N.Y. mystique, tradition haunt Yankee foes

The pennant is the 38th that they have won. They are seeking their 27th World Series championship. They play in the stadium that Ruth built. On the outside of that stadium, emblazoned in huge letters on the upper rim over the famous front entrance to the ballpark is written, “I want to thank God for making me a Yankee.” They are the words of Joe DiMaggio.

The Yankees organization uses every ounce of history, every inch of mystique, every decibel of the arrogance when it gets to the postseason. Every year the discussion ensues as to whether the Yankees are a tougher opponent because of the team’s history. Of course they are.

The very fact that every year pages of newsprint, stacks of videotape and billions of words are used to examine the issue is proof that not only are fans thinking about those issues, but so are opposing teams.

Teams playing the Yankees have no choice but to think about it. Yankee history permeates the air. At Yankee Stadium, the video screen in center field begins the propaganda assault during batting practice. For hours the tape rolls on with highlights of Yankees legends and Yankee wins – Ruth, Mantle, Maris, Berra, DiMaggio, and on and on.

Former major league pitcher Rick Sutcliffe works with me televising the games on the world feed for Major League Baseball International. “I remember,” he says, “the first time I came to Yankee Stadium as a player with the Indians. I was in charge of the bucket [where batted balls are thrown back by outfielders for collection during batting practice, usually behind a screen in back of second base] since I had pitched before at another park.”

“I almost had my head taken off,” he recalls. “They started playing videos of all those famous Yankees and all those postseasons and I got so wrapped up watching that I forgot what I was doing. I got to wandering outside the protection of the screen, picking up baseballs and trying to watch the video while batting practice line drives were whizzing by my head.”

Added Sutcliffe, “You stand on that field and think, ‘This is where all those things happened. This is where all those guys played.’ You better believe there is a mystique.”

Many have been the players caught up in such thoughts, not just during batting practice, but during games, especially in the postseason. That is exactly what the Yankees want and no one helps in that effort more than Yankee fans.

The playoff noise level at Yankee Stadium is deafening and the attitude defying. Seattle found that out in the ALCS. The Mariners’ record-tying 116 regular-season wins was summed up in a Yankee fan’s sign that read: “116 wins. So What?”

Seattle players endured the chant of “Oakland’s better,” from 56,000 Yankee fans during the final innings of ALCS Game 5, Seattle’s last game of the year. Seattle was serenaded to the end of its season in that game with a raucous “Na Na Na, Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye.”

This playoff year there is more. There are the American flags draped from every conceivable spot in the yard. There are the fans’ signs remembering those who died in the terrorist attacks. There are the police, fire and rescue workers invited to the park every game and shown on the video board to sustained standing ovations.

One cannot ignore these matters at Yankee Stadium. Combined, they are the mystique. The old yard awaits the team from the desert, the Diamondbacks, the most veteran team in the majors. They will now be tested in the cauldron in the Bronx.

If the Yankees can gain a split in their first two games in Phoenix, the D-backs are in trouble heading to New York for the next three.

By the way, the players who call Yankee Stadium home aren’t bad either.

Old Town native Gary Thorne is an ESPN and NBC sportscaster.