In 1969, my family and I were living in upstate New York. At the time I was a die-hard Yankee fan. I had never been to a major league game, and kept asking my Dad if we could go see a Yankee game at what was then the old Yankee Stadium. My Dad at that time suffered from a painful gout condition in his foot. The pain had to be awful, I know because years later I inherited gout disease in my foot as well.
We got tickets, then drove the three hour plus drive with my Dad wearing a slipper on one foot to elevate the pain from the gout. We made a stop at my grandmother’s home in North New Jersey, took a bus to the subway, then took the subway to Yankee Stadium. On this date, it was also bat day to any fan 12 years and younger. We went to our seats along the left field line. The game was against the old Washington Senators. Frank Howard looked enormous! Ted Williams was the manager of the Senators at this time as well. It was a cloudy day with a threat of rain, so we were concerned they might not get the game in.
At one point in the game, Bob Shepard, the Yankee PA announcer asked that all of the fans to stand in a moment of silence. The date was 7-20-1969, this was the date our US Astronauts landed on the moon! Throughout the game my Dad would tell me stories about seeing the great Joe DiMaggio play, and all the other Yankee teams of the early 40’s through the mid sixties.
Every time after that memorable first big league game, my Dad and I would always think back to that time and date. The Yankees won in extra innings. I still have that Little League bat with Mickey Mantle’s signature stamped on it. My family moved around since then and now lives in West Chester, PA. My Dad has since died from a rare form of lymphoma cancer caused by Celiac disease.
I moved to PA after my Dad died to help my mom with the transition of being alone for the first time in 48 years.
It was a memorable first big league game, one with a fan giveaway, with a HOF manager in the Senator dugout and an historic day for our country’s moon landing with Neil Armstrong saying a ” a big step for mankind”.
I know I will always remember it ….
