As a present for his 60th birthday on Friday, longtime actor and funnyman Billy Crystal was put into the starting lineup of the New York Yankees on Thursday.
Wearing No. 60, Crystal faced the Pirates' Paul Maholm as a DH batting in the leadoff position. How did he fare? Well let's just say, don't give up your day job, Billy.
He actually put one ball in play, a weak chopper that went foul past first base. But after running the count to 3-1, he swung and missed at the next two fastballs and he was history. A strikeout victim.
This isn't the first time a celebrity has played in a spring training game. Garth Brooks and Tom Selleck have both taken their turns in the past as well.
In order to play in a real spring training game, the Yankees had to sign Crystal to a minor league contract before the game.
Terms were not disclosed (ahem).
Despite the presence of the star Hollywood "slugger", Johnny Damon, who took over as DH for Crystal, was not overly concerned about losing his job to the aging phenom.
In fact, he was in good spirits, joking that Crystal "has been around longer...he's got credibility."
No wonder they call it the Bronx Zoo.
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7 months ago
Bronx Zoo...good one...
Crystal shouldn't of been there...I just wrote an article about the makeover that Spring Training needs. Check it out if you have a chance!
6 months ago
And hey, as a sad follow-up to this article, Billy Crystal was released by the Yankees yesterday. Personally, I don't feel he was given a proper opportunity and I'm pissed! I mean, how many teams wouldn't want a 60 year old out of shape short guy with no previous professional athletic experience?
6 months ago
Um....if they needed that couldn't they look at Julio Franco?
But, if you heard the podcast from Bill Simmons recently, I agree. They should have just kept throwing at Crystal while yelling "This is for My Giant" and every other movie he's made that...wasn't....good.
I just wish that they had kept Crystal on the team long enough for the brawl against Tampa Bay. Seriously, would that not have been the best moment in the past 20 years? Screw the White Sox, Red Sox, the New York Rangers championship, and everthing else—Billy Crystal in a bench-clearing brawl would have made my day.
from 6 months ago
Well, Bryan, actually Julio Franco was not out of shape at all, the last I saw him. In pretty fantastic shape for a 50 year old or whatever, in fact. Steroids? Maybe.
Funny comment about the brawl. Yeah, that would have been something to see. And Robin Williams too, that would have been hilarious.
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