He's here. The Boogie Down Baby was born on 8/22 @ 4:50am EST. he clocked in at 7 lbs 13 oz and measured at 21 inches. Mom and baby are doing great, and Dad needs some sleep. But the Yankees are on, and even though I've been up since 7am on 8/21 (40 hours) and I've probably slept for 2 non-consecutive hours if I'm lucky, but I'm a trooper, so I'm watching the game. I couldn't stay with the missus because it's a semi-private room, but it's for the best, as sleeping in a chair isn't all that great.
We went in yesterday at 6pm to start the induction process. It starts with a 12 hour process where they soften the cervix and then moves on to the actual induction. We didn't make it that far. She got the softener at 6:45pm. We thought it was going to be a walk in the park. Hang out, catch some z's, and wait for the real fun to begin in the morning. Little did we know that the real fun starts almost immediately. The contractions started around 8pm or so, and were fine at first, but a little after 10pm, they started getting closer and closer and more intense. The wife was writhing in pain, so they came in to check and see if she was dilated. She was still at 1 centimeter, same as she was 2 weeks ago. They explained that these contractions were normal with the softener and to expect them to continue. Not good. Needless to say they continued and continued to get worse. They offered her a sleep aid at midnight, which she took, and that was no help. They also checked to see what she was dilated...still 1 centimeter. At 2am, we got a slight break as they gave her a shot of some pain medication. The nurse said it would give her about 3-4 hours of relief. That relief lasted all of about 30 minutes. They also checked her cervix..still 1 centimeter. I tried to catch a few winks while I could, and did sort of okay, but I could hear the wife's breathing get heavier and heavier with each passing minute. The contractions were causing so much pain that the nurse came in at 3am and checked to see if she was dilated any more. 3 centimeters! Finally, progress. They ordered an epidural, which she got a little past 3:30. Now, they kick you out of the room when they do that, probably so you can't watch them mess it up and then sue their pants off down the road, so I was told to come back in 15 minutes. They called me back into the room at 3:55 and the wife was feeling no pain. But that wasn't the good news. She was fully dilated at 10 centimeters! She went from 1-10 centimeters in less than 2 hours. We killed a half hour waiting for our doc to show up. She got there at 4:25am. It was go time. 6 contractions and 25 minutes of pushing later, and out slid the baby. And at 4:50am EST, about 10 hours from when the whole thing started, and less than 3 hours from when she started dilating, I became a daddy, and I've never been happier. Holy cow. What an experience to go through. I'm on cloud 9. Here's a pic of the little guy, already representing.

He's here. The Boogie Down Baby was born on 8/22 @ 4:50am EST. he clocked in at 7 lbs 13 oz and measured at 21 inches. Mom and baby are doing great, and Dad needs some sleep. But the Yankees are on, and even though I've been up since 7am on 8/21 (40 hours) and I've probably slept for 2 non-consecutive hours if I'm lucky, but I'm a trooper, so I'm watching the game. I couldn't stay with the missus because it's a semi-private room, but it's for the best, as sleeping in a chair isn't all that great.
We went in yesterday at 6pm to start the induction process. It starts with a 12 hour process where they soften the cervix and then moves on to the actual induction. We didn't make it that far. She got the softener at 6:45pm. We thought it was going to be a walk in the park. Hang out, catch some z's, and wait for the real fun to begin in the morning. Little did we know that the real fun starts almost immediately. The contractions started around 8pm or so, and were fine at first, but a little after 10pm, they started getting closer and closer and more intense. The wife was writhing in pain, so they came in to check and see if she was dilated. She was still at 1 centimeter, same as she was 2 weeks ago. They explained that these contractions were normal with the softener and to expect them to continue. Not good. Needless to say they continued and continued to get worse. They offered her a sleep aid at midnight, which she took, and that was no help. They also checked to see what she was dilated...still 1 centimeter. At 2am, we got a slight break as they gave her a shot of some pain medication. The nurse said it would give her about 3-4 hours of relief. That relief lasted all of about 30 minutes. They also checked her cervix..still 1 centimeter. I tried to catch a few winks while I could, and did sort of okay, but I could hear the wife's breathing get heavier and heavier with each passing minute. The contractions were causing so much pain that the nurse came in at 3am and checked to see if she was dilated any more. 3 centimeters! Finally, progress. They ordered an epidural, which she got a little past 3:30. Now, they kick you out of the room when they do that, probably so you can't watch them mess it up and then sue their pants off down the road, so I was told to come back in 15 minutes. They called me back into the room at 3:55 and the wife was feeling no pain. But that wasn't the good news. She was fully dilated at 10 centimeters! She went from 1-10 centimeters in less than 2 hours. We killed a half hour waiting for our doc to show up. She got there at 4:25am. It was go time. 6 contractions and 25 minutes of pushing later, and out slid the baby. And at 4:50am EST, about 10 hours from when the whole thing started, and less than 3 hours from when she started dilating, I became a daddy, and I've never been happier. Holy cow. What an experience to go through. I'm on cloud 9. Here's a pic of the little guy, already representing.

He's here. The Boogie Down Baby was born on 8/22 @ 4:50am EST. he clocked in at 7 lbs 13 oz and measured at 21 inches. Mom and baby are doing great, and Dad needs some sleep. But the Yankees are on, and even though I've been up since 7am on 8/21 (40 hours) and I've probably slept for 2 non-consecutive hours if I'm lucky, but I'm a trooper, so I'm watching the game. I couldn't stay with the missus because it's a semi-private room, but it's for the best, as sleeping in a chair isn't all that great.
We went in yesterday at 6pm to start the induction process. It starts with a 12 hour process where they soften the cervix and then moves on to the actual induction. We didn't make it that far. She got the softener at 6:45pm. We thought it was going to be a walk in the park. Hang out, catch some z's, and wait for the real fun to begin in the morning. Little did we know that the real fun starts almost immediately. The contractions started around 8pm or so, and were fine at first, but a little after 10pm, they started getting closer and closer and more intense. The wife was writhing in pain, so they came in to check and see if she was dilated. She was still at 1 centimeter, same as she was 2 weeks ago. They explained that these contractions were normal with the softener and to expect them to continue. Not good. Needless to say they continued and continued to get worse. They offered her a sleep aid at midnight, which she took, and that was no help. They also checked to see what she was dilated...still 1 centimeter. At 2am, we got a slight break as they gave her a shot of some pain medication. The nurse said it would give her about 3-4 hours of relief. That relief lasted all of about 30 minutes. They also checked her cervix..still 1 centimeter. I tried to catch a few winks while I could, and did sort of okay, but I could hear the wife's breathing get heavier and heavier with each passing minute. The contractions were causing so much pain that the nurse came in at 3am and checked to see if she was dilated any more. 3 centimeters! Finally, progress. They ordered an epidural, which she got a little past 3:30. Now, they kick you out of the room when they do that, probably so you can't watch them mess it up and then sue their pants off down the road, so I was told to come back in 15 minutes. They called me back into the room at 3:55 and the wife was feeling no pain. But that wasn't the good news. She was fully dilated at 10 centimeters! She went from 1-10 centimeters in less than 2 hours. We killed a half hour waiting for our doc to show up. She got there at 4:25am. It was go time. 6 contractions and 25 minutes of pushing later, and out slid the baby. And at 4:50am EST, about 10 hours from when the whole thing started, and less than 3 hours from when she started dilating, I became a daddy, and I've never been happier. Holy cow. What an experience to go through. I'm on cloud 9. Here's a pic of the little guy, already representing.

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Induction Day Is Here (Early)

The wife had a check-up today on the Boogie Down Baby and the decision was made to induce labor TONIGHT, as opposed to this Monday. I'm not sure why, but they assure me nothing is wrong. Wow.. My adrenaline is pumping! It just hit me. I'm going to be a Dad. And I'm going to be one soon. Keep your fingers crossed.
*******' Yankee bullpen. I turn the TV off in the 7th when it's 4-3. I wake up, check out the score on Yahoo and the bullpen blew it, not once, but twice. I thought Phil looked good except for his control problems. I also have beef with Melky Cabrera, as well as the YES announcers for that matter. I don't recall the exact inning but it was the play where Gary Matthews, Jr. hustled out a double on a grounder past Cano. My problem is that Matthews never reaches second if Melky backs up that play. Melky didn't rush the ball until it hit the outfield grass after it slipped past Cano. If he charges the ball as soon as it's hit up the middle, in case it gets by Cano, Matthews has no shot at second. Melky didn't break on the ball until it was already into the OF. Bad form. Even worse, Kay and Flaherty didn't even make mention of it. They kept pointing out that Robbie should have had the ball, which I agree with. But it was obvious that Melky messed that up. Ah, what could have been?
Be back in a few. Go Yankees!!
J

We're Coming To Get'Cha

Not a bad weekend for the Bombers. They pretty much stuck it to the Tigers after dropping the series opener. I thought the Yankees were going to flounder once they met up with Cleveland and Detroit? They swept the Tribe and took 3 of 4 from Detroit. Yeah, they're struggling alright. They bounced back quite nicely after dropping 3 straight. I'm telling you, with the Yankees rotation and the potency of their lineup, odds are good that they'll win 3 of every 5. Winning 4 of 5, or 5 straight, is what is going to push the Yankees back to the top of the East. 4 games back. That's nothing. Your time is running out Beantown.
I continue to be impressed with the performance of Joba Chamberlain. Hey Magic 8-Ball. Is Joba the real deal? All signs point to yes. Cool. I had the weirdest dream yesterday. It took place during the Yankee game as I was nodding off for a little nap. That typically happens to me every Sunday. I stay up until like 2-3 in the morning on Saturdays, and then get up for church at like 8:30 on Sunday. Napping is inevitable. Anyway, the dream took place during Joba's 7th inning outing. I had the game on while I was sleeping and the game was a primary component of my dream. When Chamberlain was coming in, I was dreaming that they wheeled out this special walkway for him to make his entrance on. He walked down a ramp, and then took a seat on a green blanket, and was then carried to the mound by a bunch the grounds crew. It was like something out of ancient Egypt--a bunch of minions carrying the Queen or something down a walkway, something like that. When he got dropped off at the pitcher's mound, the ground's crew threw the blanket thingamajigger toward home plate, and it did all these loop-dee-loops and whatnot. Posada ended up catching it and the crowd went bonkers. It was pretty weird.
I'm still not feeling the blogging thing any more. I keep wanting to sit down and whip up an entry, but it's been hard to do lately. I'm definitely not the Cal Ripken of the blogosphere. I'm still watching the games though, when I'm not dozing off. That'll never change. I like blogging about the boys, hopefully, it's just a phase. I have been keeping up on my fellow blogger's posts. I need to do a better job of commenting though.
The Boogie Down Baby's due date is today. I don't think he's coming. We had an appointment last Friday and everything looks good, there's just no change in her, umm, dilation, I guess. I'm expecting him to stay in there all week. If that's the case, she'll be induced next Monday, a week from today. Holy wow. I'll be a dad within the week. That's a crazy thought. Exciting times.
Let's kick some Halo hiney!
J

This Is Sad

The Yankees got blown out and the Devil Rays choked away their game against the Sox. No worries. Everything is Kool and the Gang. I am very annoyed however.
A few months ago, I picked up a signed Phil Rizzuto ball off Ebay. Earlier today after I found out about his death, I'd say there were about 100 total listings for items signed by Phil. That was around Noon. I checked again a few minutes ago (10:15pm EST) out of curiosity and there are now well over 400! I did a double check seconds ago (10:20pm EST) to verify that number, and there are now 521 listings! I had watched some auctions for several weeks and there were typically 50 or so listings. And now with his passing, over 500 in less than a day and they're popping up every minute. Ridiculous.
It ticks me off as a collector of signed memorabilia to see people just sit on items waiting for these guys to pass away and then try to unload them and make a quick buck when they do. When I won the ball a few weeks ago, I got it for $50.99. I got it from the promoter that worked almost exclusively with Phil when he did signings. Right now, there's a ball out ther with a bid of $299, with the majority going for well over $100.
Another check at 10:27pm EST and there are now 533 listings! Sad. Truly sad. Profiting at the expense of the recently departed. Only in America.
RIP Scooter.
J
edited to add @ 10:45EST the following day- There are now over 600 listings

RIP Scooter

I'm sad to report that Yankee great Phil "Scooter" Rizzuto has passed away. I'm pretty bummed. i never got to see the Scooter play, but i have many memories of listening to him on the radio and on WPIX when I was much younger. i always loved his enthusiasm and how he often would exclaim "Holy Cow!" on what he thought was a monster hit but turned out as a routine grounder. I'm smiling right now.
Godspeed Scooter. Rest in peace.
J

Who better Than WB Mason? Derek Jeter, That's Who!

Wooooo! I am freakin' pumped! The end of tonight's Yankee game was one for the ages. Melky guns down Mora to save the tying run from scoring. Abreu almost ends the game in similar fashion but his throw was just high. Melky gets beaned, which was off because the catcher was set up low and away and the pitch was high and inside. The Giambino muscles a single to RF and a deep playing Orioles OF allows Melky to get to 3rd. And then the Captain. Oh the Captain! Jeter comes through in the clutch (again) with a little dribbler off Bradford's glove and Melky scores. Yankees win! Thuhhhhhh Yankees win! Mother eff yeah.
This was a fun one. Wang struggled in the first but settled down. His struggles lately don't really bother me all that much. He's got the ability to settle down and the offense has the ability to pick him up. We saw it tonight. We'll see it again.
How awesome is Joba Chamberlain? He has been lights out! Dude has an arm doesn't he? Wow. I'm not sure he was deserving of the "player of the game" award, but I can support that choice. Move over K-Farns. your services are no longer needed. I wouldn't be surprised if we rarely, if ever, see K-Farns pitch again. Especially in a close game. It would be a dream come true. Mo was a little shaky. I wouldn't care so much but it's his second sub-par outing in a row. But he's Mo. He'll work through it. And it won't take long. Chamberlain gets the 8th. Mo the 9th. Game over.
Melky gets my choice for player of the game. The diving catch. The RBI double. The 9th inning gun down. Melk is in the zone. Sorry I doubted you. This just goes to show that Melky is best suited to play everyday. He struggled when he was a part-time player. He's been off the chain since getting regular ABs. Surprisingly, the only Yankee starter without a hit tonight was Robbie, who has been absolutely phenomenal at the plate. He was due for an O-fer. Everybody else picked him up. That's how they roll.
Karstens gets the spot start tomorrow in place of the Rocket. Let's keep this ball rolling.
Peace, love and Pinstripes!
J

Sweepin' Their Way To The Top

I am starting to really stink at this blogging thing. I'm just not into it as much as I used to be. What I am into is a 3 game sweep of the Indians! It got a little hairy there for a second today, but Mo worked his way out of the jam and the Yankees leave Cleveland on an extreme high. They're in a virtual tie with the Mariners for the wild card, and they're now only 4 games, count 'em 4, behind the Red Sox. Times are good. There's no doubt who's playing the best baseball right now. There's no doubt who's played the best baseball over the last month, month and a half. Like I said a few posts ago, be very afraid.
Everything is clicking. They're getting good pitching. By far the highlight of the Indians series were the performances of Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain. Both looked great. Chamberlain though. Oh boy. Kid is going to be something special. Can't wait for him to be in the rotation next year. Moose had a great game yesterday and Pettitte was outstanding today. Everybody is doing their thing and getting the job done. I think the current Yankee rotation can match-up pretty well with any staff out there. Kicking **** and taking names. That's what they're doing.
Am I the only one that sees an offensive explosion happening every inning? This is such a different lineup than it was a few months ago. Cano and Cabrera have absolutely energized the lineup. Both have been absolutely amazing. Cano has 49 hits in his last 107 ABs (.457). I liked O'Neill's comment today about how hot Robbie has been. Guys usually stay hot for a few games, like 10-15 ABs. What Cano is doing is down right awesome. And then there's Melky with his 17 game hitting streak. I am glad that Melky has been an everyday player now that the major bats that are usually in the lineup are back. It's kind of funny seeing such a highly paid guy like Damon or Giambi ride the pine while the Melk Man plays day in and day out. I may have been wrong on that one. Melky can be so much more than just a backup OF. Cashman deserves a lot of credit for refusing to deal Melky at the deadline for Gagne. Melky has been terrific while Gagne has been disastrous. It's been awesome to watch.
How awesome is it watching Shelley Duncan celebrate in the dugout after someone goes deep. I love how the cameras flash to him in the dugout as the guy rounds the bases. He's just standing there licking his chops, waiting for a forearm bash. I loved it yesterday when he grabbed A-Rod by the jersey and they both growled at each other. The kid is a trip to watch. Duncan, Cabrera, Cano, Hughes, and Chamberlain have infused so much energy into the clubhouse. This team is starting to remind me of the Yankee teams from the '96-01 years. There's no doubt in my mind that this hot streak is going to continue.
An update from the homefront. The "Boogie Down Baby's" due date is rapidly approaching. A week from tomorrow. It looks like things might be starting to kick off a little early. The missus possibly lost her "plug" and the contractions are starting to become more frequent. She's had quite a few over the last few hours. It's hard to tell if this is the onset of labor. I'm getting extremely excited.
A baby is coming and the Yankees are winning. Life is good.
J

It's Like Deja Vu All Over Again

I just got done watching this week's "The Bronx is Burning" on ESPN. They flashed an interesting piece of trivia during the "Backstory" segment that had me feeling pretty good and it prompted me to look it up. On August 9, 1977, 30 years ago today, the Boston Red Sox led the Yankees by 5 games in the standings. The Yankees ended up winning the division that year by 2.5 games. And here we are, 30 years later, with the Yankees in an almost identical situation. I'm thinking history just might be repeating itself. I can't think of a better way to celebrate the 30 year anniversary of the 1977 World Championship team.
Tell 'em Yogi: "It's like deja vu all over again."
J

Home Cookin'

I just realized that the Yankees have 12 guys on the roster that are products of the Yankees farm system. Who knew?
Derek Jeter
Jorge Posada
Shelley Duncan
Phil Hughes
Joba Chamberlain
Melky Cabrera
Robinson Cano
Jeff Karstens
Mariano Rivera
Chien-Ming Wang
Andy Phillips
Andy Pettitte
They may have the highest payroll, but there is no way anyone can justify that they're trying to buy a championship. I wonder how many teams out there have that many homegrown guys on the sqaud? The great thing is that each of of these guys is contributing. The stretch run is going to be great.
J

They Keep On Keepin' On

That was certainly an entertaining game. And the Yanks just keep on rolling. They've taken the first 2 games of this series which guarantees another series win. I hear a lot of so-called experts out there still stating that the Red Sox are a shoe-in to win the East and I'm sorry, but I don't see it. There's no debate that the Yankees are the team playing the best baseball right now. And they're only getting better. The rotation is finally solid with the addition of Hughes. The bullpen has been upgraded with the subtraction of Proctor and the addition of Chamberlain. Giambi is back. Things are finally bouncing their way.
The Rocket looked awesome tonight. Mr. Splitee was out in full effect. Classic Clemens. I was kind of hoping that he'd pitched to a few more hitters before seeking out retribution for Alex getting plunked. What's up with that anyway? The Jays had their shot at payback yesterday and they blew it. I can see throwing at him again, but not another shot at his knee. That's just not right. And yammer all you want about A-Rod making a bush play last May, but most people know that it's part of the game. It's been happening for years. Howie Clark was dumb enough to fall for it so it got so much attention. Say what you want but in my opinion, that was a puss move by the Jays. I so wanted to see Towers get rolled. Telling Alex to "get to first base" backed with an "eff you." The Yanks hit him where it counts though and that was on the field. Have fun is Syracuse Josh. And am I the only one that noticed Gregg Zaun was about 10 feet from the plate when A-Rod was barreling towards home. I kind of was hoping that there'd be a play at the dish. Zaun would've landed in the front row. Chump.
The offense continues to rip things up. Abreu, Cano and Cabrera continue to stay hot. I've got to apologize for the comments I made earlier in the season about trading Melky because all he'd ever be was a backup outfielder. the Melk Man has me eating crow and I don't mind in the least. He's been on an absolute tear. It was good to see Jorgie get a few base hits, but come on dude, turn on the jets. Gunned out twice at second. I like the aggressiveness, but you've got to know that the Jays OFs have killer arms. I'm still not 100% sold on Shelley Duncan. I can see him fading and becoming mediocre. I do have to give him props for breaking up that DP, and for heading out after Matt Stairs. I respected that a lot.
And finally there's Chamberlain's debut. He wasn't lights out, but considering the first night jitters, he looked pretty good. His slider was absolutely sick. I'm expecting huge things from Joba. It's going to be great in '08 when he takes his spot in the rotation. He's got a great career ahead of him. Take it to the bank.
Tomorrow they go for the sweep. Wang v. Halladay. Ace vs. ace. I think Roy's in for a rough day.
Peace, love and Pinstripes.
J

You Gotta Go To Mo

Bottom 9th: Toronto
- M. Rivera relieved L. Vizcaino
- A. Rios struck out swinging
- V. Wells struck out swinging
- F. Thomas struck out looking
Kneel and bow before him.
J

Be Afraid

Has today's game always been scheduled for a 1pm start? I wouldn't think that the opener of a series would be a day game, especially in Toronto. Oh, how I wish I was there. I originally had this week scheduled for a vacation so I could cross the border for this 3 game set. I can't remember the last time I wasn't in Toronto for a Yankees series. But with the baby's due date being 2 weeks away, the missus didn't want me leaving the country. Since I didn't go, I'm sure the baby won't come out for another few weeks. Had I gone, you can bet I'd have gotten a 911 call. That's the way it goes. And of course, the rotation is Pettitte, Clemens, and Wang. I would have loved to have seen them throw. Oh well. That's the way it goes.
Yankees fans have to be extremely pleased with the current run of success. I know I am. They had to capitalize on the "cream puff" schedule they had in the last month if they wanted to get back into the thick of things. They've gone 18-7 since the All-Star break and now find themselves a half-game back of the Detroit Tigers for the wild card. The offense has been absolutely nuts over that stretch. They racked up an amazing 196 runs in that 25 game span. They lead the league in AVG, OBP, and SLG. They had the best record in MLB in July at 19-9, and they're 4-1 to start August. Just think we're they'd be had they played this well all season long. These guys had to do well over this last month if they wanted any kind of chance at making it into the postseason. They dug deep, pulled together, and took care of business. Now the real fun begins.
Be afraid American League. Be very afraid.
J

500!

You da man.

Catching Up

I've said this before but I need to say it again. I hate Thursday afternoon games. I never get to catch much of the action. I have a standing weekly meeting at 2pm every Thursday and it cuts into the listening time. I've also been slacking on my blogging duties. No real reason as to why. Some days I just don't feel like logging in and typing something up. I don't know how the beat writers do it.
I did get to hear part of yesterday's game. Unfortunately, it was all the bad parts. The top half of the second ended right before my meeting started. Down 8-0. Clemens got shelled. Hit after hit and every ball sounded like it was hit hard. I missed the call when Cano muffed up a play. I saw the line that Roger only had 3 earned runs. Still, you can't give up all those hits. So far, Roger hasn't been worth the money. But I'll still take him over Clippard, DeSalvo and Wright any day of the week.
Even though they were down 8 runs, I had this feeling in my gut that they could come back from that deficit. They've been swinging the bats so well recently that I wouldn't put it by them. They're definitely not the team they were earlier in the season. This is the offensive machine that everyone was expecting to roll over opposing pitchers. The offense definitely didn't fail yesterday. The meeting was getting pretty dull, so I pulled out my celly, dialed up a little MLB.com on the web browser and the score was knotted up at 8. At the time, I didn't know they answered back with all those runs in the very same inning. Good Lord these guys are good. Locked and loaded. Unfortunately, literally 10 seconds after I pulled up the score, it had changed to 10-8. That was quite the buzz kill but at least these guys didn't roll over and play dead.
Fast forward to another craptacular outing by everyone's favorite relief pitcher. It's time to cut our losses folks. Farnsworth has been nothing but brutal since day one. I'd love nothing more than to see the Yankees try to unload him by the end of the month. That would be a dream come true. He's pathetic and shouldn't be pitching in close games. How quickly that game changed yesterday? 2 dingers from K-Farns. At this point, I'd take an ice cold Coke for him in a trade. Scratch that, I'd take a room temperature Coke for him. He stinks. He's got to go.
A-Rod needs to stop pushing for 500. You can totally tell he's been trying to get over this hump. Just play your game dude. The longballs have been piling up all year. Do your thing and you'll get it before you know it.
I really like where the Yankees are right now. The offense is clicking big time. And with Phil Hughes getting the call this weekend, things are looking up in the pitching department. Pettitte, Wang, Mussina, Clemens and Hughes. I don't see how the Yankees can't win at least 3 of every 5 starts. They're in a good position. I feel pretty confident that these guys will be there come October. It's been a crazy season so far. It's hard to believe we're already nearing the home stretch. I love this game.
Peace, love and Pinstripes.
J

Cooperstown 2007 = Saturday Part 2

So I paid my $25 to park in a lumber yard and walked a half mile into town. Main Street was completely shut down and the street was more of one giant sidewalk. I was in a hurry as I needed to visit the little boy's room (a portapotty in a parking lot of Doubleday Field) and I wanted to find a Cal Ripken Orioles shirt (in hopes of attracting him to sign and also possibly Jim Palmer if I saw him again as he only signed for people wearing orange). I accomplished both my missions and fought my way through the throngs of people on the street and made my way to the front of the Hall Of Fame. I opened up my chair, plopped my rear end in it, and waited. It was a little after Noon.
Every Saturday night of Induction Weekend the Hall Of Fame puts on a red carper gala event, where the Hall Of Famers arrive on trolleys, are introduced to the crowd, and attend a desert reception inside the Hall's plaque gallery. It's a big event and it attracts a lot of spectators and autograph seekers. If you want to get a prime spot, you need to get their early. Last year, i got there at about 3:30 and there were already people waiting. I figured with all the people, it couldn't hurt to play it safe and get there even earlier. I was there for about 45 minutes when a few of the people that I met they year before wandered up and took their spots with me. Glen and Claudia (nice couple). Some of the other "waiters" from last year showed up not too much later. Again, I got there around 12:30. The event started at 8pm with the HOFers showing up at 9:30. I was in for a long wait.
I'll fast forward about 9 hours and skip all the boring stuff. At this event, many of the guys don't stay long. Willie Mays and Whitey Ford left before everyone even got there. Some stay 15 minutes, some stay a few hours. Some leave through the back door, some come out the front, and some sign autographs. Most are dressed in suit and ties, with their respective guests donning similar attire. This year there was one exception, and that was none other than Billy Ripken. Hawaiian shirt and shorts. Way to get into the spirit of things Billy. There were even some "celebs" in attendance, most notably "Wonder Woman" Lynda Carter (still gorgeous) and Julie Chen, host of CBS' Big Brother. I guess her hubby is friends with somebody which is why they were there. No Travolta though.
I was really there for one person and that was Cal. Everyone else who came over and signed I already had, such as Boggs, Brett, Sandberg and Rollie Fingers. Paul Molitor was over signing when Ripken came out and the crowd went bonkers. I knew since Mollie was signing on our side that there was no chance Cal would come over. The big question was would he sign? To his credit, he did, and he spent about 45 minutes to an hour going around the entire street signing. He finally made his way to my corner and I'm happy to say I walked away with his autograph. The place was going crazy. He made a few laps around the place making sure he got everybody he could. After I got him the first time, I ran around to where he was in a different area and tried again, this time without the Orioles shirt and cap I was wearing on, in an attempt to throw him off. I didn't get in his line of sight and he left for another area and noticed he was looking for people wearing O's stuff. I threw the shirt back on, this time backwards, and tied again, but he stopped signing before he got back to me. I wanted to get a second one as a wedding gift but it wasn't meant to be. Sorry Annie, I tried.
Things died down around 11:30pm and i headed out of town and trekked up to my ride. It was about midnight when I made it back. I had just scarfed down a slice of pizza and guzzled an ever-so thirst quenching bottle of ice cold water. They both hit the spot. I drove back up to the trolley lot, set the alarm for 4:45am, and probably dozed off at about 1am, hoping that Sunday would bring similar success.
Here are links to the other recaps: Thursday, Friday, Saturday Pt.1
J