Uptown Wed night

What's the best way to kill time on a basic week night - movie, TV, softball?? On this night I finally got down to the new Yankee Stadium. Coincidentally, it was a big night for the team - specifically for Derek Jeter (more on that later)..

I guess I became a Yankee fan when I was a little kid. My parents were Brooklyn Dodger fans. They talked about their times at Ebbet's Field but then that team moved to California. When I was growing up it was the Yankees who just won year after year. I used to watch their games in black and white on rabbit ear TV -- usually on weekends. I also remember listening to some of the World Series games during weekdays at school (sneaky transistor radio trick). There was no NY Mets at this time - at least not until the early 60s - so it was Yankees all the way..

I remember really enjoying a couple of Yankee movies in those days. One clunker I really liked was the Babe Ruth story starring William Bendix (also the star of the TV show Life of Riley).. You could tell Bendix wasn't a lefty like Ruth and he just didn't seem Ruthian - but the damn movie was entertaining. The more sophisticated movie was Pride of the Yankees starring Gary Cooper. This was a much better movie and actually had the REAL Babe Ruth playing himself. The movie was about Lou Gehrig whose name is now associated with that dreaded disease named for him.

So Gehrig's name had now been in the news every day since Derek Jeter closes in on his all-time 'hits as a Yankee' record. We were lucky enough to be at that exciting game last night. We bought these tickets a month ago not having any idea it would be a historical event (ok, so maybe historical is pouring it on a bit). In any case it was very entertaining. The new stadium is really incredible and a must-see for anyone.

Even my anti-crowd issues were under control as the place was so well organized you never felt crunched..The field level seats had mucho leg room and were cushioned (like super cushioned). Could have sat through any extra inning event.

We took the train down to the game. We experimented since there is a new train stop at the Stadium. It was very convenient - a touch expensive - but well worth it to me. The ride was very peaceful on the way down and as we got on the return train it was almost empty ---- ahhh, just my style. We walked through the cars looking for a 2-seater that was completely isolated so we could enjoy our trip in solitude. As we walked though this one car - in our Yankee regalia - some guy (obviously bombed) started yelling at me "TELL ME RIGHT NOW THAT YOU'D RATHER BE A MET FAN --- TELL ME..I'M RIGHT - AIN'T I?" .... I didn't even slow down and had no time to explain my baseball background. Nor did I tell him I rooted for those crazy Mets in 1969 and 1986 while my Yankees were dormant ... I just agreed "you may have a point".. This drunken bastard LOVED my response and I went to the next car and peacefully ate my M&Ms...