Crooks: Realizing A Childhood Dream At Yankee Stadium — With NYCFC!
By Glenn Crooks
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One of my children's favorite requests at bedtime when they were young was the "Yankee Stadium Story." It goes like this: I was 10 years old and returned home from my paper route (afternoon delivery of the Newark News). My father was in the driveway with the engine running on an authentic Volkswagen Beetle. He told me, "Get your glove," and soon thereafter we were on our way.
Dad would often take us to a local field and pitch or hit grounders at me, but this time we got on the highway and while crossing the George Washington Bridge, I wondered, "Are we really?" I recall a wry smile from the old man and while motoring on Harlem River Drive I peered through the apartments of the old Polo Grounds and suddenly I was in a trance – the large, royal blue lettering on the building that to me was more cathedral than baseball structure: YANKEE STADIUM. Etched in my memory as we reached the opening at the end of the tunnel leading to our seats was the burst of green and blue. My television at home was black and white. The fact that the Yankees lineup that day included the mediocrity of Charlie Smith, Jerry Kenney, Horace Clarke and NOT Mickey Mantle (day game after a night game, the season before his retirement) did not sap any of the elation for me.
Growing up, my dream was to play second base for the Yankees (since I thought I was better than Horace Clarke) or if that didn't work, then be the radio voice of the Bombers. As long as I can remember, I had a strong desire to be on the radio and this Sunday, I will walk through the press gate, take the elevator to press row and mark my spot in the home radio booth. I did not play second base for the Pinstripes (I could not hit a curve ball) nor will I broadcast for the 27-time World Champions (see John Sterling). Instead, I am thrilled to be one of the radio voices for the Major League Soccer expansion New York City Football Club on WFAN.
It turns out that there have been a myriad of soccer matches played at Yankee Stadium starting with the 1931 friendly between the touring Glasgow Celtic and the metropolitan entry in American Soccer League named -- of course! -- the New York Yankees. The most recent Yankee Stadium tussle was a match last summer between English Premier League sides Liverpool and Manchester City. These are two of the world's most admired franchises and a majority of the over 49,000 supporters got their first live look at their heroes from overseas, like the Reds' Steven Gerrard (who will join MLS' LA Galaxy this summer) and Ya Ya Toure in light blue for City.
For Manchester City, titleholders in the EPL, it was an opportunity to tour the future home of their newest partner, NYCFC. The City Football Group has a 75-percent share of this business while the minority partner in this triumvirate is the New York Yankees. And it is the Yankees' grounds crew that will be challenged to convert the stadium from soccer to baseball and back to soccer again during the course of the overlapping campaigns of NYCFC and the Bronx Bombers. Of chief concern at present is the condition of the field leading into Sunday's match against the New England Revolution following a brutal winter.
"I don't think anyone should be concerned," said NYCFC sporting director Claudio Reyna. "We're not going to talk about it. A lot of thought has been put into it and we are in good hands with the Yankees grounds crew."
There was chatter, however, from the west coast of Florida where the Yankees are basking in the sun while conducting their activities in spring training.
"It's going to suck," Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira succinctly told a Daily News reporter. "It's going to tear up the infield but there's nothing we can do about it."
"I have no idea what it is like to be a high-level baseball player," NYCFC head coach Jason Kreis said in response. "I do know it's important for soccer to have a pristine surface – so to turn it around, could you ask them if they could take care of the field for us, we'd appreciate it."
It has been delightful covering New York City FC and MLS. The players embrace their roles as ambassadors and recognize it is a privilege to compete on the professional level in their sport. One of the more notable is NYCFC forward David Villa, Spain's all-time leading scorer and the face of the franchise. He is accessible, affable and working hard to learn the language. Teixeira, on the other hand, represents the spoiled millionaires of Major League Baseball who receive more in meal per diem than some of their fans make in a week. It was an ignorant comment by Teixeira who is not versed in agronomy and the method to maintain a field surface. Perhaps he should look at the bright side. A poor surface might lead to some bad-hop singles to help elevate his paltry .216 batting average from a season ago (.226 over the last three seasons at $22-23 million per year).
The partnership began last week when NYCFC played fellow neophyte Orlando City to a 1-1 draw before 63,000 fans at the Citrus Bowl. On Sunday, the NYCFC fraternity has hopes for a sellout.
For me, I'll just soak in the atmosphere at my favorite place in the world and provide my commentary on a team and league that are making rapid gains in the congested world of professional sports.
Glenn Crooks is the color commentator for New York City FC on WFAN and the former head soccer coach at Rutgers University. You can follow him on Twitter at @GlennCrooks and glenncrooks.sportsblog.com.
