Jimmy Blain was playing on the 2 train last night. He kept bouncing a rubber ball off the facing bench and snatching it with his glove. The other riders waited for a mistake, but he was perfect from Park Place to 14th Street.
“What did you expect?” he shot. “I’m Mariano Rivera.”
Blain shifted around in the seat to show off his T-shirt. It was white with hand drawn pinstripes, an NY on the front and a 42 on the back. He tugged on his Yankees cap and explained:
“I always go to the Halloween parade as Mariano because I met him once.”
That caught people’s attention.
“You met Mariano Rivera?” someone asked.
“Yeah,” Blain answered. “Well, a bunch of us did. He was stuck in traffic after a game and we ran up to his car. He put down the window and signed stuff and talked to us and I shook his hand. I definitely shook his hand.”
“That’s not really meeting him,” someone shot. “Quit trying to trick us.”
“I did meet him,” Blain shot back.
He fired the ball off the seat.
“Of course I met him,” Blain said snatching the ball with his glove.
“I shook his hand.”
Jimmy's new in town. Jimmy likes Mo. Jimmy thinks the Yankees will win the series next year.
Todd --- glad to see you writing here.
Thanks, Evil Empire. Great sitcom line. You made me laugh.
I met Jason Giambi the day before Yankee Stadium Opening Day 2007 - it was outside the players' gate after practice. Most of the fans had already left and just about all of the players had already left too. When Jason came out we called his name - and he came over to sign a few balls - all I had with me was the 2007 Yankee pocket schedule. Jason shook my hand and signed my pocket schedule. Jason does not remember meeting me but I will never forget the afternoon when I met Jason Giambi.
Nice story, upper deck view. Thanks for sharing it. Jason Giambi is great to the fans.