“Old Yankees never die….. and their fans won’t let them fade away” La Diabla, Sportsphile & Raconteur
The New York Yankees fans have a “tried and true” annual tradition that is shared with their team in honor of the boys of summers past. Unlike any other professional sports franchise, the Yankee fans celebrate the onset of summer by paying homage to their heroes from years/teams past by packing into Yankee Stadium for the annual Old Timers Game……nearly 4 hours before the scheduled regular season MLB opening game is to begin…..as every seat is not only sold out….but occupied.
The purpose for all of these fans who fill all of the seats at Yankee Stadium is not to see the old timers play the game…..the fans come to give their fading heroes one more moment in the sun….on the big stage in the spotlight….but even more so because of each individual fans need “to never let their heroes die….the Yankees fans just won’t let them fade away.” It’s just one more chance for their aging heroes to hear the sounds of their fans appreciation….for all the memories that they had provided them over their years of performing on the diamond at Yankee Stadium. Beyond all of that, which is quite a lot….it is the fan….the Sportsphile….that needs just one more main line injection into their bloodstream of memories….for that is what fuels this event every year as they all come together to celebrate the boys of summer present and past.
There was Reggie, Straw, Sweet Lou, Bernie, Catfish, Goose, Louisiana Lightning and so many others…..but when they introduced the BOYS of the 50’s and 60’s that really got that New York sellout crowd stirred up…..Larsen, Ford and Berra…..oh my God Dog….the ole boys are really thinning out….and I sorta suspect that these three may not have too many more opportunities to have that “skip in their step” just once more so gracefully given by their fans….but it was sure fun to watch with BD yesterday.
So today’s story is my tribute to BD for having shared what it took to just put these items of memorabilia together……along with all the stories which evolved in Bone Daddy’s Yankee lore….and it gives me great pleasure to share these pieces with all you Yankee fans out there….cuz all ya’ll are the same fans who wouldn’t miss another walk down memory lane. I hope these particular cards bring back fond memories to every Yankee fan that understands how much the OLE BOYS who played for the Yanks never die…..as their fans won’t let them just fade away. And thank God Dog that my memory hasn’t faded yet also.
For that and so much more…..which was all bundled up in Bone Daddy’s faded love for the Yankees….which is another story all by itself…..I give you cards of many of the Yanks who showed up this day of June 27, 2011 to wear their pinstripes once again …..just to capture another glassful of what it feels like to take the field at Yankee Stadium….and albeit even for just a moment ….to rekindle those memories which have never faded away. THANKS FOR THE MEMEORIES…..WE SHARE THE SMILES AND CHEERS WITH YOU.
DOG NOTE
As I sat next to Bone Daddy during the entire introduction process of the Yankees Old Timers Game…..always keeping an eye on him like all good dogs do with their HUMANS….and I marveled at the pure honest emotions and memories that BD went through…..as he shared gleefully with me….short nuggets of golden memories about each player as the old time boys (not men at this particular moment) took the field… as each players was announced by the Yankee announcer. Now did ya’ll notice that I called them BOYS instead of MEN…..that’s cuz when each name was called out, another boy in an old man’s suit….happily jogged out to their position….for the boy really never got old….just his body. The way I see it with my keen canine eye and superior cognitive assessment prowess…..that regardless of what decade these old timers played….no matter who or when each of these MEN had played in the past…..the minute they put on the pinstripes and jogged out on the hallowed field at Yankee Stadium….they all became BOYS again….kinda like the old folks swimming in the indoor pool with the “Cocoons”…..did any of you catch that one? So, the very minute each player was introduced by name and position….as each one took the field at the position they played….there was an extra “skip in their steps”…..and all was right in the Baseball World….at least for another moment in time.
GOD DOG PHILOSOPHY
Every now and then….I’m gonna give you some God Dog Philosophy….which far surpasses any of my own Dog Philosophy in its depth of value. Anyway, when I share a philosophy of God Dog….it is simple and complex at the same time…..which allows it to have so much more depth. With that in mind, here is one of the best to remember as time passes you each HUMAN’S life as follows:
FROM THE DAY A DOG IS BORN….GOD DOG TEACHES EACH DOG THAT EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE….NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU SHALL BECOME…..YOU SHOULD LIVE EACH DAY LIKE A HAPPY KID….WITH JOY AND LAUGHTER IN WHAT YOU DO….AND A SKIP IN YOUR STEP.
A perfect example of this core philosophy as exhibited by HUMANS…was seen by the old time Yankee players who took the field one more time at Yankee Stadium on that day of the Old Timer’s Game. From the way I see it…..that perfect example of dog philosophy was seen on the faces of each old timer….. as each one came out individually from under the tunnel in the outfield of Yankee stadium….. whereby each player 1st appeared as an old man….but the minute they stepped into the sunlight and onto the green grass of the diamond….they each magically turned into a happy kid with joy and laughter in what they did….and “a skip in each of their steps”….all the while to the cheers from exuberant fans with broad smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes. At that very moment I realized for the first time….that there is a place for all HUMANS to go….better than any other place they have to go in their world…..to access that which I actually saw sitting next to BD watching the 2010 Yankees Old Timers Game….the fact is that HUMANS actually do find some places to show that they get my favorite God Dog Philosophy. I live everyday like a kid with joy and laughter….if only for a moment…..and so should each of you.
As I sat next to Bone Daddy during the entire introduction process of the Yankees Old Timers Game…..always keeping an eye on him like all good dogs do with their HUMANS….and I marveled at the pure honest emotions and memories that BD went through…..as he shared gleefully with me….short nuggets of golden memories about each player as the old time boys (not men at this particular moment) took the field… as each players was announced by the Yankee announcer. Now did ya’ll notice that I called them BOYS instead of MEN…..that’s cuz when each name was called out, another boy in an old man’s suit….happily jogged out to their position….for the boy really never got old….just his body. The way I see it with my keen canine eye and superior cognitive assessment prowess…..that regardless of what decade these old timers played….no matter who or when each of these MEN had played in the past…..the minute they put on the pinstripes and jogged out on the hallowed field at Yankee Stadium….they all became BOYS again….kinda like the old folks swimming in the indoor pool with the “Cocoons”…..did any of you catch that one? So, the very minute each player was introduced by name and position….as each one took the field at the position they played….there was an extra “skip in their steps”…..and all was right in the Baseball World….at least for another moment in time.
