Say Hey: Mays still a hit in New York

The students got more than they bargained for. Over the years, Mays has developed a reputation for being difficult, but on this day, he was anything but. He was accommodating and truly seemed to enjoy being back in Harlem and sharing himself with the public school students.

Mays brought gifts for the school’s best students — 12 baseballs and three replica 1951 Giants jerseys. The balls were handed out one by one by Harold Reynolds, the former major leaguer who serves as an analyst for the MLB Network. But when it was the turn of the final student, sixth-grader Kendrick Taveras, Mays realized they were one ball short. Rather than leave Kendrick empty-handed, Mays pulled out his wallet.

NYTimes story here

http://chargerdynasty.blogspot.com/ " If you have some spare money hanging around, it would be worth your time to place some bets based on my Chargers 38 Bengals 7 prediction"

by strummer on Jan 22, 2011 2:27 AM PST reply actions

nice write-up in the Daily News too

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2011/01/22/2011-01-22_a_giant_at_home.html

Some photos here:

http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/01/21/5893045-willie-mays-visits-public-school-near-the-original-home-of-the-new-york-giants

http://chargerdynasty.blogspot.com/ " If you have some spare money hanging around, it would be worth your time to place some bets based on my Chargers 38 Bengals 7 prediction"

by strummer on Jan 22, 2011 2:49 AM PST reply actions

I disguised myself as a kid and tried to get in, but not too many public school kids have white hair so even telling them that Eli Whiteside is my dad, didn’t work. Great story though, and nice of the local teams to chip in for the renovation, as well as the Giants. I’ll be at the Hilton later today to get a look at the trophy, I’m really looking forward to that. I watched “The Magic Inside” and lots of you tube celebratory videos to get on the mood!

Buster Posey: Let's enjoy him before he goes to the Yankees because he wants to win the World Series. Wait, what???

by rxmeister on Jan 22, 2011 4:23 AM PST via mobile reply actions

Finnertys seems to be the only place where you can get a picture with the trophy without also advertising VISA.

someone with more free time than sense.

Itaque, in anno MMX Gigantes San Francisconis Seriem Mundi vicerunt.

Ryan Rohlinger: world champion.

by shanghaijim on Jan 22, 2011 3:42 PM PST reply actions

Think about it. In today’s frame, that would be as if a player like Derek Jeter lived around the corner from Yankee Stadium and palled around with the neighborhood youngsters in his free time.

Indeed.

May 29, 2010: Steven Revetria becomes Giants General Manager. The rest is history.

"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased

The Yankees do not want Aaron Rowand.

by natteringnabob on Jan 22, 2011 5:26 PM PST reply actions

Another NYT story

Most of these fans were young, transplanted from Northern California, and knew little of the Giants’ roots in New York, or of people like Bellefond and McCabe. But they all shared a love — whether fresh and new or enduring over decades, miles and heartbreak — of a baseball team that still wears orange and black.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/23/sports/baseball/23giants.html?ref=baseball

They have done an extensive job covering this

http://chargerdynasty.blogspot.com/ " If you have some spare money hanging around, it would be worth your time to place some bets based on my Chargers 38 Bengals 7 prediction"

by strummer on Jan 23, 2011 1:38 AM PST reply actions

I was at the Hilton yesterday, and it was nice to see all those Giants fans here in NY. It was a nice mix of transplanted Bay Area fans and old New York Giants fans. Neukom left while I was still on line, but everyone applauded him, and he applauded us in return and thanked us for coming. Sabean stayed, shook everyone’s hand, but went into another room to sit down about five minutes before I was to get to him. He must have known I was from McCovey and was going to ask him about the AJ trade and why he insulted the World Series MVP with that lousy offer. Some Mets fan took a picture with the trophy, and responded to the good natured light booing with a Bobby Jones comment. We all laughed (which we can do now) and said how that was ancient history. Fun time though. Glad I went.

Buster Posey: Let's enjoy him before he goes to the Yankees because he wants to win the World Series. Wait, what???

by rxmeister on Jan 23, 2011 7:45 AM PST via mobile reply actions

Thanks for the eyewitness report. So, what would be your estimate of how many people showed up, and how long did you have to wait in line?

BTW, any truth to the rumor that Hank Steinbrenner was there trying to woo Sabes back to NY to take over for Cashman at the end of this season when both their contracts expire?

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 23, 2011 1:58 PM PST up reply actions

I don’t know how many people were there before and after me, but I would guess there were probably about a thousand fans. It sure was weird to see so many Giants jerseys and jackets in New York, that’s for sure. Almost everybody had 2010 World Champion stuff on too, so the Giants must have made a fortune on merchandise since they won the series.
As for your rumor, good luck to Sabean if he ever worked for the Steinbrenners in the pressure cooker of NY. He’s way too thin skinned for the NY media.

Buster Posey: Let's enjoy him before he goes to the Yankees because he wants to win the World Series. Wait, what???

by rxmeister on Jan 23, 2011 3:05 PM PST via mobile up reply actions