Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera & Me

Not really -- I never played baseball with them -- but over the Christmas holidays when my son Jack got inspired to clean out his old bedroom (now the "Andy Warhol Guest Room") he found some old scorecards from baseball games we attended in the 1990s. That was when the local minor league team was the Albany-Colonie Yankees, who played at Heritage Park out near the Albany County Nursing Home & the Airport.  Now, Spring Training has begun & baseball, happily, is back in the news.

I like to keep score when I go to baseball games; it helps me to pay attention to what is going on & not be distracted (too much) by the beer, hotdogs & fans around me. Archivist that I am, I dutifully stick the scorecards in a file -- & forget about them.

The program, scorecard, & roster that Jack found were from a game on June 30, 1994, between the Binghamton Mets & the Albany-Colonie Yankees. I wasn't keeping a diary at that time so I don't know who I was with, but conceivably it would have been Grandpa (John Dugan), probably Jack, & maybe my wife, Mary, & daughter Madeleine. When you look at the scorecard you will see that the 2nd batter was "D. Jeter," playing shortstop. The starting pitcher, who went 9 innings, was "Mariano Rivera."  Of course, at the time I had no idea the stars they would become; then they were just another player's name on the scoreboard, & I was trying to get the correct spelling, pay attention to how the play went, & not spill my beer (I taught my sons & daughters how to keep score so they could take over while I went to the bathroom).

According to my hasty jottings, Jeter struck out twice, flyed out to right field & walked twice. Rivera struck out 4 & gave up 5 hits & 2 runs. His opposing pitcher on the Mets (whose name I did not write down), in 6 innings struck out 8, & they were winning 2 - 0 when he was taken out. Unfortunately we must have left after the 10th inning with the game tied 2 - 2 (either the kids were tired, or maybe Grandpa was too) because I didn't record a final score & who won.

Another interesting note is that the 1994 Yearbook has a picture of another future big league Yankee, Andy Pettitte, whose name does not appear on the printed roster that came with the scorecard. Minor league players do get moved around a lot.

The Albany-Colonie Yankees are no longer the home team, replaced by the Diamond Dogs & now by the Tri-City Valleycats who play in Troy at the stadium located at Hudson Valley Community College.

I don't get to Major League games very often, but I do like seeing the local teams play -- you are closer to the action, the tickets are inexpensive, as is the food & the beer. And, who knows, you may see future Major Leaguers play, even future Hall of Famers. Go out & support your local teams.

Go ValleyCats!