It doesn’t get any better than this for a Yankees/Rangers fan

I was practically raised in Yankee Stadium, back when it looked like it does in the above picture — the 3-foot right and left field walls, the monuments in center field. From the time I was 3 until I was almost 9, my dad took me to every home Yankee game. I saw Yogi Berra in his rookie year hit a bunch of homers that barely cleared that friendly right field fence just inside the foul line. I once saw Jimmy Piersall of the Boston Red Sox, who was later diagnosed with a bipolar disorder, hide behind those centerfield monuments in the middle of a game and refuse to come out. I later learned he claimed to be having a conversation with Babe Ruth back there.

Somehow my dad got to know a bunch of the Yankees personally, although I never knew exactly how. Back in 1972, when I was working for United Press International, I covered a lot of the Rangers games when they moved here that year. Two years later, former Yankee great Billy Martin was named the Ranger’s manager. My UPI bosses in New York told me to make sure I got quotes from the new skipper. So immediately after the game — after I had filed my game story and the all-important box score — I headed to the Rangers’ clubhouse and introduced myself to Martin. “Oppel,” he said studiously, then repeated my last name in the same manner. Then he looked up at me and said “You wouldn’t happen to be any relation to Bill Oppel from New York would you?” That Oppel, of course, was my dad.

I still watch the Yankees every chance I get and I was watching them today (I guess it’s yesterday now) hoping to witness Derek Jeter get his 3,000th hit.

Some day, I hope to have a day as perfect as Derek Jeter’s day yesterday. I doubt that will ever happen but I’m also convinced hope is what keeps old codgers like me alive.

By now everyone who’s remotely interested in baseball knows how Jeter’s day went. How Jeter led off the Yankees’ half of the first with hit No. 2,999. How he came to bat in the third inning, worked pitcher David Price of Tampa Bay to a 3-2 count, fouled off two pitches and then launched a Price slider into the left field seats for hit No. 3,000. How he was mobbed by his teammates at home plate and how he was even saluted by the Rays who left their dugout, stood on the field and applauded. How he finished the day going 5-for-5, his last hit driving in the winning run in New York’s 5-4 victory.

What a performance! What a game!

During a post-game trip to Moss Park with my faithful companion (pictured right), I decided I didn’t want the baseball day to end. So I trudged out to Arlington and bought myself a cheap seat to the Rangers-Oakland game.

By now everyone who’s remotely interested in the fate of the home-town nine knows how the Rangers’ night went. How through a couple of walks, an error or two and some timely hits in the second inning, the Rangers fell behind 4-0. How they came back to tie the game at 5-5 by scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth. How Oakland moved ahead in the seventh on Coco Crisp’s solo homerun. How Oakland’s ace closer Andrew Bailey, who had not given up a homer all year, retired the first two Rangers in the top of the ninth. How Elvis Andrus, who appeared to hit a game-ending grounder to second, was safe when A’s second baseman Jemile Weeks’ slow and wide throw to first allowed Andrus to reach safely. How the very next batter, Josh Hamilton (I’m not going to comment on the week he’s had) crushed a Bailey 2-0 pitch into the upper deck in right field for a walk-off home run. How he was mobbed by his teammates at home plate much the same way Jeter was mobbed around eight hours earlier.

It wasn’t my perfect day, but these days close is good enough and this one was damn close.