If you could go back and relive one moment from Yankees' history, what would it be?
No matter what that groundhog said this morning, winter will be over soon. Well maybe not weather-wise, but spring training will be here soon, and that's enough of a reason for me to call it spring. But while it's still winter, lets re-live some more happy Yankees' moments. Yes, that sounds good.
Q: February 2nd is Groundhog Day. In the movie of the same name, Bill Murray's character gets stuck reliving the same day over and over again. If you could relive one moment in Yankees' history over again, what would it be?
Chris
Aaron Boone's walkoff in game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. If tomorrow -- and every proceeding day -- were October 16, 2003, I'd be ok with that.
Martin
I think i'd choose Aaron Boone, 2003. I'll set the scene a bit. I was at Boston College watching the game surrounded by Red Sox fans in my dorm room. They were chirping the entire game, and slowly quieted as the Yankees started coming back. When Boone came in late in the game, I turned to my buddy, Tony - the only other Yankees fan in the room - and jokingly said "Watch. Boone's gonna win this game for us." A few innings later, he did. as soon as he hit the ball, Tony and I jumped up and ran down the hallway of my 6six-man suite and into the storage closet screaming, as the sad Red Sox fans slumped in their seats and slinked sadly back to their rooms. I know the Yankees didn't win that World Series, but that memory, because of the environment I was in, was the best for me.
John
I'm going with Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. Because, like Bill Murray, I'm not going to be content to just live the same day over and over again, I'm going to find a way to make it better.
I'll figure out how to get into the Yankee clubhouse, and I'll give the team advice until I figure out how to change the outcome of the game. Maybe a different approach gets the Yankees their first hit before the 7th inning. Maybe Jorge or Spencer can drive in Bernie from second. Maybe Mo takes the sure out at first instead of trying to turn two and throwing the ball into center field, and that changes the entire inning. Maybe Brosius makes the throw across the diamond. Maybe Soriano wins the MVP and Moose gets a ring and New York City gets a parade.
Maybe I could never find the right combination of little triggers to change the outcome at all. But I'd like the chance to try.
Vince
I'm going to cheat a bit here and pick a full game rather than a single moment. It was July 1 of 2004, a few months before the second of back-to-back New York/Boston American League Championship Series (speaking of which, can we select a Yankees memory we'd most like to perform an Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind procedure on?).
As most of us remember, every meeting between the two teams was an emotionally exhaustive knock-down-drag-out fight (sometimes literally). The late Brad Halsey was taking the hill at home against Pedro in only the third start of his career, and he stunned everyone by matching Martinez pitch-for-pitch into the sixth. The moment that we all remember from the game happened in the top of the 12th, when Jeter chased down a Trot Nixon pop-up and launched himself face-first over the camera pit and into the stands, only to emerge with a battered and bloodied face.
Jeter exited the game, A-Rod took over at short, and Gary Sheffield shifted to third base because this game wasn't crazy or bizarre enough already. Manny goes yard to put Boston up one, and we went to the bottom of the thirteenth with the bottom half of the order due up. The day was saved for the Yanks, though, after a two-out rally consisting of a Ruben Sierra single, Miguel Cairo RBI double, and a John Flaherty pinch-hit walk-off single.
It only counted for one in the win column, but the contributions by the Yankees' core guys (Posada's homer, Jeter's catch, Rivera's two scoreless innings) combined with the heroics by some unexpected players made this whole game the quintessential Yankees' moment that I'd love to relive over and over.
Jim
Charlie Hayes making the last out of the 1996 World Series. It was the final stamp on the Yankees return to prominence and a harbinger of great things to come.
Nikhil
I would have to say April 21, 2012. The Yankees were down 9-0 at Fenway Park and put up 15 unanswered against the Red Sox bullpen. It was also a great day because there were major contributions from Nick Swisher and Russell Martin, two guys I'd definitely love to have as productive Yankees again. Hopefully, Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann can remember who they are and take their places like they were supposed to in 2015.
Andrew
Of any moment in Yankees history, the pennant-winning homer by Chris Chambliss in 1976. That was just a crazy scene with the fans storming the field and it'd be a lot of fun to witness it. Of the moments I actually experienced, I'll say the weak grounder hit by Shane Victorino to Robbie that ended the 2009 World Series. Simple moment, but awesome.
Greg
Probably the 1996 World Series victory. It was my first time seeing a World Series Championship, and you never forget your first time.
Tanya
The 2009 World Series Game 6 would probably be my pick, just because I was finally old enough to really appreciate how awesome winning the World Series felt and it was a lot more special than thinking it just happened all the time like I did when I was growing up watching the dynasty play out. My Tar Heels also won it all in 2009, so it capped off a fantastic sports year for me.
Matt F.
I would love to go back to Game 5 of the 2000 World Series and relive Luis Sojo's thousand hopper to give the Yankees the lead for good. For one, I think that's an underrated hit in Yankees' lore. Yes, it wasn't the prettiest and there was an error made on the throw home. But still, it was a go ahead hit to clinch the World Series against the Mets. Also, at that time, I would've been an annoying nine-year old. While I certainly know better now than to expect a World Series win every year, nine-year old me kind of did. I'm not really old enough to remember any baseball past 1996, so all I knew was success and happiness. I would love to go back and relive that hit with the outlook on baseball I have now. It was the weirdest hit by the randomest player and I want to watch it again with the happiness and excitement it deserves.
Now that you've seen our answers, add your own. What game or moment would you like to relive in all its glory?