A well deserved recognition of a True Yankee

I really enjoyed the Old Timers Day ceremonies this year. They honored a couple of True Yankees. Willie Randolph for played and coached for the Yankees for many years got a plaque in Monument Valley. It was very well deserved.

I remember when we traded with the Pirates for him and how excited we got someone for second base instead of Horace Clarke. That was one of the most one sided trades that the Yankees ever pulled off. I remember that the GM of the Pirates was watching Doc Medich get hammered in a pre season game and screamed "Doc Ellis is a better Doctor than this asshole!"

It was also tugged at the heartstrings to see Mel Stottlemye who has terminal cancer. I remember going up to the staduim when he was the ace of our staff with nudnicks like Fritz Petersen and Mike Kekich and Steve Kline and Jim Bouton. The Yankees surprised him with a plague and there was not a dry eye in the house.

This is what the Yankees do best. All of the old timers were. The Yankees fly them in and give them a great day in New York. Reggie. Mickey Rivers. Lou Pinella. Chris Chamblis. Ricky Henderson. Cecil Fielder. Charley Hayes. Tino. O'Neil. Pretty much all of the old time guys no matter how obscure.

The widows were there as well. When I was a kid it was Mrs. Babe Ruth and Mrs. Lou Gehrig. Now it is Diane Munsun and Mrs. Murcer and Mrs. Catfish and Arlene Howard. They are part of the family and stand in for their husbands. To get a warm welcome and an ovation once a year from the fans must feel pretty good. Their husbands are remembered. Yankee history and tradition are remembered.

I just wish I could afford a ticket to the game.