Via Sam Borden:
There will be lots of cheers at Yankee Stadium tonight, starting with the ones for the Hall of Famers who will be honored in a pregame ceremony and, of course, for the players who will be part of the All-Star Game. Then, at some point during the evening, there will be a planned tribute to George Steinbrenner, and the sold-out crowd will presumably stand and cheer again.
It will be a deserved ovation. Steinbrenner, like the Stadium itself, is as big a star as any this year, and commissioner Bud Selig has said that one reason he wanted the All-Star Game here was to pay tribute to what Steinbrenner has meant to the game. It’s an understandable sentiment; no one would deny that he has meant a lot, and every year it seems that someone brings up Steinbrenner’s name as a candidate to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Two years ago, I suggested that Cooperstown should add Big Stein to their ledger. Nothing has changed, for me, on that position.
It’s nice to hear that George will be at the game this evening. I hope the fans give him an ovation that lasts for 10 minutes – or more. Rock the house for the Boss, ya’ll. It might be the last chance to give him a huge thank you. Don’t miss it.
17 Responses to “Tribute Planned For Big Stein Tonight”
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July 15th, 2008 at 11:18 am
I will be sitting on my hands for that one tonight. Varitek, Pedroia, Papelbon, Ortiz, Ramirez, and Youkilis will get my boos but Steinbrenner will get my silence. I hate him and his family.
July 15th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Steinbrenner will get my silence. I hate him and his family.
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While I don’t feel as passionate, I have to admit that I can appreciate the goal, if not the methods used to attain it. I suppose it’s a good thing the Yankees’ success of the 90’s has done much to cloud much of his bluster during the 70’s & 80’s. That and the general public has a short memory
July 15th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
British historian Thomas B. Costain once observed that any monarch, no matter how despicable, should he reign long enough, becomes “The Good Old King.” I, too, have my reservations about George; but let’s give the “Good Old King” a hand. Besides, don’t you recall how bad things were under CBS? Practically every transaction that multi-billion dollar corporation made during their ownership had one purpose—to cut payroll—and all while shelling out megabucks to the likes of Lucy and Cronkite. At least George III put his money where his mouth was.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Varitek, Pedroia, Papelbon, Ortiz, Ramirez, and Youkilis will get my boos but Steinbrenner will get my silence.
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There’s the question – you’ll boo the Red Sox contingent when introduced. That’s fine, no one can blame you and no one would expect different for Jeter, et. al. in Fenway.
But what about when the game is on the line, and Youkilis or Pedroia lash one into the gap to score a run? Is the hope for home field advantage in the Series enough for you to appreciate them then? Or do you figure they are most likely only helping themselves to home field advantage, so ef ‘em?
Its funny because there is an older generation that is just as die hard a Yankee or Red Sox supporter that also remembers when it was a real competition between the AL and NL, and whoever made the Series, you rooted for that team. And therefore, during the All-Star game, you rooted for Elston Howard or Yaz. Case in point, a dear friend of mine who is nearly 20 years older than me. He loves the Yankees but after the 2004 ALCS, rooted for the Sox against the Cards. Were he at tonights game, he’d be rooting for Manny, Youk, Pedroia and the rest to do well.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
OnceIWasAYankeeFan:
Dude, seriously, aren’t there any Red Sox blogs that you can hang around?
July 15th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Tresh Fan – I was born in 1975. I’ve only heard about the CBS/Mike Burke years but didn’t live through them. Steinbrenner spent his money and wanted to win. That’s certainly commendable on his part, especially when you compare him to other sports owners who are misers or thieves. But that doesn’t excuse his behavior one bit (nor now that of his son’s). You can’t demean your employees. You can’t disrespect people in that way and justify it by trying to do right by the fans. I appreciate his desire to win but a big part of my childhood and adolescence was spent watching that desire ruin the team to its very core. As a Yankee fan, I didn’t like seeing that happen. As a human being, I hated it even more every time Steinbrenner would “embarrass the Stripes” (as Steve puts it) with his rants and his insults and threats. In many ways, the Steinbrenners are rotten people.
OnceIWasAYankeeFan – I am an AL fan so I want the AL to win the game. I’m not a big fan of the “this time it counts” nonsense, however. To answer your question, no, I won’t cheer for any Red Sox, even if they get the game-winning hit tonight. I will let the rest of the stadium clap for the AL. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever get me to cheer or be happy for anyone from Boston.
July 15th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Let’s not forget George’s considerable philanthropic efforts, which he made, for the most part, quietly and without fanfare.
I can only think of two active players that I wouldn’t applaud if they made a good play in a meaningless game (or most any other game). There are a handful of other players I don’t like for things they’ve said or done off the field, but I don’t see the uniform a player is wearing as a reason not to recognize quality baseball.
July 15th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
RedSoxFan…unlike some people..most of us stick with our team no matter what…but since you switched from a Yankees fan to a Red Sox fan I’m not surprised you think we would root for Red Sox in the All-Star Game. The fact that the game is in Yankee Stadium has a lot to do with it too. I’m not hoping they do bad but I’m not going to root for them and I would definitely rather see someone else win the game. Not to mention it’s possible Pedroia shouldn’t even be an all-star (Brian Roberts) and Varitek over A.J. Pierzynski as a selection is a joke. The players must really really hate Pierzynski.
On an unrelated note…looks like Matsui and Damon might be out longer than expected:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3488620
July 15th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Let’s not forget George’s considerable philanthropic efforts, which he made, for the most part, quietly and without fanfare.
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I’ve taken that into consideration in formulating my opinion on the Steinbrenner family. It seems odd to me that Steinbrenner can have such a charitable spirit for complete strangers but treats his intimates so poorly.
July 15th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
I have to admit I’m shocked MLB is doing this for Steinbrenner. I thought Selig didn’t like Steinbrenner but I’m thinking Selig knows how much money the Yankees put into baseball as a whole and that is largely due to Steinbrenner.
His beloved Brewers wouldn’t be trading for CC Sabathia right now if it wasn’t for the extra cash they have been getting from the big market teams like the Yankees over the years from luxury tax and Yankees road games, etc.
July 15th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
The fact of the matter is that because I want the Sox to have home field advantage, I don’t have any problem at all rooting for Jeter to poke an RBI single to right, A-Rod to go yard and Mo to close the door in the ninth. Why this is so hard for you guys to do the same with Drew, Manny, Youk, Pedroia etc etc is completely beyond me.
I mean, “I would definitely rather see someone else win the game”? I guess it really ruined things when they stopped being doormats, huh?
July 15th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
The Sox aren’t getting to the Series, so don’t worry about it.
July 16th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Keep telling yourself that, but as defending champions, with the largest run differential and most impressive roster, top to bottom, there is no question they’ve got the best chance in the AL.
July 16th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Not if they don’t start playing better on the road….
http://www.fannation.com/blogs/post/217495
July 17th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Your source is your own blog? That’s rich.
With the best home record in the majors and being right there for best record in the AL, they don’t actually have to improve much to have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. A home field where they win 77% of the time.
July 17th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Sure but what happens when a road team comes in and steals one of the first two games in Boston? That changes things doesn’t it? Boston was lucky to get past Cleveland last year because they split the first two games and lost 2 in a row in Cleveland. I find it hard to believe they would be able to overcome a possible 3-1 defecit again.
Plus, Big Papi whether he comes back or not will probably not have the same power as usual. Manny is getting older and the Red Sox offense has not been as good lately. Papelbon has been touched up a little more than usual this season too.
The only thing I don’t like is that the Angels are owned by the Red Sox but maybe this year will be different.
October 18th, 2008 at 8:44 am
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