10. Hank Bauer. An old school, crew cut wearing, cigar smoking tough guy who would kick your ass to get a win. He was the guy who flattened the heckler in the Copa that ended Billy Martins career. He was there with Martin and Ford and Mantle when this asshole started making racial remarks at Sammie Davis Jr. who was singing at the time. So Hank flattened him. My kind of guy.
9. Celerino Sanchez the illegal Mexican immigrant third baseman who saved us from the Rick McKinney debacle. Originated the phrase “Baseball been berry berry good to me.” His sterling example led to thousands of gardeners, sheet rock hangers and bus boys that keep New York the city that never sleeps.
8. Sparky Lyle. The Count. Best reliever this side of Mariano, he was in the boozer Hall of Fame. He signed a deal with the Claridge Casino in Atlantic City to endorse a tiny bar off the casino floor that had all his memorabilia. I used to hang out there with him in the eighties. His favorite pastime was to go up to the roof and throw baseball off it to see if we could hit people on the boardwalk.
7. Rickey Henderson. Not a true Yankee but a great talent. What I love about him is that he just didn’t give a shit. He just wanted to play man and so he did. On the list as the greatest lead off man of all time, not for any other reason. A favorite but not a true Yankee.
6. Yogi Berra. Rightfully more famous as a philosopher than as a ball player. Still one of the greatest catchers of all time. And a great “Bad Ball” hitter. One of the all time true Yankees. “If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.”
5. Phil the Scooter Rizzuto. Not only the second best short stop in Yankee history, but a beloved broadcaster. “Well that (Pope Paul VI passing away) kind of puts the damper on even a Yankee win." Source: TV Broadcast (August 6, 1978)
4. David Wells. You have to love that fat bastard. Rubber arm, tubby belly. I have to admit I am a big fan because I look almost exactly like him. I just hope some midget doesn’t try to punch me in a diner at three in the moring. I got into a club once pretending to be him. A money pitcher when the game was on the line.
3. Roger Maris. An old school kick ass player who never got his due. The pressure got to him and it was a shame that he died before the Yankee fans could really get to show their appreciation for his 61 home run season. I saw him hit two home runs during the 61 season which was the first year my dad took me to the stadium.
2. Mickey Mantle. He was a true Yankee with all the talent in the world. But he drank and fucked a lot of it away. Even though he set a lot of records, he could have been the greatest of all time if he had taken care of himself. But still a great Yankee.
1. Billy Martin. For all his bullshit, a true Yankee. As much as George smacked him around, Billy was the one guy who wanted to win as much as he did. He would put your eyes out to win. I measure all managers against him. He wasn’t always right, but I knew he would do what it took to win.
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9 comments:
What about Reggie Jackson? Wasn't he the straw that stirred the drink.
"I didn't come to New York to be a star, I brought my star with me."
Was Lou Pinella a real Yankee? He's one of my favorites Yankees who managed the Reds to a wire-to-wire championship season in 1990. Paul O'Neal: another favorite Yankee for me. He was a class act was he not?
I've always been an admirer of Yankee fans. They are the ultimate baseball fans bar none.
Sure Sweet Lou and Paul O'Neal are true Yankees. It's just that I like the rough necks and the knuckleheads. There is a whole class of Yankees who are the Class Guys. Jeter. Dimag. Mattingly. Not my cup of tea.
But Sweet Lou and Paul were the best. Did you know that they hate each others gut?
The Yankees only got Paul because Lou hated his guts. The funny thing was that they were so much alike. Hot headed competitors who would kill you to win the game.
In 1980 I got a season ticket plan with my little brother. I was a single guy with a lot of disposable income. That was when baseball caps started to be cool to wear. So we decided to buy caps from different teams to wear with our Yankee gear. They were cheap caps but fun to wear around the neighborhood.
Anyway one game I bought a Cincinatti Reds Cap and I was standing in the concession line. This dude sidles up to me and goes
"Johnny Bench is a homo."
I looked at him and said "Good luck with that pal."
Haw! Funny thing is, whether they know it or not, they're pretty much all homos. Think about it - most jocks don't really love women. Not like you and I do. For jocks, women are just gear. What they really love is other jocks.
Baseball players are homos? Nope - sorry. You must be thinking of soccer players or Olympic divers.
Thanks for not mentioning Bucky Dent.
(That Bastard)
Yeah - baseball players, football players, basketball players, divers, soccer, Nascar, WWF - they're all, for the most part, homo. Not gay, necessarily, just homo.
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