Growing up her father, my Grandpa Tom, was a NY cop who worked the beat around Yankee Stadium and was, according to my mom, well-known to the players from the '30s through the '60s. Some amazing players passed through the Bronx during this time - Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle, Roger Marris, Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra - while my mom was growing up.
But it was Ruth, DiMaggio and Gehrig my mom especially remembered as they were her dad's friends with whom he probably shared a drink (he was an Irish cop after all) and, on occasion, meals at my mom's house. Apparently, players back then, were loath to turn down a free meal and didn't mind spending time with friends who did normal things like walk a beat.
With those memories close at hand, and my mom and Grandpa Tom both long gone, I can only wonder what they'd think of today's massively overpaid, narcissistic, selfish, whining crybaby jackasses who bid farewell to Yankee Stadium yesterday? (At least they won on the way out the door.)
Probably not much.
The new one's on the right. Doesn't look
that much different from the old one.
For the price of "New Yankee Stadium" my hometown built PNC Park for the Pirates ($216 million); Heinz Field for the Steelers ($281 million): a yet-to-be-named hockey arena for the Penguins ($290 million); and expanded its convention center ($354 million) - and would still have almost a half a billion dollars left over. (All figures according to Wikipedia).
As expensive as land and construction and everything else are in NYC all I can say is, Really? A billion six (of mostly taxpayer money) for one stadium?
I can't even begin to imagine how much it's going to cost to go to a game there. Anybody think there'll be $5 seats like at Nat's Park? (Insert maniacal New York-accented laughter here, here and here.)
All I can hope for is that as The Boss (old George himself) moves his aging lineup of not-nearly-as-good-as-they-think-they-are wannabe superstars into their new $1.6 billion palace, they tank. H.A.R.D. Like the Red Sox and Cubs of yore.
Special Irish Hex: No playoffs for you Yankees for two years; no pennants for five and not even a taste of World Series glory for the next 10 years.
You read it here first.
2 comments:
wow hate my favorite team much
Zip - Did it come across that way? Could be from my dad's influence, he was a Brooklyn Dodger fan.
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