Here we go again! Good Guys vs. Bad Guys and this time it’s four games in the Bronx. One word: Whoooooooooohooooooooyaaaahaaaaaaahaaa!
Will the series lose its fervor due to a rash of recent injuries? Sheffield and Matsui are on the DL with hurt wrists. And, Rivera hurt himself bending over. Michael Kay has got to be next. But, the Yanks are on a tear. The big Unit looks strong and their outfield replacements are Melky and Long. Let’s hope they all take a beating!
We’re missing Willy Mo, again with an hurt wrist. Timlin tore a muscle smiling. As usual Wells put in his contract that he would be paid per appearance (on the DL). And, Clement is pitching. (That’s an injury the whole team must bear.) It tells you something about the state of our staff when every Sox fan can name three or four pitchers we have in the minors.
Regardless, there will be a carnival atmosphere at Thom’s next week. It’ll be a real howl. It’s going to be a regular Canobee Lake Park:
You asked for it and you got it. No more Kay. Next week we’re going to pick three innings during the game and let you broadcast them. Do play-by-play or color commentary. Just yell "chowder" the whole time. But, come in and exercise your first amendment right to shut Kay up! Sign-ups are online first. So e-mail me if you want to take part.
When you arrive don’t forget to touch (wash your grimy hands first) the "World Series Bunting". Direct from Busch Stadium comes a piece of history. The place was St. Louis. The time was Game 4 of the 2004 World Series. A ground ball was "stabbed by Foulke" and soon thereafter mayhem broke loose. A new era began. In the middle of it all were two itinerant New Yorkers on hand for history (No, not Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon). They weren’t Sox fans, so they didn’t rush the field. What they did was think of little old me. They ripped the official nine-foot long red, white, and blue bunting off of the wall and shoved it in their shirt. When a park official asked them what they were doing. They answered "That guy said we could have it", and ran as his head turned. Genius! Daring! The bunting made it all the way to New York City and into my hands. Come see for yourself this piece of history. It will be hanging on the wall by the bar for the whole series.
Monday Night we’ll be having a rivalry of our own. Some of the brightest Yankee fans in the city are coming in (be polite) to match wits with our most knowledgeable Sox fans in a baseball trivia battle. It’s not to late to take part. If you think you know the Red Sox or know someone who knows the Yankees inside and out, let me know. By the way, our "game show host" is one of the guys that ripped-off the bunting. Give him a pat on the back.
As always, Jim will be giving away anything he can get his hands on with game-long raffles. When you get there ask what the specials are so you can get your tickets.
If that’s not enough, we’ll be making up more as we go along. We have four games to get this right so send me your suggestions. Rhonda got the mojo working two weeks ago by tearing up her pin-striped shirt while the Sox were losing. It worked, for a little while. But, she lacked help. What are you willing to do to help your team?
Nelly Kelly loved baseball games,
Knew the players, knew all their names,
You could see her there ev'ry day,
Shout "Hurray" when they'd play.
-Jack Norworth
