The day the New York Yankees stole my heart was a very unique and special one, but one you may not connect to a 10-year-old kid’s best day on earth.
Every Yankees fan has that moment in the back of their mind that didn’t just turn them into a fan but allowed them entrance to a community of legends and greats spanning decades. The Bronx Bombers aren’t just a baseball team. They are a family and a history worth more than anything in the world.
I remember as a kid, I would put my Yankees hat on every day before I went to sleep as a good luck charm. I would watch every game on television closely, trying to learn from players like Derek Jeter and replicate their style of play. However, the day I joined the Yankees family was August 4, 2007.
On this day, Alex Rodriguez hit his 500th home run, failing to hit a homer for seven consecutive games, an anomaly for a player like A-Rod at that point in his career.
I’ll never forget that moment — I was sitting with my dad, seats he had luckily won from work. I knew how important this game could be at just 10-years-old. My improbable dream came true, and all the praying I had done for days before had proven useful. On that day, Alex Rodriguez smashed his 500th homerun, a moment of historical nature.
In the very first inning, with two men on base, A-Rod hit a moon shot into the sun, ironically, falling down just feet away from where I was sitting in the outfield near the left-field foul pole. The commentators waited patiently for the ball to return back to earth, and it landed just over the fence, solidifying my dream and planting me in Yankees’ history for the rest of time.
The best part about the New York Yankees that every fan has a moment just like this, praying and wishing that they can experience something special, whether it be on TV or in person. The team welcomes everybody equally, and everyone can enjoy the love and happiness from years ago of success and talent.
At such a young age, I understood the implications of being a Yankee fan, the hostility but love that accompanies thousands of fans booing a player. In one moment, Yankee Stadium can be a breeding ground for hostility, but the very next can be Toys-R-Us for adults.
It also allowed me to worship leaders and players like Derek Jeter. You don’t realize how much of an effect these guys have on your life until you develop with age and realize that your entire batting stance in Little League was based on a blend of Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. I would often swap stances based on who I felt like that day, a powerful slugger, or a contact hitter with impeccable fundamentals. Moments like these will never be forgotten.
What was your favorite Yankees moment, the one that you’ll never forget? Leave it in the comment section below!