I'll Miss You 2

  No apologies friends. I am a Yankee
fan. It stems, I'm sure, from the fact the
first Baseball game my Dad took me to
was one in Yankee Stadium. The original
"House the Ruth built."
  I don't remember what year that was.
But it's likely Phil Rizzuto was still the
Yankee shortstop back then.
  My Yankee idol was Mickey Mantle!
  But Mickey was the reason I never
played organized baseball.
  I never tried out for a team until the
Teener's League. Since Mantle was my
man I naturally tried out for Center
Field. The coach said I'd have to be
able to catch a ball in the outfield and
throw it to home plate on just once
bounce!
   I quickly learned that I had trouble
just throwing the ball to the infield on
one bounce! Needless to say I didn't
make the team.
   A couple years later I turned to
Softball and, up till last year, I've
played ever since....first as a First
Baseman and later as a Pitcher.
   Even though I didn't play I still loved
baseball.
   I hit a lot of the Red Barron games
at the stadium in Moosic when the
Phillies Triple A team played here.
   It was at one of those games when I
met another Yankee team great, Gene
"Stick" Michaels. He had come to
watch the Columbus Clippers play
and to scout a young kid named
Derek Jeter.
   How could I possibly know he, and
I, would be seeing a young man who
would become one of the most
popular players in Yankee history?
    Derek came back to Moosic last
year although I'm sure he would have
preferred to be at Yankee Stadium. He
was here on a rehabilitation assignment
after a serious injury.
     This year, as everyone knows, was his
last. He's been honored by his team,
opponents, big names from other sports,
and, perhaps most impressively, by fans
who not only don't root for the Yankees
but, even more, hate the Yankees.
     That speaks pretty well of the guy.
      He leaves with a lot of impressive
statistics which you'll hear or read about.
      But one, seldom mentioned, may say
more about him than all the other
accolades. It reflects his dedication to
respect of the game.
     Number of times ejected by an
umpire in 20 years........0 !
      I kind of wish he had been playing
when I tried out for Teener's League.
     I'll miss watching him playing for
the Yankees. But maybe he'll have some
time for Softball now! I'd love to show
him my 12 mile per hour Fastball!
      Hope he comes back to the area
and that all your NEWS is good!