August 14, 2009
A Connecticut Yankee in New Hampshire
From the seacoast area of Portsmouth, NH I am a Connecticut Yankee Living In New Hampshire!
Why this name? I began my love for the Yankees as a child in New Haven, Connecticut – during the glory years of the 1950s. How did my love begin? I started as a Dodger fan until a very cool friend of mine set me straight. He kept talking about Yogi Berra and how he always hit the first pitch for a home run. Okay. I turned the dial and brought in WPIX thanks to one of those ancient cylindrical tv antennas that sat on the set. Now I kid all of you not. Yogi Berra was at the plate when I tuned in---and he DID hit the first pitch out of the yard! That was good enough for me!
Why now? Last night I caught Julie and Julia (as per demand of my wife) and LIKED the film. When I saw how this young woman turned a blogging hobby into a career I felt empowered!
Back to baseball. This blog will combine a following with commentary on the daily aspects of Yankee baseball as we head down the stretch into the most exciting part of the season with nostalgic musings of a life spent loving this incredible baseball franchise. Yes, many are “haters of pinstripes,” but “the knowing” legion of loving fans understand. If I have to explain it, forget it. You’ll never know. As I recently commented to a friend the other day, other than my nuclear family, the Yankees have been the longest and most consistent love of my entire life. Jobs have come and gone. So have wives. The Yankees have been there without end, year-in and year-out.
I also plan to expound a little on what it’s like to be a pin striper in Red Sox Nation. Some of my best friends and co-workers are Sox fans, so it can work. However, I would advise any Yankee fan living in this region to withhold that information until a friendship is already made. I’ve seen guests (mostly men) meeting each other at backyard bar-be-ques back off from each other with a curt and awkward “well, nice talkin’ to ya” when the dreaded polarity of team affiliations becomes evident.
I am also off to my first visit at the new Yankee Stadium for a game versus the Orioles later in September (hopefully the celebration will happen then!) and look forward to keeping readers posted on my observations there.
So, that’s my introduction! The Yankees are currently in Seattle for a weekend set. They blistered the ball yesterday pounding Seattle pitching for eleven runs. They clearly are feeling and looking like real contenders for a successful post season. Stay tuned! See ya tomorrow.
“A Connecticut Yankee In New Hampshire”
Keywords: 1950s, blogs, Connecticut, major league baseball, New England, New Hampshire, New York Yankees, pennant races, professional sports, Yogi Berra
