WORLD CHAMPIONS

THE NEW YORK YANKEES!!!!!! #27.

My mother and I were both baseball freaks, in particular the Yankees, and she's buried with her Yankees jacket covering her. Even when the Yankees weren't playing in the postseason, we would pick a team and watch and call each other. I remember a time when she would listen to games on the radio, and times when she would try to pick up a New York station in a rural Ohio area, ear close to the radio, station full of static, just to get the score of regular season games. When a player, the manager or even the owner would do something that really displeased her, she would write what we called (behind her back) "jackass letters," sometimes even getting a reply. When the Yankees lost, you had to tiptoe around her, and she looked like a storm cloud. I am her daughter. Baseball was ours.

This year, Mr. Steinbrenner, "The Boss," can't be there because of his health. That makes me sad, but I know he was watching at home and is so proud. This one really is for you.

Tomorrow I'll go to her grave and put something special on it. Tonight I'll just have to watch the postgame festivities and wish she were here.