The New York Yankees and Ira Riklis

Ira Riklis has been a steadfast fan of the New York Yankees since seeing his first game at Yankees Stadium in 1954. He celebrated his 10th birthday watching game 6 of the World Series there. He also spent many a Sunday afternoon watching the New York Giants football team playing there prior to their move to the Meadowlands in 1973. In other words, Yankees Stadium has been an important part of his life for decades.

But that was the old Yankees Stadium, which with the opening of the new Yankees Stadium last year, is no longer in use. After so many years and so many memories, it was with some trepidation that Ira Riklis attended the 2009 season opener there. But once he got over the sticker shock for the higher ticket prices, he was more than pleased by the experience. Since he can only make it to very few games each year, he opted for the best seats in the Legends Suite. He was impressed with the stadium as a whole.  And he was particularly impressed by the Legends Suite which has a special express entrance, an air conditioned club room with lots of free treats as well as a restaurant manned by some of the city’s best chefs.

Major League Baseball’s All-Star game is less than two months away now. It will be played on the evening of July 13 at Angels stadium in Anaheim. But voting for the stars is well underway. Ira Riklis has his opinions of which players he thinks should be playing that day. Do you? If so, why note get out and vote, vote, vote for your home team? It’s a great way to become an active part of our national pastime. (Perhaps not as great as getting out to enjoy some games in person, but still.)

There’s no doubt the Yankees will be represented there. After all, manager Joe Girardi will be leading the American League squad. But which players will make the cut? It’s pretty clear to fans like Ira Riklis that Derek Jeter will be there. He’s currently the leading American League vote getter. Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano also currently hold the lead for their respective positions in the infield. A-Rod sits in second place for the third base spot as does Jorge Posada at the catcher’s position. If you think they’re worthy, cast your vote and maybe you’ll see an infield filled with Yankees’ stars!

The New York Yankees organization, along with dedicated fans like Ira Riklis, is focused on just one goal this year: repeat as World Champions. So far they’re off to a great start, their best start in seven seasons to be exact. They enjoy the best home record in baseball. And they’ve won series against every American League division-leading team. The primary concern at this point is that the Tampa Bay Rays are off to best start in baseball in eight years. (But don’t despair, the season’s still young.)

While all other goals are secondary, there are some that bear watching. One of these is A-Rod’s quite, but steady, march towards the 600 career home run mark, a feat that only seven major league players have accomplished. He entered this season just seventeen homers shy of the mark, and has already belted six. But you won’t hear him talking about it much. Like the rest of the team, he’s focused on winning, not individual records. Ira Riklis and other fans look forward to the day he reaches that goal. It will be something to savor—along with another championship—this next offseason!

After a hot start, Ira Riklis’ home town heroes, the New York Yankees, have cooled down a bit, losing six out of their last ten games. Part of the reason could be the rash of injuries the team has experienced this month. The latest and most serious happened earlier this week when catcher Jorge Posada suffered a hairline fracture on the bottom of his right foot. The team said it could be three to four weeks before he returns. But Posada vows to be back sooner.

The team’s other recent injuries include Curtis Granderson, who is on the disabled list with a groin strain; Nick Johnson, who has just had wrist surgery; and outfielders Nick Swisher and Marcus Thames, who are both day-to-day with strains and sprains. If that weren’t enough, ace pitcher Andy Pettitte missed a start not long ago. But in the true Yankees grit and style, which is something Ira Riklis appreciates, the team refuses to let the injuries slow them down much. As Derek Jeter put it: “Injuries happen. You hope you don’t get them at the same time, but you can’t feel sorry for yourself. Other guys have to pick it up.”

Last night’s game between Ira Riklis’ favorite baseball team, the New York Yankees, and their arch-rivals, the Boston Red Sox proved once again Yogi Berra’s famous saying: “It ain’t over till it’s over.” The Bronx Bombers started the game with a bang, racking up 5 runs in the first inning. But the Red Sox slowly made a comeback, and took a 9-7 lead after a 3-run scoring burst in the 8th inning.

Other teams may have folded at that point, but not the Yankees. Demonstrating the resolve that makes Ira Riklis such a dedicated fan, they held the Sox scoreless in the top of the 9th. In the bottom of the inning, A-Rod belted a 2-run homer to tie the score. As Marcus Thames, a bench player who rarely gets an at bat stepped up to the plate with two outs and a man on, it looked like the game might become an extra-inning struggle. But as Yankees’ players are apt to do, Thames made the most of his opportunity by blasting a walk-off homer into the left field stands.

The Yankees are still up there in the standings and have one of the best records in baseball so far this year. But this week they’ve gone into a bit of a road slump, losing four out five games with the Red Sox and Tigers. They’re back home again for a week-long stand against the Twins, the arch-rival Red Sox and the Rays, who currently have a two-game division lead over the Bronx Bombers. Fans like Ira Riklis, who follow the team closely, know the Yankees excel at home. So why not make it a point to get out to the stadium this week to help cheer them on and get them back on track?

Beyond the thrill of watching great teams at play, a trip to the new Yankee Stadium, now in its second year of operation, is an experience unto itself. Ira Riklis particularly enjoys the posh Legends Suite, which offers not only the best seats in the house, but a cornucopia of free treats in a nicely air conditioned club room as well as a restaurant that offers gourmet meals prepared by some of the best chefs in New York. But other aspects of the stadium are equally special. There’s not really a bad seat anywhere. An immense, high-tech scoreboard shows all the action and gives background about every hitter and pitcher. Best of all, the new field, with all the latest amenities and technologies, still captures the spirit and tradition of the former stadium so long-time fans will feel right at home.

There’s no question the Yankees are stars on the baseball field. The 2009 World Champions have started hot again this year and are neck-and-neck with the Tampa Bay Rays for the best record in this (still young) season. But there’s more to the team and its players than just playing ball. Like Ira Riklis, many players give of their time and money to help those in need.

The most recent example happened just last week when All-Star first baseman Mark Teixeira teamed up with Harlem RBI—an established youth-development organization in East Harlem—to launch a new strategic partnership. Teixeira will serve on the group’s board of directors and also as a chairperson at special events. Teixeira’s also made a $100,000 donation to Harlem RBI Future’s Fund, a program to support college bound seniors and guide youth to and through higher education. It’s just one more reason the Yankees’ are Ira Riklis’ favorite team!

Another chapter in the age’s-old rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and Ira Riklis’ New York Yankees will be written tonight. And no matter which team you’re rooting for (or even if you’re just a baseball fan in general) you might want to take a nap this afternoon if you’re planning on watching the game. The three games the teams played against each other in Fenway last month went on for nearly 11 hours in all!

If they weren’t such meaningful, close and hard-fought games, they might put even staunch fans like Ira Riklis to bed early. Why do games between the two teams go on so long? Part of the reason lies in the intense rivalry between them. That leads to time-consuming pitching changes, pitcher-catcher conferences and managers coming out to talk to pitchers. Players on both teams tend to take a lot of pitches, leading to more full counts. In addition, both batters and pitchers on both teams seem to take their time in these games, stepping out of the box, wandering off the mound or just fidgeting between pitches.

Yankees’ fans like Ira Riklis, who love their team and are concerned about helping others are glad to know that there’s still hope for their team. HOPE week, that is. The team recently announced that the event—in which the players, coaches and front-office staff reach out each day during the week to an individual, family or organization worthy of recognition and support—would be held again this year.

HOPE week will take place this year August 16 through 20 during seven-game home stand. “HOPE Week was such an important week for our entire team during our championship run in 2009,” said Manager Joe Girardi. “It’s great that the Yankees organization will once again allow us to reach out and reward five more inspiring stories during the 2010 season. It should be another special week.” Ira Riklis wants you to know that you can be involved too. Fans who know individuals or groups in the Tri-state area dedicated to improving the lives of others can nominate them for recognition during 2010 HOPE Week. For more information about HOPE Week, fans can visit the Community tab at www.yankees.com. The deadline to submit a nomination is May 10, 2010.