Oh for the good old days. I couldn’t believe what I saw happening at Yankee Stadium Monday night. It seemed like the meteorologists were running the show, not officials from the Commissioners office. The game was between our Yankees and the Cleveland Indians, no wait the Cleveland Guardians is what they are called now.
Back in the good old black and white television days, how many times did we see baseball games played in the rain, player uniforms covered with mud. They played until the weather got so bad that for everyone’s safety they had to stop the game. Now, a drop of rain or the threat of rain and everyone is in a panic. Tuesday night there were ‘meetings’ going on between I don’t know who to discuss what they were going to do.
Isn’t it the job of the Commissioners Office, American And National League officials and the umpires to determine how to proceed. How did all of these other folks get involved? And the press never told us who was in the meetings!
Let’s face it. If the weather calls for rain from 7:30-8:00p.m. with a half hour break and more rain from 8:30-10:00pm you don’t have to be Al Roker to realize you are not getting a game that starts in the 6:00 p.m. hour in. Though the season is too long as it is and we had to deal with a baseball strike this year despite the enormous salaries the players get they built in too many days off during the various playoffs and no back up plan in place if and when a weather cancellation required rescheduling games. And don’t forget with this cocky playoff system we have, a day game could finish late with the team that wins if it’s an east coast team having to travel far to the west coast at the end of the game to play the next game.
But wait a minute, aren’t the games played for the fans, or did we forget them in the equation. The fans have to get to the stadium from all parts of the region and sit either in the stands or under cover where the concessions are waiting for the game to begin. Don’t we have any sympathy for the fans?
To get to the stadium the fans either had to use gas in their cars and pay ridiculous George Washington Bridge (at $16 a clip) tolls, parking which could be $45, pack food they are going to bring with them, find a rain slicker from the last time this craziness happened, pay for a baby sitter etc. etc. etc. Or they can eat the overpriced food from the concession stands and drink overpriced drinks and beer with overpriced peanuts and crackers jacks (do they still come with a prize?)
Let’s not forget the schlep those who come by public transit must take. Buses, trains, patience and schedules that might not get them home until very late, soaking wet of course. Sure there are good spirits and camaraderie on the train going to the stadium, but going home after not seeing a baseball game?
They are liable to kill each other.
The tolls, the parking fees, the over priced Cracker Jacks. Fans get no money back for that. If their schedule permits and they go to the game when it is rescheduled, they have all these expenses to go through again.
Let’s not forget the overpriced tickets which if they can’t use they have to quickly put up for sale with Stubmaster or Ticketmaster or if they are close go down to the stadium and sell illegally to other fans. There are so many phony tickets out there you are taking a chance that the tickets you are buying are good. Since many peopleare working at 4:00 p.m. chances are the ticket seller will have offer a discount to the buyer, adding more cost to what should be a pleasant relaxing experience.
No matter where the ball goes, you are talking about a problem that Major League Baseball could have solved for itself. They knew the rain was going to pass during game time. Cancel the game early in the day so people don’t start traveling. That’s what they would have done if they cared about the fan.
But why do I feel if Yogi, Mickey, the Babe, DiMaggio and the old timers were playing they would have gotten the game in. This column is filed earlier than when the Guardians (that’s what they call Cleveland now) and the Yankees will finish the American League Division Series, so all I can say is ‘Let’s Go Yankees!’
Rats and Garbage
It’s disgusting when you come home at 6 p.m. and you see bags of garbage on the street. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has come up with a solution. Businesses and residential properties can only put their garbage out after 8 p.m. This way, you don’t have to see it early in the day. Let’s face it, laws allow garbage to be put out at sunset. This makes it very visible. 8:00 p.m.? Not so visible. In NYC the only way you can put garbage out earlier than sunset is if your garbage is in a closed container or garbage can. What happened to garbage cans? At least things looked neater!
Heat Time is Here
If the temperature goes below 55 degrees your landlord if you live in a rent stabilized building must provide heat and hot water. If they don’t call the City of Yonkers Housing and Building office and file a complaint through the Mayor’s Help Line at 914-377-HELP. When your landlord gets a call from the city, they don’t like it and will fix the problem. Yonkers has always had an excellent Housing and Buildings Department that follows up on heat call. You deserve to be comfortable, and the landlord has to follow the law!
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericyonkers. Listen to Eric Schoen on the Westchester Rising Radio Show alternating Thursday’s from 10-11 a.m. On WVOX 1460 AM, WVOX.com click listen or download the WVOX app from the App Store free of charge.
