Did you see the red carpet treatment they them?
Yankee greats lead All-Star Parade | MLB.com: News
Yankee greats lead All-Star Parade
Batterymates Ford, Berra ride on red carpet in first Chevy truck
NEW YORK -- Watching Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra riding together in the lead vehicle at Tuesday's Major League Baseball All-Star Game Red Carpet Parade presented by Chevy, one could only wish this kind of energy-efficient vehicle might solve global energy concerns the way it made so many people smile.
That was one of the true spine-tingling moments of the 2008 All-Star Week, and there have been a lot of them. Just seeing the winningest World Series pitcher riding up Sixth Avenue in the flatbed of a red Chevy truck next to his catcher who played in more World Series games than anyone and being showered with love by a crowd estimated to be larger than a million spectators, the whole story of baseball seemed like it was being told on a perfect summer afternoon in Midtown Manhattan.
"It's great," Yogi said as he boarded the truck that got it all started at Bryant Park, leading a dazzling procession of 113 past and present baseball greats, including all of the players, managers and coaches (and families) from the 79th All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. "We never had a parade when I played."
Well, that's a borderline Yogi-ism, because who could possibly have been thrown more baseball parades than him? The Bronx Bombers' parades were always much later in the year. He was referring to this fourth annual Red Carpet Parade, which began modestly on the perimeter of Detroit's Comerica Park in 2005 and just went over the top in Big Apple style by including most of the living Hall of Famers.
"That was pretty good," Tommy Lasorda said as he watched Ford and Berra roll off ahead while waiting to board his own truck. "They're two great players, but more importantly, they're two great guys."
"I was walking down through there at the start, seeing some of the names on the tops of the trucks. They've got serious Hall of Famers," Cliff Lee, the evening's starting American League pitcher from Cleveland, said while waiting for his ride along with his wife and children. "It's neat because it gives fans a chance to see Hall of Famers and All-Stars up close. Just think, Whitey and Yogi. Serious Hall of Famers."
The Red Carpet Parade started at 40th Street and Sixth Avenue, and it went uptown and ended at 58th Street and Sixth, just before Central Park. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg participated in the parade with a group of local baseball players from the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in the Bronx. The parade ended at 3 p.m., and buses then took the parade subjects to The House That Ruth Built for a game that would help celebrate a stadium's legend.
"We always talk about creating an 'All-Star moment' for any city, and we can create a million and a half in a moment this time," said Tim Brosnan, executive vice president of business for Major League Baseball. "It's to get people closer to the players they love. How much closer can you get than four feet away? I'd say it's kind of a combination of red carpet and Mardi Gras. [It is] fun for everyone involved."
When asked what went into the decision to put Ford and Berra in the lead truck, Brosnan simply replied: "Come on." Indeed. No other reasoning needed. There are always some precious moments in the staging area, as the greats of the game gather with their families, and this time was even better, because of the mix of past and present. Harmon Killebrew was waiting for his truck at Bryant Park along with current Twins catcher Joe Mauer and newly minted State Farm Home Run Derby champion Justin Morneau. "Killer" said to Mauer, the night's starting AL catcher: "Do us proud tonight." At one point, Lasorda was waiting for someone to fill the truck ahead of him so it could start, and he yelled, "Hey, Robin [Yount]! Your truck is waiting! You're holding up the parade!"
Yankee greats lead All-Star Parade | MLB.com: News
Yankee greats lead All-Star Parade
Batterymates Ford, Berra ride on red carpet in first Chevy truck
NEW YORK -- Watching Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra riding together in the lead vehicle at Tuesday's Major League Baseball All-Star Game Red Carpet Parade presented by Chevy, one could only wish this kind of energy-efficient vehicle might solve global energy concerns the way it made so many people smile.
That was one of the true spine-tingling moments of the 2008 All-Star Week, and there have been a lot of them. Just seeing the winningest World Series pitcher riding up Sixth Avenue in the flatbed of a red Chevy truck next to his catcher who played in more World Series games than anyone and being showered with love by a crowd estimated to be larger than a million spectators, the whole story of baseball seemed like it was being told on a perfect summer afternoon in Midtown Manhattan.
"It's great," Yogi said as he boarded the truck that got it all started at Bryant Park, leading a dazzling procession of 113 past and present baseball greats, including all of the players, managers and coaches (and families) from the 79th All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. "We never had a parade when I played."
Well, that's a borderline Yogi-ism, because who could possibly have been thrown more baseball parades than him? The Bronx Bombers' parades were always much later in the year. He was referring to this fourth annual Red Carpet Parade, which began modestly on the perimeter of Detroit's Comerica Park in 2005 and just went over the top in Big Apple style by including most of the living Hall of Famers.
"That was pretty good," Tommy Lasorda said as he watched Ford and Berra roll off ahead while waiting to board his own truck. "They're two great players, but more importantly, they're two great guys."
"I was walking down through there at the start, seeing some of the names on the tops of the trucks. They've got serious Hall of Famers," Cliff Lee, the evening's starting American League pitcher from Cleveland, said while waiting for his ride along with his wife and children. "It's neat because it gives fans a chance to see Hall of Famers and All-Stars up close. Just think, Whitey and Yogi. Serious Hall of Famers."
The Red Carpet Parade started at 40th Street and Sixth Avenue, and it went uptown and ended at 58th Street and Sixth, just before Central Park. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg participated in the parade with a group of local baseball players from the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in the Bronx. The parade ended at 3 p.m., and buses then took the parade subjects to The House That Ruth Built for a game that would help celebrate a stadium's legend.
"We always talk about creating an 'All-Star moment' for any city, and we can create a million and a half in a moment this time," said Tim Brosnan, executive vice president of business for Major League Baseball. "It's to get people closer to the players they love. How much closer can you get than four feet away? I'd say it's kind of a combination of red carpet and Mardi Gras. [It is] fun for everyone involved."
When asked what went into the decision to put Ford and Berra in the lead truck, Brosnan simply replied: "Come on." Indeed. No other reasoning needed. There are always some precious moments in the staging area, as the greats of the game gather with their families, and this time was even better, because of the mix of past and present. Harmon Killebrew was waiting for his truck at Bryant Park along with current Twins catcher Joe Mauer and newly minted State Farm Home Run Derby champion Justin Morneau. "Killer" said to Mauer, the night's starting AL catcher: "Do us proud tonight." At one point, Lasorda was waiting for someone to fill the truck ahead of him so it could start, and he yelled, "Hey, Robin [Yount]! Your truck is waiting! You're holding up the parade!"
