My maternal grandparents lived on Staten Island and my Grammy was a huge baseball fan. Their oasis was a screened in carport with lounge chairs, a box fan and a card table. They "chilled" there most hot days as they only had a/c in the bedroom.How fun would a Yankees vs Phillies World Series be! It’s obviously too early to make such a prediction but one can dream.
There were only 4 stations that would be on the old fashioned radio: 1010 WINS, the Sunday Polish music station and either the Mets or Yankees games. If the wind was right the planes landing at Newark would belch their noise every 2 and a half minutes drowning out the games.
Living in the Philly burbs I was hardcore Phils- but the Yankees became my American League team. Eventually I moved to NYC and went to many games: maybe 10 season openers, 4 World Series clinchers, I was there when Jeffrey Maier reached out and stole an out turned HR from the O's in the playoffs. At least 2 birthdays were celebrated in old Yankee Stadium with massive groups starting at Stan's Bar- still one of my favorite spots on earth. I was there from 1988 when they stunk through 2002 when they were dominant.
My dream my whole life was a Phils vs Yanks Series. I finally got it- couldn't "lose" right? What I learned was that you can't serve 2 masters. Philly fans have a well deserved reputation. Yankees fans view themselves as supporters of the historic best team and "classier" than others. It surprised me when I caught so much shit from my Yankees friends and even folks I don't know.
Something changed in that Series- and I no longer root for the Yankees at all. I don't quite root against them- but have picked up Baltimore due to proximity and the Royals as they were the former parent of the Wilmington Blue Rocks where I worked the scoreboard as a side hustle to get paid and fed to watch baseball.
FWIW my kids' first jobs were at the ballpark. My son was a bat boy for 3 years and my daughter ran the bouncy house for a season. Many of the KC Series winners, and Whit Merrifield were on the team during my son's tenure- so things have sorta come full circle.
I'd welcome a Phillies vs Yankees World Series again, but this time I'm only rooting for one side. Go Phils!
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