WHY THE NERD SHOW OPENED MY EYES

6 years ago, I was lucky enough to go to a card show and meet 3 very important Yankees. Yes, 2 were much older men, but the other was a new kid on the block. That stuff didn’t really matter though, they were Yankees and played with the greatest and played on the biggest stage. They were Gil McDougald, Bobby Murcer and Chien Ming Wang.

I walked into the auditorium of the event with my wife, who likes to break my balls when it comes to memorabilia collecting. She calls them “Nerd” shows. This isn’t to say that the actual shows are nerd shows, she’s making fun of me for being a nerd. Anyway, that being said, when I saw these athletes live, I turned into a little kid, and dare I say, a nerd… so maybe she’s onto something. Anyway, back to my point.

The first line was a short one. When I saw Gil Mcdougald, he looked nothing like the 1956 baseball card I had of him, but it was the ACTUAL Gil Mcdougald. I had a baseball and when it was my turn, I went up shook his hand and told him while I never saw him play, I thanked him for some great years on the Yankees and appreciated him. He smiled at me and told me he appreciated it. “A lot of youngsters tend to go up to the new guys.” That broke my heart but he laughed it off and signed my baseball. I took a picture and thanked him.

Next we waited on a longer line, but it was worth it, Bobby Murcer was on the end of it. He was healthy at the time, smiling, shaking hands and really just larger than life in my mind. I always liked Murcer and I loved him more in the booth. Just a likable guy. My fondest memory of Bobby Murcer was that home run he hit in the Munson game. I was a kid, but I remember where I was when I saw it and how important it was. I became a fan right then and to meet him now was incredible. When it was my turn, I walked up and shook his hand. I was really nervous. “I love you in the booth Mr. Murcer”, I said. “Thank you” he said. He took my ball, then he grabbed an action shot of him and signed it for me too. “Wow” I thought. We posed for a picture and after alittle more conversation I was on my way.

Then I got on the longest line in the room. At the end of it was Chien Ming Wang. Wow, maybe Gil Mcdougald was right, could it be that a lot of these kids don’t know about the other Yankee Greats of the past?

(In Photo: Bobby Richardson)

When I was a kid, my dad didn’t sit with me teaching about the Yankees of years past, but he would drop a name and a memory,like Bobby Richardson, "he was great for the Yankees," he'd say. Or “Moose” Skowron, "He had some great years for us," he'd say. My dad watched them play and he’d mention them. Me, in turn, would go and read about them, just so I knew who he talking about. When I was old enough, I’d go to card stores and save up to buy a card. If my dad says that guy was good, then he must be good, I thought. And that’s how I did it. Now, waiting on Wang's line, I realized maybe many had forgotten about the others.

I walked up, shook Wang’s hand. The conversation was limited, just a lot of nodding and pictures and signing my baseball and to me, it was exciting, but I have to tell you, at the time, Wang was the new guy and it was definitely a different feeling for me. Yes, he was a Yankee, but he wasn’t yet a Yankee great, the others were.

I tell you this story merely because the Yankee history runs long and deep and has so many incredible players over the years, even not so great ballplayers, but great stories and stats just the same. Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth are the most well known, but what do you know about Wayne Tolleson or Bobby Shantz. How about Matt Nokes or Jim Abbott? (In Photo: Jim Abbott)

Do you remember Bobby Meacham? I do, it was not a good career, but he was a New York Yankee and that means something I think. Check out Baseball Reference and type in a New York Yankee. Everything about them is there, stats and information that you never knew. It's really great. The Yankee history is truly awesome.

I love my New York Yankees and it really doesn’t matter who they are, they were Yankees and to learn about them and the teams they played on is great. Know the players, love them, they were Yankees, members of the greatest team in the world. It’s damn glorious.

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WHAT I'D DO WITH THE JETER BALL... I THINK

(Photo: New York Times)
2 of my friends asked me what I’d do with the Jeter baseball if I caught it. I looked at them and said I’d return it. Immediately, I was attacked with their own valid points, but the big point was money. For those few moments, I felt like an idiot. The more I thought about it, there would be nothing better than to make a few extra bucks for my kids college or hell, a really nice vacation. So, needless to say, I was confused. But then I thought about it more and I stuck with my gut; If I actually had the ball in my hands, it would be about the game, not greed.

I'm a baseball fanatic and you’ve heard me say that dozens of times on BYB. I love Cooperstown, the different ballparks, the players and the history. I love everything about it. Over the many years that I've been a fan, there is always something that has tarnished or stopped the game for fans for a short amount of time. Fans eventually come back, but then history repeats itself and it happens again.

For me, it all started with the loss of Thurman Munson. His death was a shot in the heart of every baseball fan. Baseball stopped. Then, we all came together on the Nationally televised "Munson game" when Bobby Murcer won the game for Thurman and his family by hitting a home run.

In the 80's, I watched Pete Rose, the all-time hits leader beat Ty Cobb to become number 1. Then suddenly, we watched Rose be banned from the game for life because he bet on his own team. Baseball finally got back to normal and then came the 1994 baseball strike. All the fans walked away from the game this time and it took a while to get the fans back, but we came back only to be disappointed by the steroids scandal. Luckily, the true baseball fans stick around through the tragedies of the game, but that brings me back to today.

My knee jerk reaction would be to give Derek Jeter’s 3000^th hit ball back to Derek Jeter asking for nothing in return. I’d like to think I’d do that, only to be celebrated with gifts from the New York Yankees, Jeter himself, Steiner sports, thanks from the fans, hell, maybe the Mayor would give me the key to the city. Then, at least at that point I’d have my own piece of history in Yankeeland and my name would be Gold in the Bronx. Hell, with whatever memorabilia I received, I could probably make a profit on ebay any way, or just keep it for myself or for my sons. Believe me, I'd be OK.

Then again I thought to myself , "If I really had the ball, would I be that kind? Would greed take over? Would I negotiate a ridiculous price and act like a total prick only to be hated by fans and Major League baseball alike?" Think about it, I would in fact have the control. I could ask for a high price because I would be the only one with the ball. I could ask for enough money to put my kids through school or buy front row seats at the stadium for quite a while. But I would also be criticized, abused and probably be branded an A-hole by the game I love the most.

When push comes to shove, I believe in karma and I believe in Yankee history. Not that I would expect good things to follow, but I would hope that doing the right thing, returning the ball as to not tarnish baseball history, would eventually get me something in return, Thanks. Thanks from the fans for not blowing it like Pete Rose did or the Steroid offenders did, but rather keep the game entact and at the same time having my moment. I think that’s what I’d do, because I love the game, plain and simple.

Back in 1961 Roger Maris didn’t want his ball back from the guy who caught his 61^st home run. Instead, Maris told Sal Durante to try to get some money for it. Now, Jeter could have done that I guess, but he didn’t. You can’t blame Jeter or call him selfish though. You have to understand something; Roger Maris probably didn’t want that 1961 baseball. While it was a huge accomplishment, he was stressed to the max that year; his hair fell out, he was abused by the fans because they didn't want Babe Ruth's record broken. Even looking at that ball would probably have brought back memories of a grouling season. Derek Jeter accomplished something in Yankee history that no Yankee ever did ever, but it’s a different ball with different memories attached to it. To Derek, it's a career, not a stressful season. Put yourself in Jeet’s shoes, you’d want it too. Jeter did the right thing, he gave Christian Lopez memorabilia, jerseys, a photo op, a handshake and thanks. Plus, you have to realize in this day and age, baseball is a bigger business than ever. Every pebble of dirt, base, bat and God knows what else is about to be sliced up and sold as the "Official game" materials that were at the 3000^th hit game. This isn’t 1961, this is big business.

To me, at the end of the day, I think that baseball goes on Jeter’s shelf for a bit, then to Cooperstown and is displayed for the world to see whenever they want to see it and to me, if I was the one who caught it, I’d be thrilled by that. I could go up to Cooperstown, probably with a free pass, walk up to the display and look at the exhibit. In it would be a set of Jeter’s cleats, maybe his jersey, the baseball and a description that reads, "This ball was caught by Casey of BYB. He caught it and gave it back to Derek Jeter... not for greed, but to preserve the game of baseball.”

That’s how I see it anyway.

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WHY OLD TIMER'S DAY IS COMFORTING

(Photo: NY Daily News)
Every year the Yankees have Old Timer’s Day at Yankee Stadium and to me, besides Spring training and the World Series, it may be one of my favorite times of year. For 1, I have officially been a Yankee fan since I was about 7 years old. That would put me at the 1978 season and guys like Ron Guidry, Reggie Jackson and Goose Gossage were the kings of New York. So, seeing them years later, while strange because they are so much older, is really a treat for me. First off, Ron Guidry is my idol. I too am a lefty and I have had my Ron Guidry Wilson mitt since about 1985. Seeing my idol years later just pleases me to the core.

(Photo: William Perlman/The Star-Ledger)

My fondest memory of Old Timer’s Day was watching Bobby Murcer with a pinned on lavaliere mic in the field talking to the booth while he was playing. I always liked Bobby Murcer, and even though he played for other teams in his career, like the Giants and the Cubs, to me, he was always a New York Yankee. He had so much heart and pride for the pinstripes and the fans loved it and I know the Yankee family did too. Back in the beginning of Murcer’s career, many thought because he was from Oklahoma, he was going to be the next Mickey Mantle. Well, Murcer never hit as many home runs like the Mick, but he hit his fair share and hit them at the right time. We obviously remember August 6, 1979, the funeral day of Thurman Munson and Murcer both gave Munson eulogy and hit a 3 run home run in the game that night. It will be forever known as the Munson game. What touched me the most was the report of he gave his home run bat to Thurman’s widow. Man, I still get chills thinking about that. Bobby was a good ballplayer and a great broadcaster and when he was out there on Old Timer’s Day, he was having fun. There were a lot of laughs and you couldn’t help but love Bobby Murcer.

This year, another couple Yankees are making their Old Timer’s Day debut. Joe Torre, Lou Piniella and Bernie Williams will be there. Joe Torre, whom I’ve had the opportunity of meeting many times, is one of my favorite managers ever. I loved his managing skill and I loved Zimmer by his side. It will be good to see him and I wrote about it in WHY IT'S ABOUT TIME.

Lou Piniella was in the Bronx Zoo back in the 70’s and there is no doubt there will be a standing Ovation for Lou as well. Lou was always a decent ballplayer and then, over time he became a successful manager with the Reds and Mariners. He always had a tight bond with the Yankees and I appreciated Lou, even though we played against him for so many years when he was with Seattle. Lou is a Yankee and I’m glad he’s coming home.

Bernie Williams is coming back to the Bronx this weekend and even though I didn’t like the way the Yankees handled Bernie at the end of the 2006 season, I guess I need to get over it. Bernie probably did. I have to realize that it was business, but the way it was handled just bothered me. Whatever the case, it’s clear whatever riff they had is over and I couldn’t be happier to see him back in pinstripes, at least for just 1 day. This is a guy that I watched his entire career. I remember when things really started clicking for Bernie and I thought “Man, we have many more years of this guy.” That was probably in 1996. Next thing I know, it’s 10 years later and he’s walking off the field for the last time. To me, today will be special with Bernie back in the big house.

(In Photo: Al Downing)

Seeing all the greats is a comforting experience for me. You know that Al Downing will be there, he’s always there. Yogi Berra, Brian Doyle and hopefully Wade Boggs too. I am looking forward to seeing Paul O’Neill back in pinstripes, Mickey Rivers (Read EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: MICKEY RIVERS), Moose Skowron and Darryl Strawberry. These are the Yankee greats that have made significant contributions to the team during their time in the Bronx. It’s an elite group and a group I admire and have worshipped all my life.

So, Ladies and Gentlemen, today will be no different. I will be transformed into a 7 year old kid in just a few hours, watching my favorite Yankees play alittle ball; granted it’s alittle slower and alittle funnier, but never the less, they're my favorites and all of yours too and most importantly, it’s baseball…Yankee baseball, the greatest sport in the world involving the greatest team in the world.

Yankee Tradition… that’s what it’s all about and I’ll watch every inning today…I can’t wait.

Please comment and let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.