What A Long Week!

This season I have partnered with TiqIQ to bring you '81 days in 203'. a series of articles breaking down the life of a super fan. '81 days in 203' articles will be featured on various Yankees blogs within the TiqIQ network of blogs and will be posted throughout the 2013 season. TiqIQ now offers tickets directly from the Yankees ticket exchange, the official resale marketplace of the New York Yankees.


I've been really slacking on my writing duties this week, and I apologize for it. I've been running around like mad, and kept putting off the blog in favor of other priorities. But fear not, loyal reader, for I have returned to re-cap some events from last week (it'll be like two blogs in one!).

The first blog worthy event happened on Wednesday when we welcomed not one or two but THREE members of the NY Football Giants out to 203 to join us for Roll Call. By my count, this would make the 4th, 5th and 6th member of the Giants to join us in the bleachers (David Baas, Chris Snee and  Justin Tuck were the first three).

Tight End Bear Pascoe, Running Back David Wilson and Wide Receiver Rueben Randle take in Roll Call

Before I get to the video link, I'd like to call attention to something in the photo above. Take a look, if you will, at the background of that photo. See the guy standing between David and Rueben, talking on the phone? He's not really talking on the phone. And that guy on the right in the away jersey taking a picture? Yeah, he's not really taking a picture either.

Those two guys would be Jersey Steve and Mike Donahue, long time Bleacher Regulars. They are partaking one of the newest trends to make it's way out to the 203, photobombing Bald Vinny pics. It happens quite a bit (and I mean a LOT!). So much so, that I've created an entire Tumblr dedicated to my photobombs.

Anyway, back to the Roll Call video, you can check it out here.

Fast forward to Saturday, and I can take you through one of the most epic (in length, and awesomeness) day  of the very young season. My day started at 5:15am (after getting to bed around 1:30a from the game the night before) in order to take my wife Rose to run her second half marathon, the Brooklyn Half (she kicked major ass, shattering her personal record by SIX minutes!). From Brooklyn, I made my way straight to the Bronx in no time (no traffic at 6:30am, go figure) and hopped out of my van at exactly 7:04am to snap this shot:

Of course, there was a really good reason as to why I would head to the stadium a good 3 hours before I would normally arrive for a weekend game, and that was to attend the second annual Yankee Stadium Photo Day (for season ticket holders). The Yankees have recently begun a few efforts to "connect" with their fans, and photo day is by far one of the best.

Fans line up around the warning track, and players (as well as some of the broadcast team) walk the warning track, shaking hands and taking pictures. I won't make you all incredibly jealous with all of the amazing pictures we got that day, but I will share a few of my favorites (you can check out the whole gallery here).

With the man in charge (and my friends Lauren and Tommy)

My new BFF, Vernon Wells

Posing for a shot with the G.O.A.T. 

Very funny, Cash

The Bleacher Crew poses for a shot

As if this day wasn't awesome enough, it continued in its awesomeness well into the night. After the game, I headed in to Manhattan to lend support at a fundraiser held at my favorite bar in the city, Foley's. The event was for the YAI Network (an excellent organization dedicated to creating hope and opportunity for people with learning and developmental disabilities) and featured our old friend, David Cone, as a guest bartender.

I love Foley's, I love Cone, and I love being able to help out ( I donated "The Ultimate Bleacher Creature Package" as a raffle prize) so going to the event was a no-brainer. To top it off, we were able to drop the kids off at my parent's house, and Rose and I had a chance for a rare date night.

Needless to say, Sunday was pretty rough. Waking up to rainy skies (and then, standing in said rain for 5 hours) didn't make it any easier. Thankfully, we were (slightly) spared and the afternoon game was a wash out.

But, in the end, I wouldn't trade a minute of it. As I used to say (in my much younger days) "You can sleep when you die".

An Important Date in Bleacher History

This season I have partnered with TiqIQ to bring you '81 days in 203'. a series of articles breaking down the life of a super fan. '81 days in 203' articles will be featured on various Yankees blogs within the TiqIQ network of blogs and will be posted throughout the 2013 season. TiqIQ now offers tickets directly from the Yankees ticket exchange, the official resale marketplace of the New York Yankees.


I usually don't write a blog before any home games have taken place, but I'll make an exception this week in order to give you a brief history lesson (trust me, this one is important). 

On this date in 1996, prior to the game, a special service was held in Section 39 of the Right Field Bleachers at the old Yankee Stadium. It was a somber night, as one of the leaders of the group that sat out there had passed away just a week earlier. His name was Ali Ramirez, and without him, I wouldn't be writing these words to you today. 

Ali Ramirez and his Cowbell

Ali is credited within our group as being the "original" Bleacher Creature, as his presence pre-dated all of the Bleacher Regulars (that was what the group was called before we were dubbed The Creatures). Ali attended his first game in the Bleachers in 1959 and was proud to call Section 39 home for the better part of 37(!) years. He is most known for bringing a cow-bell to the section to help rally the fans and cheer on the Yankees (a tradition we are proud to carry on to this very day). It was the rhythm of the bell and the raucous cheering from the crowd that attracted fans from all over the ball park into the bleachers. 

For several years in Section 39, there was a brass plaque dedicated to Ali that adorned the seat he called home. We were touched and honored when the Yankee Organization moved the plaque to our new house, cementing the tradition that Ali's seat always remained "reserved". 

Prior to the "dynasty" run of the late 1990's, the bleachers were General Admission, meaning you could buy a ticket and sit anywhere you wanted. Except on this night in 1996, the confines of Section 39 were off limits unless you were a family member or part of the Section 39 crew. It was blocked off by Yankee Security as well as many Bleacher Creatures. The flags at the stadium flew at half-staff, and there was a banner hanging in the back of Section 39 dedicated to Ramirez.

A small private ceremony was held pre-game, and as the sun set and night descended on the Bronx, a lone star twinkled in the sky. As the innings ticked away, the impending feeling of "Yankee Magic" filled the stands and concourses of The Stadium. For, it was this night, that Doc Gooden would toss a no-hitter and etch his own name into the Yankee history books.

Tonight, some 17 years later, the Yankees will once again be facing off against the Seattle Mariners (the team against whom Gooden tossed his no-no) but this time within the confines of the new Stadium. Lots of things have changed since that date in 1996 (new stadium, new players, new fans and new staff), but one thing will always remain: the everlasting memory of the man who started it all for us so many years ago.

Rest In Peace, Brother Ali. Keep ringing that bell up there in Heaven and cheering on our Yanks.







(Below is a reprint of the original article in the Daily News about Ali's passing)

click to enlarge

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Week in Review

This season I have partnered with TiqIQ to bring you '81 days in 203'. a series of articles breaking down the life of a super fan. '81 days in 203' articles will be featured on various Yankees blogs within the TiqIQ network of blogs and will be posted throughout the 2013 season. TiqIQ now offers tickets directly from the Yankees ticket exchange, the official resale marketplace of the New York Yankees.

I knew there would come a time in the life of this blog that I would really struggle with finding something to write about. I'm slightly discouraged that it's happened the first week in May. 

What can I really say about an otherwise lack-luster homestand? We hosted the Astros for a set early in the week, and I would be surprised if the combined attendance of all three games would be enough to sell out the stadium just once. Yeah, it was that bad. Here's a shot of Left Field on Wednesday night 

"If you're driving by the stadium folks, plenty of good seats still available"

I hate to get all "tow the company line" on you guys but seriously, what's keeping you from the ballpark? I keep hearing that it's too expensive, but if you look at the secondary market, tickets are often lower than face value (yes, even in the bleachers). The weather has been improving, and slowly the kids will be getting out of school and people will be going on vacation. People should really take advantage of the current deals now. 

The weekend got slightly better, if only for the appearance of our first celebrity guest of the year, Gabriel Macht from the hit show Suits (Thursdays at 10pm on the USA Network) and his Dad, fellow actor Stephen Macht (best known for his role on General Hospital).

Photo Credit: Mike Stewart www.bleachercreatures.tv

Gabriel was an AWESOME guest. He's a Bronx boy and a real deal Yankee fan. While we waited for the game to begin, we chatted about the old stadium, and how he used to come out to the Bleachers back in the days before he became famous. 

That conversation reminded me of a similar one I had with former Roll Call guest Justice Sonya Sotomayor. She told me of being able to come to the stadium in regular street clothes and a baseball cap, and blend in to the crowd to enjoy a game. For three hours, she could escape her hectic schedule and just be a normal person. 

And that's something we all share about our love for the Yankees. It's a way to escape life for a hours and just be a face in the crowd. I have extolled the virtues of getting on a bench and yelling your face off within these very pages before, and it's clear by the video below (and the joy in Gabriel and Stephen's faces) that you can never be too big of a star to cheer on the Yankees:

So really, what are you waiting for? I'm always posting great links to ticket deals on my Twitter feed and my FaceBook page, so be sure to follow along and come join us at the stadium for a little noise! '

You just never know who may show up.....

Double Duty

This season I have partnered with TiqIQ to bring you ‘81 days in 203’, a series of articles breaking down the life of a super fan. ’81 days in 203’ articles will be featured on various Yankees blogs within the TiqiQ network of blogs and will be posted throughout the 2013 season. Remember, for the best deals on not only New York Yankees tickets, but all MLB tickets, visit TiqIQ.com.

We all wear many different hats in our daily lives, be it parent or sibling, boss or employee or even friend or enemy. Each hat requires us to act a certain way, or perform certain responsibilities  Most of us try to keep our hats separate (never bring work home, never take home stresses to work) but sometimes we have no choice. Sometimes, we just have to perform overlapping responsibilities.

Such was the case for me this past Saturday. When the schedule was released  I knew immediately I would be in trouble. The Yanks were scheduled to take on the Blue Jays at 4pm. Sometime during the 2012 season, my youngest sister and her fiancee chose that evening as their wedding date.

Had the game been a normal 1pm Saturday start, I wouldn't even be writing this blog. I would have worked the game and made it to the evening wedding with plenty of time to spare. But, for some reason, it was a 4pm game (that was NOT aired on FOX). Being a member of the wedding party required me to arrive in Commack, Long Island (about an hour away from the stadium) at 5pm for photos.

Not good.

As many of you know, one of the hats I wear is of small business owner. I create/design/sell sports apparel geared to the passionate and hard core yankee fan (also known in some circles as The Bleacher Creatures). My point of sale location is outside of Billy's Sports Bar, right outside of the stadium on River Ave. We are open every game day, and this past Saturday (being sunny and warm for the first time all season) was a day that I couldn't afford to miss (it's not like I can just add another game to the schedule and make up the work some other day).

Since I was going to be in the Bronx all day, there was no way I was going to work all morning and skip out on Roll Call. But I was still going to be pretty pressed for time, so I did what anyone else in my position would have done. I put on my tuxedo, did the roll call, and high-tailed it out of the Bronx for the wedding!

Cleans up nicely

It was, without a doubt, my shortest trip to the stadium. I don't believe I actually even sat down in my seat. I was in, screaming, then on the road in what seemed like minutes. Thankfully, I made it to the wedding in time (I missed some of the photos in the Groom's Quarters while the Groomsmen were getting ready, but I made it in time for all of the group photos).

The wedding was awesome, and it was such a relief to have made it in on time. I was able to keep my responsibilities as a business owner, as a yankee fan, and most importantly, as a brother, intact. It all just happened to work out well, and I wouldn't have been able to do it without a lot of help. First, George (and my webmaster Craig) held it down at The House of Tees in my absence. Tracy and Nick at The Yankee Bar and Grill helped out by housing all of my gear (tables, shirts, display) in the bar overnight. And the guys at the parking garage, who usually bury my van deep in the lot as I'm usually the last to leave, left me a nice open lane to maneuver my van out of the lot. Without all of those guys kicking in a little bit of extra effort, I would have never made it, so to each of those guys, Thank You.

With the beautiful bride

My good friends at MLB's CUT4 were also on hand to film the Roll Call and were nice enough to post this little story about my day here.

Our First Guest

This season I have partnered with TiqIQ to bring you ‘81 days in 203’, a series of articles breaking down the life of a super fan. ’81 days in 203’ articles will be featured on various Yankees blogs within the TiqiQ network of blogs and will be posted throughout the 2013 season. Remember, for the best deals on not only New York Yankees tickets, but all MLB tickets, visit TiqIQ.com.

We're kicking off a nice long 10 game home stand this week, and what better way to begin than by welcoming a special guest? Last year, we were quite fortunate to be visited by many celebrities, athletes, and musicians in Section 203 to participate in Roll Call. But not every guest is a celebrity, and sometimes the guest is just a friend celebrating a birthday. Such was the case last night, when we welcomed our friend Karter Chamberlain to join us for his 7th birthday (You may know Karter's Dad, Joba). 

Karter, and Aunt Tasha

The Creatures have shared a great relationship with Joba since we got to participate in a HOPE week event in 2010, so I didn't hesitate for a second to reach out and invite Karter to join us. Once I got permission from Dad, I reached out to Joba's sister Tasha to coordinate details. She said that Karter was excited to make some noise, and that was just about all I needed to hear to get fired up! I love that people are passionate about the Yankees and Roll Call, and I love it even more when that person is a kid.

The Creatures pose with Joba (and AJ Burnett) at HOPE Week 

For years, the Bleachers have been about as far from a "family section" as you could ever imagine. But, because of many factors (which are way too numerous and theoretical to cover here) the atmosphere in the Bleachers (and the stadium in general) have become more genteel. Add to that the sheer awesomeness of Roll Call (seriously, where else can you get pro athletes to say hello to you, every day?) and you're bound to attract more kids. Personally, I think it's awesome. Mainly because I have kids of my own, and I can see the passion these kids have for the game and the Yankees and I hope to instill that passion within my own children as they mature. 

These days, it's not uncommon at all to see kids participating in the shenanigans in 203. Sure, sometimes the language can get a little blue, but on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, Section 203 can often be confused for Romper Room. And, to be honest, I wouldn't want it any other way. Most of the kids belong to my fellow Creatures. We've all been sitting together for years, and through those years we've seen plenty of weddings and births. We consider each other parts of our (extremely dysfunctional) second family, and we have a love for each other that probably isn't too common at public sporting events. 

One of the many "Family Days" in Section 203, Circa 2011

Over the years, we've adopted a few players into our unofficial family and the Chamberlains were some of the first. Whether it be a friendly fist-bump to Harlan as he cruises past my shirt stand on River Ave or by checking in on Joba during rehab or inviting Karter out for Roll Call on his birthday, it's easier to reach out when you genuinely care about the people on the other end (which is why, to this day, many Creatures still secretly root for AJ Burnett). It's a bond unique to the Creatures and I am thankful every day that I get to be a part of it. 

Getting back on topic (sorry, got distracted there for a minute) I was really excited to get Karter to participate in Roll Call. I knew he had spent the day playing ball in the outfield and relaxing with some video games, but I was hopeful he had some energy left to make some noise (what 7 year old DOESN'T have loads of energy?). As you can see by the video below, he had no problem fitting right in with the crew

Last night was a great way to kick off the home stand, and I hope we were able to give young Karter a great Birthday memory (and maybe we've even convinced him to come sit in the bleachers again!)

This Blows!

This season I have partnered with TiqIQ to bring you ‘81 days in 203’, a series of articles breaking down the life of a super fan. ’81 days in 203’ articles will be featured on various Yankees blogs within the TiqiQ network of blogs and will be posted throughout the 2013 season. Remember, for the best deals on not only New York Yankees tickets, but all MLB tickets, visit TiqIQ.com.

This past winter, when I sat down with the guys at TiqIq and agreed to do this blog, I was really concerned with having enough content.

"What will I write about?" I said. "I'm not an analyst, I'm not a stat guy. Yankee fans get plenty of information out there on the web. What am I supposed to cover?"

"Just cover you." They said. "Take us through what it's like to work 81 games on River Ave and just be Bald Vinny". 

Well, I was worried about what to write about this week, and then it struck me (well, exploded on me anyway).

I'm talking about the rear driver's side tire on my well-worn 2000 Ford Econoline 250 van. It decided to end it's relatively short life (bought new shoes for the old girl just two years ago) on my way up to the stadium, right in the middle of the Throgs Neck Bridge. I heard it go, hoping it was one of the cars around me, but the noise got louder and I could see a little bit of smoke from my side view mirror. I pulled over to the right, hit the hazards and slowed down considerably. I decided that I didn't want to be the guy on the news causing the rush hour back up on the bridge, so I made a run for it. I was about half way over anyway and gimped it to the toll (throwing plenty of tread behind me along the way). I managed to make to the Exit 9 off ramp (if you're familiar, they have a small area for disabled vehicles) and started to asses the situation. 

The situation, as they say, looks bleak.

At this point it's about 3:45 and George, my right hand man, was expecting me at the stadium any minute. I rang him first to explain the delay. Next call was to my wife. Not sure what I expected her to do in an office in Manhattan, but I figured she should know. Of course, my next thought was that I wasn't going to make the game for Roll Call. I knew I had some time, but I wanted to let everyone know about the delay, so I had to update Twitter and Facebook. Next, I decided to seek some help. After confirming that I did not have roadside assistance with my insurance company (so *that's* how you save 15%) I needed to come up with a plan. 

If this had happened anywhere on the other side of the bridge, I would have called my Dad in an instant. He's my go to guy in emergencies and at the very least he would have calmed me down. But my Dad is on Long Island, and way out of the area of where I was. So I called the next best man for the job, my buddy Nick Madio, the owner of The Yankee Bar and Grill (if Section 203 is my second home, this bar is my third). Nick is a Bronx guy and has been in the auto body business for years. Within 5 minutes he had me on the horn with a tow truck driver who promised to be there in "a half hour" (that old gag).

I figured I would get as much done before the truck arrived, so I got to work on the blow out. There were a few stubborn lugs, but I got them all loose and started to assemble the jack. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the van off the ground high enough to change the tire, so I got stuck waiting for the truck anyway (all the while thinking of the missed sales I could be making on the ave). Almost 2 hours later the truck arrived, and he was able to boost me up high enough to make the tire switch. By this time, it's about 6:15, so I know I can make it to the game on time if i hustle. 

I pretty much flew the rest of the way to the Ave, making it to my spot in about 10 minutes. It took less time than that for George and I to unload and set up, and by the time I parked the van, I had just enough time to calm my nerves with a Jameson shot (or four) before I had to scurry off to 203 for first pitch. 

 I was still pretty aggravated (to say the least) and I really didn't feel much like Roll Call-ing. But, I remembered to back when I first started to sit in Section 39 of the old stadium. One of the reasons I enjoyed sitting there so much (aside from the fun, the songs, the camaraderie, and the baseball) was the yelling. I learned early on that a good release for all of that pent up anger and stress from your day was to get up on a bench and scream your bloody face off. 

And I did just that.

And I felt remarkably better.