Reposted from 2 years ago – because i love baseball.
Can’t we all just get along? Not when it’s time for the New York version of the Civil War. This weekend is Yankees and Mets, rounds 1, 2, and 3 as those from the Queens, NY, pay a visit to Yankee Stadium to play the Bronx Bombers. Midnight Blue versus Royal (aka – Dodger) Blue. New York versus New York, and round 1 will go to – New York.
For about ten years now, Major League Baseball’s interleague play has treated fans to a respite from the normal grind of 162 games after games after games. The focal point of interleague play is what can be called baseball’s “natural rivalries,” when two teams square off against each other because their respective cities are close or relatively close enough that their fans are decently mixed amongst each other. You’ve got Baltimore against DC, Oakland against San Francisco, the Angels play the Dodgers, Cleveland versus Cincinnati, Chicago hosts the Cubs and the White Sox, St. Louis plays Kansas City, Minnesota fights Milwaukee, and a few other teams of not such close distance will play against each other just because there’s nowhere else for them to go. Although there is great historical interest when Philadelphia plays Boston, all eyes are on New York and New York.
The part that I can’t understand is why there seems to be this illogical logic that if you love one New York team, then you must hate the other. On WFAN, New York’s real sports radio (because Espn Radio doesn’t yet have a feel for the city), the callers are going to clap for their team while bashing on the other. You’re not likely to hear “you suck” any more often than during interleague play. What I don’t understand is why we are supposed to hate those who should be considered our brothers. Why must callers on the WFAN praise the Yankees and then trash the Mets? Why the reverse? As a Yankee fan, I consider the Mets my brothers. I recently told someone that I hope the Mets win every game they play throughout the whole season – except the six games they play against the Yankees. When both teams are playing well, the city is alive with baseball talk. It’s quite boring when one team stinks and the other is covered with roses.
I don’t care that I’m clearly in the vast minority on this one, but maybe it’s because I do have a connection. I remember being at a family birthday party in 1969 when I was 7-years old. Back then most family birthday parties had the kids in the basement playing games while the adults were upstairs drinking and playing cards. I went upstairs for something, probably soda, and saw my uncle glued to a 13-inch black and white television in the kitchen. I asked, “Whatcha watching?” He said, “History.” Then he proceeded to tell me specifically why the ’69 Mets were called “The Miracle Mets.” For the next few years I followed the Mets and can still recall their starting lineup from the early 70’s.
When I was getting ready to go to my first Little League tryout, I grabbed my glove and a Mets hat. My mother asked, “Where’d you get that hat?” “My uncle,” I said. She said, “No no. Yankee hats in this house.” Then she proceeded to tell me about Uncle Tony, who had been invited out of high school to try out for the Yankees but had his foot run over by a truck as he crossed the street to Yankee Stadium. I didn’t have a Yankee hat, she wasn’t letting me wear a Mets hat, so I went to the Little League tryouts with an old hat of the Houston Colt 45’s, the team the would later become the Houston Astros.
Shortly after, my mother gave me my first Yankee hat to match the uniform of my Little League team. Although I was lucky enough to get selected by the Yankees, and wearing #1, I’m pretty sure I would have gotten that hat anyway.
brainsnorts inc. 
I personally do not like interleague play…but I agree with you here…all NY teams– you suck ha ha(Die hard Sox fan here) I’ll try not to hold it against you
Much appreciated. Me neither.
I actually prefer some of the other interleague matchups over the “rivalries.” Like Red Sox vs. Cubs — those were even more fun before Boston won a World Series again. I think some of the history with the older teams is fun to revisit.
Love baseball history
lol! 😉
Thanks
Because I do not follow sports… and really don’t understand what it’s all about, I’ve considered myself quite objective about the phenomenon of ‘fan’ behavior. It seems to me, that this is some throw back to primitive tribal behavior, having little to do with any issues or complaints which may be raised between the fans of two rival teams. It is the need to ‘belong’. And it seems to me that just belonging to one side, and being opposed to the other, gives some people a sense of identity, which in some cases brings happiness to what would otherwise be a rather shallow existence.
can’t disagree with that. did you see the movie “gangs of new york”? similar attitude to tribe/gang/team mentality.
Interleague play is just another reason for me to dislike Commissioner Selig – but, being a sports fan, I appreciate your take on the rivalry. Meanwhile, Sunday Night Baseball will be the Reds and Tigers. 🙂
i probably like it more because of the yankees-mets thing. if i weren’t a fan in the new york area, then i probably wouldn’t care for it. did you know that interleague play was first proposed by hank greenberg back in the 60’s? the league was not interested back then.
Did realize it the proposal goes that far back. But I fear it is here to stay.
what do you think about the DH? in all the world of baseball, even globally, the only place the DH is NOT used is with the 16 (down to 15 next year) teams of the national league. i believe even their farm system uses the DH. i would guess you want to eliminate the DH.
Yep – get rid of it. Interestingly, I don’t think the Reds use it in their farm system. Not sure if that is true with the other NL clubs. However, given both interleague play and the DH, they should use the DH only in the NL cities in order to show all fans the other side. Then again, that is probably what scares each side.
If the reds don’t use a dh on the farm then I tip my cap to them. Pun intended.
I am the most oblivious person to baseball teams. Okay, teams in general unless they are the Saints. I am going to my first live professional baseball game in Boston in a few weeks though, maybe I should start reading up.
be prepared for boston. for example, it’s a beautiful stadium – visually – but not practically. it takes about a half hour for a guy to leave his seat, use the bathroom, and return. so for women it’s gotta be way longer. so be aware of your liquid intake and the nearest restroom. try to whizz it all out before the game and hold on as best you can. do you know who they’re playing that game? i can give you info on what to cheer for, curse against, etc.
It was like that when I went to see the Saints play in New Orleans. You have to chose wisely when breaking the seal so to speak! They are playing the Blue Jays when I am going.
i don’t mean to insult your sports knowledge if you happen to know all this, but i thought i’d give you some info to make yourself look smarter (which you may already be) than the others you’ll be with. first, tell whoever you’re with that “we” (red sox) have to watch out for jose batista. he’s usually their biggest slugger. he’s got 14 homeruns, and because he’s a right handed batter, he could easily lift a few over the green monster (nickname for the giant wall in left field). the blue jays played in boston this past weekend, and he hit two homeruns that weekend. his batting average is nothing to fear, so he’s either a homerun threat or nothing. but now they’ve got two other strong hitters in edwin encarnacion and 3rd baseman brett lawrie. edwin is hurt right now (hand) but might be back by the time you go to the game. lawrie is young and hits mostly singles, not much power, and strikes out too much. he’s got a good glove. did not go to college, sometimes loses his cool. was recently in a mall when a gunman started randomly shooting, could have easily been among those shot but got lucky.
Not at all… like I said I am pretty ignorant on that subject. This will definitely help me look a little less out of the loop! Thanks! Fake it till’ you make it, as I always say :).
And as I always say, “can I get rice instead of fries? ”
All I could think of. 😦
Very good. very good. I guess I will have to lose the whole- calling everyone sir and ma’am- thing for a couple days. I have also been practicing my best, “Hey, watch it pal!”. I’ll surely never fool anyone that I am from the swamps though.
Someone needs to make a TV show out of you.
Some folks tried already, but they said I was to “play by the rules” and that my hair wasn’t big enough. Whatever that means.
nah. for the character that is you, big hair would not be right. big hair is for the bimbo types. that is not you. as for playing by the rules, it has not worked out for me, but i still refuse to play nice.
I think you are on to something. *tosses rules*
another box to check on my report card.
Whenever I see “Can’t we all just get along” I can’t help but think of the Planet of the Apes re-make that came out about six years ago. That was used in a commercial — and it’s all I really remember about the movie.
Gotta link on that, since I’m not really in to sports. Oh, well.
I remember Rodney king saying that line, but you’re probably too young to know who that is.
Tee Hee. Actually, I’m not.
shhh. yes you are.
I really enjoyed this. I think New York is really fortunate to have two baseball teams with such rich histories. I have had a number of New York and North Jersey friends who have weighed in on the Mets vs Yankees (I’ve even known a married couple from Kearney, NJ who had divided baseball loyalties but made it work). I have always sensed that Mets fans are people who side with underdogs and Yankees fans, well, not so much.
I’m stereotyping, I know. But that is what I love about baseball. You can come up with all kinds of crazy, silly ideas about people based on their team loyalties. I wouldn’t do want to do that in “real life” but maybe I can be forgiven if I indulge in it a little when it comes to baseball.
Thanks for reading. My sister is a big Yankee fan and her husband is a huge mets fan. I grew up very close to kearny new jersey.
I am very glad I did read it. Sometimes I think there is nothing better than reading a good baseball blog, article or book or having a great baseball conversation.
Totally agree and I have a few reviews of baseball books around here somewhere. Maybe you have time to find them.