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A Twins Fan Meditates on the ’09 Twins-Yanks Season Series

By Kevin Hennessy

Four-game sweep at New Yankee Stadium
With two less walkoffs, we could have took two of ‘em;
Then swept three games at home in the dome
Maybe next year outside we might manage to win one.

A-Rod, Jeter, Teixiera, Cano
They all make it tough, no denying, I know.
But Cabrera, Gardner, Cervelli, and Coke–
Are these really Yankees, or regular blokes?

Gardenhire insists
There’s no mental angle,
But if that truly is so
Couldn’t one win be finagled?

Perhaps those Bronx Bombers inspire intimidation
And Mauer and Morneau alone can’t deny them
Losing all seven certainly wasn’t too great
But at least we can be grateful we aren’t playing eight.

Published 7/12/09

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Yankees: Minnesota, May You Always Play Against Us

by Hart Seely

Justin Morneau, Denard Span,
Each of them, a special man.
Jason Kubel, Jason Pride,
Promising a pleasant ride.

Michael Cuddyer, Joe Mauer,
Every game, a happy hour.
Carlos Gomez, Jesse Crain,
I would play them all again!

R.A. Dickey, old Joe Crede,
Yielding to us, if we’re needy.
Minnesota! Humphrey Dome!
‘Neath thy roof, we feel at home.

Published 7/10/09

Hart Seely is the author of  Mother Goose Goes to Washington, as well as Oh Holy Cow: The Selected Verse of Phil Rizzuto, newly released in a 15th-anniversary edition. He often hangs around the Yankee website, It is High, It is Far, It is….caught, offering tasteful and constructive comments to management and players alike.

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1957

by Doug Fahrendorff

Milwaukee seemed near that summer
Earl Gillespie and
Blaine Walsh
Brought us the excitement
As the Braves
Battled for the pennant
The radio our ticket
To County Stadium
Aaron and Matthews
Spahn and Burdette
A World Series win
Over the hated Yankees
Celebrate Wisconsin!

Posted 6/9/2009

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The Ghost Seats of Yankee Stadium

by James Finn Garner

I was warmly surprised

That the new Yankee Stadium

Has all those spare seats

(And good ones, too!)

For the ghosts of all the fans

In the Yankee Universe who never made it there:

The Bowery Bum who could never buy a ticket,

The upstate farmer who could never spare time,

The soldier who fought alongside Joltin’ Joe and never made it back,

The street kid who played catch with junk and never had a chance, at anything.

 

I bet a Bombers game on the radio

Was sometimes a cooling touch of silk that eased their minds,

And Yankee Stadium unseen was

A green heaven they didn’t know they wished for.

 

Now they’re behind home plate,

Feet up, leaning back,

Making good use of the space.

Here’s to them,

And to the good-hearted Yankees.

 

Posted 6/4/2009

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Instant Replay Creates Perfect World

By James Finn Garner

.

Now that cameras can detect and correct
Our errors and human frailty,
I call for a replay of

Fidrych talking to the ball,
Reggie hitting in October,
Bob Gibson staring,
Koufax stretching,
Veeck laughing,

DiMaggio’s war years,
And Hank Greenberg’s,

And 1994, which could have saved the Expos,
And spared us the Nationals,

And Cap Anson shutting his damned mouth
And Buck O’Neil playing for the Cubs,
Satchel Paige for the A’s,
And Cool Papa Bell for the Cardinals.

.

Posted 5/14/09