Score Hears: Local Stanley Cup heroes tell their Yankee Stadium treasures
Howard Simmons/New York Daily NewsThe Devils and Rangers will hit the Yankee Stadium ice Sunday for a Bronx classic.
The Pope, Ali and of course Derek Jeter all performed at the old Yankee Stadium but not the NHL.
But times change as do stadiums and this week the NHL Stadium Series moves to the new Yankee Stadium starting Sunday with the Rangers facing off against the New Jersey Devils. On Wednesday, the always intense Rangers-Islanders rivalry will move to the Bronx, with 'Potvin Sucks' replacing 'Boston Suck' for a day.
With the first ever hockey games at the Stadium we asked a Stanley Cup champion from each of the three local teams for their fondest memory from the Big Ballpark in the Bronx (the original, of course):
Brian Leetch, Rangers Hall of Famer: 'Growing up in Connecticut, I was a huge Yankees fan and overall baseball fan. My favorite Yankee Stadium memory was from Game 1 of the 1996 American League Championship Series against the Baltimore Orioles. I remember sitting in really great seats, above the dugout, with some of my Rangers teammates. I believe it was bottom of the eighth and the Yankees rookie shortstop, Derek Jeter, hit a shot out to right field and it looked like an arm reached over the wall to try to grab the ball. At that moment, we were unsure of what was going on but there was chaos on the field and the crowd was going crazy. It was finally ruled a homerun and then the great Bernie Williams would hit a walk-off homer in the 11th to win the game. We would find out later it was a kid by the name of Jeffrey Maier who attempted to catch the ball and his name would go down in Yankees history as the result of that incident.'
Ken Daneyko, Devils: 'When I was drafted by the Devils back in 1982, I was so excited for the opportunity to go to Yankee Stadium, 'The Cathedral of Baseball'. When I think back of my favorite Yankee Stadium events I ever attended, the first one would be seeing my favorite band at the time, U2, play live back in 1992. I remember thinking Bono was incredible and how huge both the stage and production were. The other event that I will never forget was watching my old pal David Cone throw a perfect game in 1999 against the Montreal Expos, who I grew up watching back in the Gary Carter and Andre Dawson days. I vividly remember the buzz from the crowd in the stadium that day. The fact that I saw a perfect game thrown at Yankee Stadium is something that I will not soon forget.'
Brian Trottier, Islanders: 'Of all my Yankee Stadium memories, the most special and proudest was attending my daughter's graduation from NYU a couple of years ago in a crowd of almost 60,000 people. Supreme Court judge Sonia Sotomayor gave a very powerful commencement speech. Growing up, 'The House That Ruth Built' was a shrine for my dad, as he was a huge fan of both the Yankees and Tigers. As a result, the stadium was always very important to me and it was so much fun watching the guys from the 70's - (Willie) Randolph, (Graig) Nettles, (Mickey) Rivers, (Chris) Chambliss and of course Reggie (Jackson). I sort of lived vicariously through Bucky Dent - really loved his demeanor and hustle. I vividly remember how powerful, electric, dynamic and impressive it was attending my first Yankees game. Just the anticipation of driving to the ballpark was kind of chilling...had goose bumps.'
MR. MET BOBBLEHEAD
Ladies, if your man is a WFAN fanatic, we have the perfect Valentine's Day Weekend day-trip for you.
Why don't you and Sport hop on the Merritt Parkway on Sat., Feb. 15 and cruise on up to Fairfield University for Bob Heussler Bobblehead Day.
The MAAC school will be saluting its longtime play-by-play man - also known as Mr. Met to WFAN listeners - for 25 years of service before its game against Rider. The WNBA's Connecticut Sun is sponsoring the giveaway; Heussler has been the team's radio voice since its inception in 2003.
But if you want to get your hands on the bobblehead - with hair that's a little grayer than the real thing - you have to follow directions that are comical in how detailed they are.
So, when you buy your ticket through Ticketmaster, be sure to check the option for the bobblehead - you can also upgrade for a reception with Heussler - if you don't, you'll be out of luck when you show up at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. You can pick up your ticket and voucher at the will call window the day of the game.
RELATED: THE SCORE: HERE'S HOPING SHERMAN DOESN'T CHANGE
Tickets are $15 for the game and the bobblehead, $30 for the game, bobblehead and reception and, if you can't make it but really want one, a $60 donation to the Fairfield University School of Nursing will do the trick.
The Stags might be on to something. Maybe next year St. John's can have a Mike Francesa bobblehead day. But instead of a bobbing head it can have a waving hand.
Get lawst!
A JIM DANDY
It didn't take long for Jim Kaat, who joined the Yankees in May 1979, to develop a deep affection for Thurman Munson. Kaat tells The Score he admired how the All-Star catcher, known for delivering in clutch situations, always played hard despite nagging injuries that season.
'Thurman was not the smoothest athlete,' the pitcher-turned broadcaster says. 'His nickname was 'Tugboat' because he could not run fast. But he was one of those guys who always figured out how to get it done.'
Kaat will be honored at the 34th Annual Thurman Munson Awards on Feb. 4 in Manhattan. The dinner is a benefit for the AHRC New York City Foundation. Diana Munson, Thurman's widow, has been involved with the organization, which has raised more than $12 million for programs serving disabled children and adults.
Kaat, who is being honored because of the class he has displayed as a player and a broadcaster, is joined by a who's who of New York sports. Other honorees include a former Mets pitcher and a current Mets pitcher - David Cone and Dillon Gee - as well as Knicks great Bernard King, Yankee outfielder Brett Gardner and Giants safety Antrel Rolle.
Kaat says one night during the 1979 season especially stands out. The Yankees were in Chicago, and after that night's game, they went to an Italian restaurant called Traverso's. The owners, big Yankee fans, closed the restaurant and cooked up a storm for Kaat, Munson, Graig Nettles, Bucky Dent and Goose Gossage.
The players pigged out on pasta, drank wine and carried on deep into the night. A good time, Kaat remembers fondly, was had by all.
Two days later, on Aug. 2, 1979, Munson was dead at age 32 after a plane crash in Akron, Ohio.
Many baseball fans will never forget where they were when they heard the news. Kaat says he was in his apartment in New York when he heard the news on a fledgling all-sports network called ESPN.
'It was such a horrible thing to go through,' Kaat says.
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