APRIL
8, 2004 --
The Yankees opened
at home on April 8, playing the Chicago White Sox. LPR was denied
media credentials for this event. (UConn had graciously given LPR
media credentials, the day before on no advance notice, for the
UConn women's NCAA basketball championship rally). Although LPR
was barred from taking pictures inside Yankee Stadium, it did take
photos outside the ballpark.
First, LPR had
to find a parking space, getting one on Gerard Avenue, just above
165th Street. Walking back to 161st Street, LPR spotted a cookout
at a parking lot at 164th Street, and learned that five buses brought
Yankee fans from Scranton, Pennsylvania. They gave LPR a far friendlier
greeting than did the Yankee media office.
LPR also got
a friendly greeting from Skitch Henderson who confided that he
is really a National League fan, having rooted for the old New
York Giants. (LPR doesn't want to get Maestro Henderson in trouble
with George Steinbrenner-- who has conducted Henderson concerts,
LPR was also informed -- by mentioning any particular National
League team, here Mr. Henderson did compliment Steinbrenner on
his musicianship.
Another friendly
greeting was extended LPR by Dr. Henry A. Kissinger who had been
named the original chair of the 9-11 Commission that had taken
testimony from National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice this
opening day morning. Dr. Kissinger soon stepped aside and Tom Kean,
former
GOP New Jersey Governor was named chairman, to tolerate, apparently,
applause during Dr. Rice's questioning by Richard Ben-Veniste,
the partisan Democrat whose name lacks only an "r" to
rhyme with sinister. Mr. Ben-Veniste was wont to ask Dr. Rice time-consuming
questions and then to berate her for not replying curtly, thereby
to allow him additional, and presumably equally time-consuming,
questions. Apparently Mr. Kean did not see himself as referee,
else a whistle would have been called on Ben-Veniste for obnoxious
inquiry. Toleration of applause for Ben-Veniste's questioning suggested,
of course, that Kean, in the manner of a very moderate major Republican,
sought the approval of the Democratic zealots on the panel. LPR
asked Dr. Kissinger if he would comment on the panel. He indicated
no by nod of his head, and walked to the ballpark and baseball
game. (Both Dr. Kissinger and A-Rod -- playing his first Yankee
Stadium game as a Yankee-- grew up across the Harlem River from
the Stadium, in Washington Heights.)
And, another
friendly greeting outside Yankee Stadium to LPR by means of a Dan
Rather thumbs up.
One more friendly
greeting was given LPR by the tenor scheduled to perform the National
Anthem before the game, which was also preceded by a tremendous
roar, causing us, outside the stadium, to look up and see four
jets, flying west in formation.
It was not exactly
a friendly greeting that LPR was given by Martha Stewart as she
took her ticket to the game out of her handbag, but finally, LPR
has joined the New York corps of photographers who, in recent months,
has taken this household name's picture. (Let it be noted, however,
that this photo was taken in The Bronx, not in south Manhattan.)
And what tells
the difference between a current mayor and a former mayor than
the number of microphones surrounding him as he goes to a Yankee
game. (The hand visible in the photo of the former mayor Guiliani
belongs to Glenn Schuck of WINS and also Metro Networks. Newsman
Schuck, coincidentally, is standing behind Mayor Bloomberg and
to the Mayor's left.)
LPR did get a
photo of George Steinbrenner, but has just adopted a policy of
not posting a photo of anyone whose media office keeps LPR on the
outside -- where, however, photo ops do happen.
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New
York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
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