1. My first game. Pop pop and uncle took a 9 year old me. Can’t remember the game, but remember throwing a fit that I could not get a tiny inflatable baseball guy doll. Pop denied me for the first time ever. Like to think that was him teaching me a lesson before he went.
2.uncle frank gives my dad and I tickets. Box seats behind the dugout. I had a view of ron guidry firing fastballs to the plate. I was in awe of the speed.
3. Random memory: rickey Henderson homers and I think it goes out of stadium. Silly youngster. That never happened.
4. Many games with bill saccardi. Taking the d train. Buying pictures for autographs. Sitting in section 31 and bugging dave winfield — my hero. I mimicked his lumbering gait each little league at bat. Who knew I would cap out at 5 7 and not be a 6 5 baseball star. Still slip into my dw walk when I need to be reeaally cool.
5. My last game at the stadium. Slipped out of work early to walk through memorial park. Saw mariano walking into bullpen. Thought he was rather small. Walked as close to field as I could. Entertained thoughts of hopping onto it. Resisted. Yanks won.
Bit memories: the organ, bob shephards voice, fred the pan banger and his obnoxious ‘cling cling’, writing the final score on my pennants, dw waving just to shut me up, the story of my dad catching a foul ball when he was a kid – then me losing it… Woops.
Sad I won’t be able to take dolly there. I guess it had to go to prompt thinking of what it’s been like to have it.
