Hate is such a strong word....

Not what you think.

As a rule, I HATE the New York Yankees. I hate their little pin stripes, I hate their payroll, and mostly I hate those fans. But even if you only like baseball a little bit, and I like it a lot, tonight was a milestone. The last game in the House that Ruth Built.

85 years, EIGHTY FIVE years of baseball, Eighty five years of American history. Babe Ruth in the first game, " I I I I am am am the luckiest man man man alive....", " Mr. October" , Jim Abbott's no hitter , Don Larsen's perfect game. On and on and on...Including beating my Braves in the '96 and '99 World Series. 1923, two world wars, the depression, the space race, the cold war. 37 World Series!... again on and on and on. So, tonight was something special.

They started the pre game events tonight by bringing out Yankees from the past at each position, or their family members if they were gone. ( Anytime you get to see David Wells, its a good night)  Cried like a baby!  They start that tinkley piano " take me out", I tear up. I don't know if it was broadcast to a national audience, but we have YANKEE TV ( hate it , too. All Yankees all the time . Now it is nice in the depths of winter to watch old baseball games, but their own network?) Then its time for the LAST FIRST PITCH: BABE RUTH'S daughter! Talk about coming full circle. She threw that ball too!, I mean her son walked her right up to the plate, but it was over handed. 

I never ever watch Yankees games, so, I don't know any of these traditions that they have. Looks like fun. But, once this game is over, I can hate them again. Here is a really nice op-ed from the Times today by BILLY CRYSTAL, about the park. 

The Fabled New York Yankees will not see any post season play this year, but the Tampa Bay  Rays will. The entire Ray payroll is less than they pay the A-Rod. Whole team IN the playoffs , one guy who is not. Maybe it's not such a strong word after all...