Before he could answer I charged ahead, “Today is my last time to be in the city for Lord only knows how long; it’s clearly my last trip to the current stadium, and I was thinking of how great it would be 50 years from now to tell my grandkids how on my last day to go to a game at old Yankee, I also made my first visit to new Yankee Stadium.”
“Where are you from?” he asked.
At least that wasn’t a flat out no. “Tupelo, Mississippi,” I said with pride.
“Elvis” he exclaimed. “Hmmm, Mississippi, tell me what’s the connection between Mississippi and the Yankees?”
“Jake Gibbs and Buck Showalter."
“Right you are.” His voice trails off and he twirled the cigarette in his hands. “So, you’re a Yankees fan?” There seems to be a bit of skepticism in his voice.
“Yes Sir!”
“What’s your name?”
“Rocky, Miskelly, sir.”
“Well, Rocky from Mississippi, being that you are a Yankees fan, you’ll surely know the answer to this: 'Who pitched the Yankee’s first perfect game, and also the year and occasion on which it happened?'”
“Yes, sir, I sure would.” Doesn’t every baseball junkie know this? Perfect games are few and far between with only 17 in 128 years. 15 different teams have had pitchers who achieved this immortal feat. The Yankees are the only organization with multiple perfect games; three all total. Each of those pitched in Yankee Stadium.
“Don Larsen with a 97 pitch masterpiece in Game Five of the 1956 fall classic against the hated boys of summer, the Brooklyn Dodgers.” I answered with assurance.
He didn’t reply, but he eyed me quizzically, scrutiny evident in his face. This man was a keen sort; smart, observant, intelligent. What had led him at his age to be standing on the side of River Avenue, guarding the gate to a construction site? And now he was thinking—seriously debating—letting a late-40s southerner trespass through the back door.
“I’d like to let you in, I really would,” he said with an apologetic tone. “Truth is though,” he continued “I need this job, at least a while longer. However, I have to say, that would be a kick in the pants to tell your grandkids that you went in both stadiums on the same day. Not many people will be able to say that.” He chuckled a bit at the idea.
He started to speak again with more apologies, but I interrupted him. “Look,” I said, “Ask me any question you want about Yankee trivia. If I don’t know it, I’ll go away and leave you alone. But if I get it right, just let me walk in there and take a quick glance around. You can even act like you caught me sneaking in and throw me out.”
We're going to send you the most entertaining Los Angeles Dodgers articles, videos, and podcasts from around the web.
27 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete