." as I was getting up to get a drink. I stopped. What did he just say? He said ...."here in The Bronx?" Now as a kid, when you heard a place or name on TV that you were familiar with, it would throw you on your butt!

Holy Rice Krispies!! That really caught my attention. I sat there for nine innings. Didn't move. Just watched......looking to see if I saw anyone I knew.

Had no idea what I was watching. Didn't know who was who ... what they were doing. ... didn't understand a freakin' thing! All I knew was that this team was on TV playing somewhere in The Bronx. I had no idea where.
May 1969:

"Papi, can we go to a Yankee game?" I asked with the cutest little smile you ever seen.

"Wat? Go see toes pendejos"? (My dad used Splanglish ... Alot!) "I takey jew to a Mess game ... no to a Jankee game."

"But, but I don't wanna go to a MESS game ... I wanna go to a YANKEE game!" I yelled.

After the swelling went down, I once again asked the deadly question.

NO!

Fine.

Summer of '69:

My father took me to the city one morning 'cause he had to go to get some work stuff or some crap. We walked to 161st to catch the D train to the city.

Once we got there, he took care of whatever the hell we went there for.

On the way home, we took a different train. It was pretty exciting. We were going somewhere else before going home. Cool!

The ride was on the 4 train was cool. We got to ride in the first car and I watched the whole ride thru the tunnel looking out the front window right next to where the motorman rides. That's still a thrill. As the train leaves the 155th station, I have my nose pressed up against the window ... making faces at no one! Somewhere in the horizon, I start to see light, I told my father we are going on the outside! Whoo Hoo!! As it leaves the tunnel ... just a few feet away ... I start to see homes, car repair shops, and ...

YANKEE STADIUM!

"DAD! LOOK YANKEE STADIUM!!"

OH MY GOD!! Imagine the surprise...the excitement when I looked at my dad. I was so happy. I was glowing. My jaw had dropped onto the dirty subway floor. He started to stand up slowly. 'Oh chit. We're getting off here!'

MY DAD WAS TAKING ME TO MY FIRST YANKEE GAME!

I looked at him with such happiness. What a gleam in my eyes.

"We ... we ... we're going to a Yankee game?" I could hardly get the words out.

"Yeah, sure sure." he giggled.

Now, I'm actually skipping.

He couldn't walk fast enough for me. Hurry up! People were all over the place. Some going left. Others going right.

We go down the stairs and out to the street. I am in total awe. There it was. Right in my face. 161st and River Avenue ... Yankee Stadium. I can almost touch it. Almost.

We went right. Stadium on the left. :(

WAIT! WAIT! IT'S THIS WAY. I'M THINKING. WHY ARE WE GOING THAT WAY?

We walked. We kept walking. My neck hurt from turning around looking at the stadium. I tripped on a crack on the sidewalk. Ouch. Got up ... kept turning around until I could no longer see it. Then we were home.

That's when I first realized it was RIGHT THERE!! HOLY CORN POPS!

I could take myself to the games! Wait. I'm not allowed to cross the street by myself yet! This s*cks!
But my brother is. He's older than me. :) He can bring me.

I was happy and sad all at the same time. I learned today that The Stadium is right next door. That Chino could be my savior. That I had to talk my dad into letting Chino take me..... that I need money!

Two years later: I sat in the bleachers......with Mimi......We were 9 years old when we went to our first Yankee Game.....alone.

Words cannot describe the feeling of being there. That's a big place.

And the players are so little. But it didn't matter. We were there! Amongst all those people. We'd sit there "watching" the games and late arrivals would come to us and ask, "How'd the Yankees score those three runs?".

"Ummmmm, they reached home plate?" Good one, Mimi!

"How the hell do we know? What's the difference? They're winning 3-0." and we would giggle.

We'd continued to do this every chance we got. In 1974, Mimi moved away. Her family felt the South Bronx was not a safe place to raise children. It wasn't such bad timing since the Yankees had to go play at Shea while Yankee Stadium was being "redone" ...

I was 14 when I met Mikey. So cute! I realized later (yesterday) how much he resembles Rickey Henderson. I knew there was a connection. Mikey became my new Yankee game buddy. Not a bad replacement for Mimi, I might add. We were boyfriend and girlfriend by the start of the '76 All-Star Break.

Hanging out with Mikey and going to games and the movies was so cool. We had our first kiss at the park across the street from Yankee Stadium. We were sitting on the benches......and he just reached over and ... and ... well, that's a whole other story! :)

In the midst of my teen years, all my friends were taking different directions in life, including Mikey. Who was dropping out of high school, who was getting involved with drugs, who were joining gangs, who were getting pregnant, getting locked-up. Who was dead ... It was insane! So insane, that I just had to turn my back on some of my closest friends.

My only escape from all that was going on around me was obvious. I'd go to a place where I felt safe. Could you believe I felt safer in the bleachers at Yankee Stadium than my own front stoop?

I made some really nice friends in high school and as I grew older, my attention was directed towards other interest. I got my first job in Manhattan. It was an after-school job ... which took me into working most of the summer days. On weekends, we would hit the clubs in the city ... little by little, my presence at the stadium was becoming less and less. Still, there would be those evenings after work when I would just start walking to the stadium, buy a ticket, sit in the bleachers, watch the game then go home.

Anyways, to make a long story short (too freakin' late for that, huh?) I would have to conclude that thanks to the NEW YORK YANKEES ... I've kept my sanity. Who knows which direction life would have taken me and many other little kids who found a safe haven in the stadium.

Now they plan on building the new stadium right where I had my first kiss with Mikey. I just hope they at least built a heart-shaped home plate to commemorate "our spot".
Maritza (Nora) Tozzi
Hazlet, NJ

A Long Drive
This happened July 18, 2005, at a Yankee-Rangers game in Arlington, TX. We are Yankee fans in Texas! We arrived extra early to see the players warm up. It was a 4 hour drive and totally worth it. As soon as the players started to go on the field, we started to call out their names and showed off the poster boards that we made. Jeter, Mussina, and Sandman Rivera looked our way, smiled and waved. My son said that I was screaming like a teenager.
Dee Perez
Bronx, NY, but living in Texas

How the Yankees Saved My Life
On Friday, September 16, 2005, I was watching the New York Yankee game with my son, Raymond, as we usually do. On the Friday night game, UPN9 announcers had a trivia question; "Who was the last Yankee rookie to hit a grand slam"? I looked at Raymond and answered, "April 2003 home opener at Yankee Stadium, Hideki Matsui." When the announcer came back with the answer, my son congratulated me on remembering, as I was right. The only thing that I didn't remember was that it was April 8, 2003. The following story is from my heart and is why this is so important to me.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire Yankee organization for saving my life and turning me into a very big Yankee fan. I always enjoyed baseball because of Raymond, my son who is a die-hard Yankee fan. On February 4, 2003, I had a brain tumor removed and it was a seven-month recovery that affected my short-term memory. This is where my story begins.

The Yankees opened the season that year away and if I remember correctly those games were in the evening at Boston. My son would quiz me on the players. I knew that Derek Jeter wears #2 and is the short stop, Jorge Posada wears #20 and is the catcher, and Jason Giambi wears #25 and plays 1st base. I knew some of the other players but not their numbers or positions.

The first home game that year was in the afternoon. My son listened to the game at work and I watched it on TV by myself. When Raymond came home that day, he quizzed me on the game. I was quite excited because the Yankees won and when Raymond asked me what happened, I told him that the new guy hit a grand slam his first time up at bat in Yankee stadium. Raymond pretended as though he didn't listen to the game and wanted to know who this new guy was. I begged him not to do this to me and he encouraged me to try. All I could come up with was that it was the new Japanese guy, Raymond wanted more information. I kept trying and said that his name started with an "M". Raymond said it wasn't enough. After awhile I said, "His name is Mitsubishi", Raymond proceeded to laugh, got me laughing and told me "nice try don't get upset", and at that point I started to cry. As the night went on Raymond told me that the name of the player who hit the grand slam is Hideki Matsui. I didn't know how I would remember that so I continued calling him "Mitsubishi".

As the season went along I kept trying to remember the regular players and their numbers but continued calling my beloved #55 Mitsubishi. No matter how hard I tried I could not remember his real name. Raymond kept testing me on the five pitchers and the rotation; of course he always had to help me.

In September I was able to return to work; I am a secretary at a high school and a few students found out about my son testing me on the Yankees and they joined in on the quizzing of games and players. I continued to watch night and weekend games and the students would keep me posted as much as possible with day game information, scores and important plays. On December 10, 2004 there was a class trip to tour Yankee stadium. I begged the teacher in charge to allow me to come along as a chaperone. I used a vacation day and paid my way. This was one of the most enjoyable days since my surgery. Although I have been to the stadium for several games before my surgery I had never been to Monument Park I am quite impressed and one day would like to take the tour again with Raymond.

I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Yankee organization for their unknown assistance in my recovery, I'm not sure were I would be without them and my son. I also wish to apologize to Hideki Matsui as I never meant to make fun of his name, he is one of my favorite players and always will be. I am still a die-hard Yankee fan and I think I will be for the rest of my life. Because of my son and the Yankees, I have regained a good portion of my short-term memory. I am not as good as I used to be but I can deal with that. Raymond and I are planning our first vacation since my surgery and we will be going to Cooperstown, New York to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The last time we were there was when Raymond was approximately 7 years old. Unfortunately, he does not remember this trip and we are both looking forward to going.

In conclusion, we arrived in Cooperstown on October 1st and spent four wonderful days going in and out of the Hall of Fame and all the shops. On our first day at the Hall we wondered around without really reading everything but yet checked out all three levels. On the second floor where they had the lockers, like in the locker room, for each team we found "The Mitsubishi Bat" from that most memorable grand slam. As I stood and cried my son asked me why and my response was "this is the bat that was the beginning of my recovery". We went into the Hall of Fame all four days and spent time in a different area each time we went, but everyday we visited that locker and I had the same reaction. Sitting here completing this story there are tears in my eyes. Thanks again.
Linda Ditzel
Edison, NJ

My First Game
My first Yankee game was Sunday June 22nd 2008 @ 1p.m. It was the best experience ever. I thought I was never going to see the stadium but thanks to my boyfriend Christian I got to and it was the most amazing experience. That day we played against the Reds and the most memorable moment was the thunderstorm I was so excited to be at the stadium that I didn't want to go inside so I got soaked but it was all worth it. Yankees are the best of the best!
Leslye
Staten Island, NY

"Yankee Good Guy"
In July of 1970, at the age of 12, I selected by an usher to be a "Yankee Good Guy"(YGG). I returned for a game at a later date where I posed for a picture with Roy White on the Yankee Stadium turf. In the 1990s I saw Mr. White at a picture signing event at Tappan Zee High School in Orangeburg, NY (my alma mater). Mr. White autographed the YGG picture and noted that he was wearing the full weight baseball jersey that was still in use at the time. I suggest that the Yankees have a reunion of all of the "Yankee Good Guys" they are able to locate at the present stadium before this season ends.
Robert Raniolo
Tappan, NY

Great Seats for 1st Game
My very first game I was 22 yrs old. Our friend’s dad gave us the tickets and we drove nonstop from Buffalo to the Bronx. Had no clue that when we got there they were going to be 3rd row behind the Yankee dugout! I would kill for those seats this year, 21 years later. I live in Florida now but last year I made it up in June to visit my son who just got his first assignment in the Coast Guard @ Eaton's Neck, LI. I got to take him to HIS first game in the house that Ruth built! We lucked out and they were playing the Mets. I tried for WEEKS every day trying to buy those tickets and it kept saying, not available try back. When it came up "available" I couldn't believe it. Then at the end of the game he bought me a jersey!
Michelle R.
Jacksonville,FL

Player	Position	#
Andy Pettitte	Left Hand Pitcher	46
Billy Traber	Left Hand Pitcher	61
Damaso Marte	Left Hand Pitcher	34
Phil Coke	Left Hand Pitcher	48
Alfredo Aceves	Right Hand Pitcher	91
LaTroy Hawkins	Right Hand Pitcher	22
David Robertson	Right Hand Pitcher	30
Brian Bruney	Right Hand Pitcher	33
Phil Hughes**	Right Hand Pitcher	34
Mike Mussina	Right Hand Pitcher	35
Edwar Ramirez	Right Hand Pitcher	36
Dan Giese	Right Hand Pitcher	38
Chien-Ming Wang*	Right Hand Pitcher	40
Jose Veras	Right Hand Pitcher	41
Mariano Rivera	Right Hand Pitcher	42
Darrell Rasner	Right Hand Pitcher	43
Carl Pavano	Right Hand Pitcher	45
Sidney Ponson	Right Hand Pitcher	47
Joba Chamberlain	Right Hand Pitcher	62
Jonathan Albaladejo**	Right Hand Pitcher	63
Andrew Brackman**	Right Hand Pitcher	64
Humberto Sanchez**	Right Hand Pitcher	77
Chris Britton	Right Hand Pitcher	63
Jorge Posada*	Catcher	20
Jose Molina	Catcher	26
Ivan Rodriguez	Catcher	12
Chad Moeller	Catcher	19
Derek Jeter	Infield	2
Alex Rodriguez	Infield	13
Wilson Betemit	Infield	14
Robinson Cano	Infield	24
Richie Sexson	Infield	39
Cody Ransom	Infield	29
Jason Giambi	Infield/Designated Hitter	25
Hideki Matsui	Designated Hitter	55
Brett Gardner	Outfield	11
Justin Christian	Outfield	17
Johnny Damon	Outfield	18
Melky Cabrera	Outfield	28
Bobby Abreu	Outfield	53
Xavier Nady	Outfield	29
Joe Girardi	Manager	27
Bobby Meacham	Coach	50
Dave Eiland	Coach	52
Kevin Long	Coach	54
Tony Pena	Coach	56
Mike Harkey	Coach	57
Rob Thomson	Coach	59
Rich Monteleone	Support	60
Roman Rodriguez	Support	88
Mitch Seone	Support	58
Charlie Wonsowicz	Support	87
Gene Monahan	Head Trainer
Steve Donohue	Asst Trainer
Dana Cavalea	Strength & Conditioning
Dr. Stuart Hershon, M.D.	Team Physician
Jason Zillo	Media Relations Dir
Ben Tuliebitz	Traveling Secy
Rogelio Kahlon	Interpreter
Yohei Fukuda	Interpreter
Rob Cucuzza	Clubhouse/Equip Mgr
Lou Cucuzza, Jr.	Clubhouse/Equip Mgr
* 15-day disabled list
** 60-day disabled list