PAGE 8 — THE DECREE —NOVEMBER 30,2001 John Rocker at Yankee Stadium

By DR. TERRY SMITH He had chosen this game because strike out the right-handed Scott the Braves regained the lead, 7-6. and pulling at his cap, as if he is the Atlanta Braves, the team we Brosius with a nasty curve ball. The Yankees used three pitch­ about to fly off in all directions. New York, June 9: I hadn’t both have followed, I for more Both pitchers survived the sec­ ers to get through the inning, the Everything seems out of control. been in Yankee Stadium for some than 20 years, were in town to ond inning nicely, but the third second of whom, one Almanzer, When he hit Derek Jeter on 40 years. Arriving some 90 min­ play the Yankees. We got to the was full of excitement. In the top was not familiar to the fans be­ the hip with his first pitch, the utes before game time, I had a stadium in time to see the Braves of the inning Rafael Furcal put hind us. He had faced three bat­ cries of disapproval turned to out­ chance to look around and found take batting and fielding practice on a speed show. First he dragged ters, gotten one out, walked an­ rage. It was as if Rocker had as­ the old Yankee Stadium still vis­ and to watch the grounds crew the ball perfectly toward first and other, and given up a double to saulted all of New York all over ible, the new playing field fitted prepare the field for the game. beat it out for a hit. Brian Jordan that scored the lead again. Had he done it purpose­ within the old, with bullpens and As the watering of the infield Alas, the elderly Yankee fans run. fully? Hardly, for his pitching had centerfield monuments moved. dirt went on and on, a voice be­ around me didn’t see Furcal’s This wasn’t quite enough for loaded the bases and brought Paul Our seats were in the upper hind us cried, “That’s enough with skill. Instead they argued about my favorite kind of Yankee fan. O’Neill to the plate with Bernie deck along the right field line, the water! Let’s play baseball!” which Yankee to blame. Ought “He won’t last” was the consen­ Williams on deck. Both men had and from there I could see that It’s nice to be back in New York, Mendoza have covered first more sus. “The Yanks don’t tolerate hit the ball hard all afternoon. the vision-obstructing pillars of I thought. quickly? Should Martinez or failure.” As if they were different Rocker’s first pitch to O’Neill was the past stadium had been re­ Oddly, we were asked to stand Soriano have reacted more from the rest of the world in this way off the plate. At least, I moved. Growing up near New for the National Anthem about quickly? respect. Well, they were putting thought, he didn’t hit him. I was York in the 1940s and 1950s a 20 minutes before the game be­ It seemed clear, though, that it up with manager Joe Torre — an thinking of damage control here. National League fan. I’d always gan. Instead of the Yankee start­ was Furcal’s speed and bunting unusually successful manager Maybe if the Braves could get hated the Yankees and their fans ers taking the field and facing the ability, not a Yankee mistake, that who on this day was being con­ another pitcher warmed up for their arrogance. flag at attention, the few players made the play. Furcal’s speed on spicuously outmanaged by At­ quickly ...But there was no one in The collapse of the Yankee who were on the field turned and the bases later in the inning forced lanta manager Bobby Cox. the Braves’ bullpen. Then Rocker dynasty in the sixties and seven­ attended. It was as if we had to a throwing error from David Jus­ As an example, Torre had used threw two m ore pitches to ties had washed away much of get this business over with before tice as he scored the first of three left-hander Mike Stanton to fin­ O ’Neill, and both missed the that arrogance, and my hatred too, the television cameras were runs in the inning. The Braves ish the seventh inning, and Cox plate. The level of noise, if pos­ but the great Yankee teams of the turned on. The game did begin led 5-1. had three right-handed power hit­ sible, increased, and a derisive past few years had brought a great promptly at 1:25, presumably at But that lead lasted little more ters (only one of the three had note entered. New York seemed deal of that arrogance back, par­ the insistence of Fox Network, than an inning. The Yankees started the game) at the bottom of about to slay the great ogre from ticularly among Yankee fans of who were televising it. struck back, first finishing Smoltz the Braves’ batting order to face the outlands. my own age. As far as my own It was quickly apparent that in the third, then against relief him in the top of the eighth. One, Rocker’s fourth pitch to Yankee-hatred goes, it seems to the game would not be a pitch­ pitcher Jason Marquis in the have disappeared. I still like to Wes Helms, hit a home ran over O’Neill was deemed a strike by ers’ battle. In the first inning, fourth. They got three back in the the center field fence. And so the see them lose, but I don’t see any the umpire; O’Neill had declined Ramiro Mendoza, the large Yan­ third, as Smoltz was again able to Braves led 8-6 going into the last sense in hating folks like Joe to offer. Then O’Neill swung and kee right-hander, retired the retire only one of the five left- of the eighth. Torre and Don Zimmer. switch-hitting Quilvio Veras and missed two more fastballs, and handed hitters. The centerpiece In this last of the eighth the the inning was suddenly over. My son Harry had the tickets right-handed hitters Andrew of the attack was a majestic two- defining moments of the game from the company he works for. Jones and Brian Jordan. Rocker walked unconcemed to run home run by Jorge Posada occurred. Left-hander Mike the Braves’ dugout. In the same inning, two left- that landed in the black seats in Remlinger had retired three Yan­ The crowd grew very quiet Drinking policy handed hitters came to bat. Rafael dead center field, the longest of kees in order in the seventh, and very quickly. In the silence, I Furcal singled. Chipper Jones six homeruns hit during the game. if he got through the eighth in­ heard a single voice: “Well, I’ll affects athletes homered into the Yankee bullpen Marquis was treated rudely by tact, John Rocker, already warm­ say this: that Rocka’s got balls!” in center field. It was just the be­ Bemie Williams in the fourth. (Continued from Front Page) ing up in the Braves’ bullpen, Fans began to leave. The game ginning of many lefty-righty du­ With one man on, his line drive age are not to be caught drinking would come in during the ninth was, in effect, over. els that would ensue during the just cleared the fence in left field. within 48 hours of practice or to attempt to close out the game. In the ninth, Chipper Jones afternoon. The Yanks led, 6-5. competition. Remlinger, however, did get ended his afternoon as he had be­ Braves’ right-hander John As Marquis entered the game “It’s college!” she said. into a bit of trouble. He retired gun it, with a home run into the Smoltz proved even less steady in relief of Smoltz, I heard for the This athlete also believes that two men, then walked a batter, Yankee bullpen. Having enacted than Mendoza in the last of the first time the name of the player not everyone will stick to these and then Soriano singled sharply the role of fireman in the eighth, first, but he escaped with less who would be the principal actor rules, and it may cause problems to right. That brought Derek Jeter Rocker closed out the Yankees damage, thanks to some clever in the afternoon’s drama: “I won­ within the teams if some people to the plate, manager Cox to the quietly in the ninth, final score managing by Bobby Cox. der if they’ll use Rocka?” are caught and others are not, or mound, and John Rocker in from 10- 6. Yankees’ manager Joe Torre John Rocker, of course, had if one team member “rats out” the bullpen. As the game ended, perhaps had five left-handed hitters in his caused great consternation by de­ another. However, she also said John Rocker is a large man. 20,000 fans remained in the lineup (two were switch-hitters). nouncing New Yorkers, gay folk, that if people are willing to give My Who’s Who in Baseball lists stands. We waited awhile before Torre’s batted second through recent immigrants and others in a up their bad habits, that shows him as six-feet-four and 210 leaving, but still left in the com­ sixth in this order: Paul O’Neill, 1999 Sports Illustrated article and that they are dedicated to the team. pounds. He looks much larger pany of large numbers of people. Bemie Williams, Tino Martinez, had been afforded police protec­ Whether or not student athletes than that. Rocker doesn’t walk in Somewhere near us, a youthful Jorge Posada, and David Justice. tion when he appeared in New like these rules, or plan to follow from the bullpen, nor does he run. voice could be heard: “If only Smoltz got only one of these five York to face the Mets in 2000. them, it is clear that the NCWC He charges toward the mound, Paulie could have connected with out in the bottom of the first, yet But Yankee fans hadn’t yet had Athletic Department is making a arms pumping. one of those pitches...” I imag­ the Yanks scored only one run. the opportunity to welcome him firm statement on underage drink­ On this afternoon, most of the After Derek Jeter was retired, to the city. ined the ball would still be travel­ ing. It only makes sense that Col­ crowd of 55,107 bodies rose to ing, and O’Neill was certainly O’Neill doubled and scored on My own thought was that lege rules related to underage welcome him with a roar. Loud capable. But instead it was a great Martinez’s ground out. That made Rocker and New York might just drinking be carried out through noises of disapproval poured day to be a Braves fan, a great it two out and two on with David deserve each other. If Rocker had the Athletic Department, since down on him, interspersed with day in a long season. Justice at bat. become a national symbol of athletes make up such a large part cries of “You suck, Rocka!” and It turned out that John At this point Manager Cox boorish provincialism, there was of the student body on campus. “Redneck!” While Rocker emerged from the Braves’ dug- a certain kind of New Yorker__ Rocker s season with the Braves Essentially, these new rules are warmed up, the noise continued would be a short one. On June 22 out. Cox walks well for a man and Yankee fan — who was not preventing a lot of students from to increase. with no knees, something like a far behind. he was traded to the Cleveland drinking. College students still The word “nervous” does not Indians. Braves teammates, learn­ disabled crab. The conference was After Bemie Williams’ home have a lot of decisions to make, adequately describe Rocker’s brief, the walk excruciating. run, the various relief pitchers ing that he had been traded, ex­ only now, alcohol won’t be one Smoltz proceeded to walk the left­ motions as he prepares to pitch. pressed relief. of them. took control of the game until the He appears to twitch uncontrolla­ hander Justice intentionally and top of the seventh inning, when (Dr. Smith is American Stud­ bly. raising his glove to his face ies Professor Emeritus.)