R.I.P. Yogi Berra.

Perhaps the most beloved baseball player of all time, Lawrence Peter (“Yogi”) Berra, passed away on September 22, 2015, at the age of 90. 

Among Yogi Berra’s achievements as a player and later manager were:

Ten-Time World Series Champion with the New York Yankees.

Played in more World Series games than any other player in the history of major League Baseball.

Three-Time American League MVP. 
 
Eighteen-Time All Star. 
 
Considered to be one of the all-time greatest catchers ever to play the game. 
 
As a manager, led both the New York Yankees and the New York Mets to a world series. 

Before baseball, he even served aboard an attack transport during the WW II D-Day invasion of France!  

Beyond all that, Yogi Berra was a PERSONALITY loved by all.  His ever-quotable “Yogi-isms” have become a part of our language and culture:

“When you come to a fork in the road… take it!”

“It’s déjà vu all over again!”

“Nobody goes to that place anymore, it’s too crowded!”

“It gets late early out here!”

And, the most famous one of all:

“It ain’t over ‘till it’s over!” 

And, as if even all that wasn’t enough to make Yogi Berra a forever-favorite consider this…

Without Yogi Berra, what would THIS CHARACTER have been called? 

Somehow, an otherworldly-alternate like (oh, say) “Bertram Bear” doesn’t have that same special ring…

“It would really hurt, if I were named Bert!”  

Rest in Peace, Yogi Berra... and thank you for all the many and diverse things you've given us!

Is “Core Four”, as Applied to Disney Comic Books, Now in General Use?

Yes, I know this is from LOST IN SPACE, but the post is not.

For years, at least since the days they were published by Boom! Studios, I’ve referred to the “cornerstone” Disney comic book titles as the “Core Four”. 

That would be WALT DISNEY’S COMICS AND STORIES, MICKEY MOUSE, DONALD DUCK, and UNCLE SCROOGE, as those four titles were the “constants”, regardless of era and publisher.    

Today, randomly, while looking for additional items on the upcoming IDW Disney comic book launch, I ran across THIS.  

Page down, and you will see the term “Core Four” in what appears to be a commonly accepted use.  Naturally, it amazed me, because I simply coined it as a sort of referential shorthand that I used in e-mails and other private communications since those final months of Boom! to designate those titles. 

Ah, those great final months of Boom! 

Imagine my additional susprise, when I decided to GOOGLE “Core Four Disney Comics” (TRY IT BY CLICKING HERE) and saw how many times this descriptive phrase is now in use. 

Methinks I may have started something. 

Now, comes IDW - and I can't wait!

For the record, HERE is what appears to be the first time I used it in a Blog Post, to define the particular quartet of Disney Comic Books. 

And, to give credit where it is REALLY DUE, I must confess that I borrowed the phrase from the New York Yankees, who employ the term when referring to the four Yankees that have been together for their five modern championships.  HERE’S where I first used it on this Blog, in a Yankees context. 

Left to Right: Andy Pettitte, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada.

Earlier today, I sent out a series of e-mails to personal friends, telling them about this.  But now, I’ve decided it’s Post-worthy.  So, apologies to those who’ve already heard from me on this.   Feel free to leave similar comments to those you’ve returned to me, so that all might enjoy your observations.   

How about the way some things take off, eh?   

Derek the Halls!

I don't know about you but, whenever I think of the holidays,  I always think of Derek Jeter!

His timely hits, great defensive play, and festive clubhouse leadership just scream "Merry Christmas to One and All"!  

Sleigh-bells, caroling, and The Captain!  That's the spirit! 

And, in that very spirit, the YES Network (the television home of the New York Yankees) has seen fit to promote (wait for it...) A Christmas Day Derek Jeter Marathon for December 25, 2014!  

You've done the "Twelve Days of Christmas", now try "Twelve Hours of The Captain"!  

The details are below: 

12:00 PM	Derek Jeter: Salute 2 The Captain	Derek Jeter special
2:00 PM	Jeter's 3,000th hit: Tampa Bay @ Yankees 7/9/11	Yankees Classics
5:00 PM	Yankees Access: Derek Jeter	New York Yankees behind-the-scenes series
5:30 PM	Derek Jeter's Final Home Game (9/25/14)	Yankees Classics
9:30 PM	Moments of Glory: Derek Jeter	No description available at this time
10:00 PM	Derek Jeter: Salute 2 The Captain	Derek Jeter special

All times listed are Eastern Time (ET.)

I know there are plenty of Holiday TV Marathons out there to choose from but, oddly, this particularly unusual one seems compelling enough to drop in on, even if for only a short time - and the notion of seeing baseball on Christmas Day!

All I can say to Derek Jeter and the YES Network is... Merry Christmas... and, er... "Bravo"!  

"Oh, Mama!  If I could only be like Derek Jeter!"  

Happy Retirement to Derek Jeter!

On September 25, 2014, New York Yankees shortstop, and future Hall of Famer, Derek Jeter played his last home game at Yankee Stadium. 

In keeping with his amazing career of clutch and memorable performances, the Yankees had blown a three-run lead to the Baltimore Orioles in the top of the ninth inning. 

All Derek Jeter did, in his final at-bat at Yankee Stadium was to hit a walk-off, trademark sharp single to right field, to drive in the winning run and win the game!  

If this were a Hollywood movie, no one would believe it.  But, having had the pleasure of witnessing Derek Jeter’s entire career, not only could I believe it – but I even predicted it when he came up to bat! 

Thank you, Derek Jeter, for more great baseball moments than I could ever have imagined!  

R.I.P. Don Zimmer.

Noted Major League Baseball figure Don Zimmer passed away on June 04, 2014, at the age of 83. 

Zimmer was a player for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and for other teams including the New York Mets, manager of the Boston Red Sox, and bench coach for the New York Yankees during their run of four championships in five seasons... and that's hardly all, folks! 

 

Oh, yes... and, during his Yankee stint,  a memorable confrontation with Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez.  We all gasped and held our breath at the sight of that!  Thankfully, he was okay!

 

 

Don Zimmer was beloved by baseball fans everywhere, and for more reasons than I can count! 

 

He will be missed. 

Foe One Day - Friend the Next!

Okay, so it's not quite as shocking an alliance as this!

Or, this!

Or, especially THIS! 

But, former Boston Red Sox star Kevin Youkilis has just joined the New York Yankees! 

A fine player who I've certainly booed over the years, I look forward to cheering him on in 2013! 

Former foe "Youk" and his new teammate Derek Jeter! 

Talkin’ Yankees with SpongeBob!

Sob!  Boo-Hoo!  Wail!

 

Hey, SpongeBob… Why are you crying?

 

 

Sniff! Sniff!   The Yankees FORGOT HOW TO HIT, and just LOST FOUR straight games to the Detroit Tigers -- ENDING their season!  Sob!

 

Aw, don’t worry, Yellow-Guy…  A-ROD and the gang will BE BACK next year to try again. 

 THAT’S WHY I’M CRYIN’!  WAAAAAAAH! 

 

…And that’s about all I’m gonna say about that! 

 

...Except maybe he WON'T be back?

Does a Day Get Better Than This?!

Congratulations to the New York Yankees – winners of the American League Divisional Series over the amazing Baltimore Orioles! 

The Yankees won the fifth and final game of the ALDS 3-1…

…And I got to see most of that win from a seat in a Manhattan Mexican restaurant, surrounded by a group of great friends – all of whom had just completed a fun-filled day with me at the New York Comic Con! 

Then I return home to celebrate the Yankees win once again with my darling Esther!   

No, this day could not have been better! 

Hint of posts to come:  Beep-Beep!     

Road Runner and Wile E. drink to the Yankees' success -- and to New York Comic Con!

Congratulations to the 2012 American League East Champion New York Yankees!

At TIAH Blog, we offer our most enthusiastic congratulations to the 2012 American League East Champion New York Yankees! 

They once had a 10 game lead.  Lost it, but never sank below a tie for first with the amazingly persistent Baltimore Orioles! 

HERE'S what the picture looked like at the mid-point of the season!

But, in the end, they finished with the best record in the American League -- and wind up atop the American League Eastern Division... on the last day of the season! 

Aided, I might add, by playing to a record of 14-4, from September 15 thru today, October 3rd! 

That was the best record in Major League Baseball over that span! 

What a thrill ride it's been! 

Now, on to the playoffs! 

You “Met” Your Life! …Or, “The Day We Met Met Life Stadium!”

The last time Esther and I went to a New York Jets football game, they played in a facility with the curious name of “Giants Stadium”. 

As best my research could determine, the stadium appears to have been named after the outsized antagonists of this classic Irwin Allen Sci-Fi TV series…

…OR, it could have been named after the reigning Super Bowl Champions!  Who can ever really tell for sure? 

Nevertheless, yesterday (September 09, 2012), the New York Jets beat the Buffalo Bills 48–28, on our first trip to the new football facility called “Met Life Stadium”!  …Possibly and incongruously named for Baseball’s New York Mets in some arcane connection with the classic Milton Bradley board game?    



...OR, maybe some big insurance company!  Again, can one ever really be certain?  

"MetLi" Stadium?  Where's the rest?

Scoring 48 points, quarterback Mark Sanchez and the Jets offense piled it on… and so did the Sun! 

Our seats, in the third level between the 40 and 50 yard lines, were in direct exposure to the Sun for the entire game.  There was nary a cloud in the sky to block the searing and penetrating rays.  (Why even Wayne Hunter could have offered better protection than did Mother Nature!  …Private Joke for Jets fans, sorry!)  When an occasional cloud DID appear, it was greeted with as many cheers as were Mark Sanchez and Darrelle Revis! 

Yay, Sanchez!  Yay, Revis!  YAAYY, CLOUDS! 

To make matters worse, a woman in an adjoining seat gave off a noticeable level of body odor – and, being the chivalrous husband that I am, I selflessly switched seats with Esther, providing her with as much cover and distance from the olfactory onslaught as could be.   

Was I watching “Le New Yorque Jettes” or sumpthin’? 

Former Jets and New England Patriots great Curtis Martin was honored by the Jets at halftime, on the occasion of his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Jets legend Joe Namath was a featured speaker – and only now has it dawned on me that I was actually in a stadium at a moment in which Namath was on the field!  …Wow! 

 Jets head coach Rex Ryan has lost so much weight in the off season that he was difficult to spot on the sidelines.  …If not for the fact that he still wears his trademark dark green sweater vest – even in the face of the unyielding sun (…albeit in a smaller size!) 

Highly touted Tim Tebow was a non-factor in the Jets’ offense this game.  With such a big lead built up by Sanchez and his runners and receivers, perhaps Coach Ryan is keeping Tebow’s wildcat a secret for another week!  Look out, Pittsburgh Steelers! 

The new Met Life Stadium is beautiful.  Indeed with this shrine for the Jets and Giants, the new Yankee Stadium, and the new Citi Field for the Mets – not to mention the soon-to-open Barclay’s Center for the Brooklyn Nets – we sports fans in New York are fortunate indeed! 

Finally, if you live on the New York side of the Hudson River and ever wish to travel to Met Life Stadium, (in East Rutherford, NJ) TAKE THE TRAIN! 

NJ Transit offers service from Penn Station (connecting shuttle from Secaucus Junction) that PULLS RIGHT UP TO THE STADIUM!  (Yes, as you see above, it's really THAT CLOSE! Click the Pic to Enlarge!) It is comfortable and easy to use.  I truly hated the ordeal of driving to the old Giants Stadium – and maybe went to fewer games than I wanted to because of that.  Now, with this great convenience, we’ll likely go more often. 

Indeed, the only unfortunate consequence of the day’s events (once I was again able to take-in a deep breath of clean fresh air) is the noticeable sunburn that continues to remind me that it’s there.  But, to see the Jets score 48 points, it was WOTRH IT! 

J-E-T-S!  …JETS! …JETS!  …JETS!