(AN: I don't own either the Yankees or Blue Bloods)
Your attention please, ladies and gentlemen: This is the first time in a few years that there will be a New York Yankees-fanfic, and it ties to the hit CBS drama Blue Bloods. This is a ongoing series on how the Reagan family, even in the midst of their occupation as police officers of the New York Police Department, felt being a part of the city's long involvement with one of its best sporting franchises over the years and the huge support it enjoys among the millions who live and work there.
January 22, 2019
8pm EST
Mariano Rivera was the first ever unanimous vote to be inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. As a New York Yankee.
And Mariano's fellow teammate, pitcher Mike Mussina, was also elected as well, even as he formerly played for the Baltimore Orioles.
Commissioner Frank Reagan of the NYPD, who was at the heart of it all, and his grown-up children, could not believe these all would actually happen. That night, at an adults-only family dinner, he talked about how Mariano and Mike – and the Yankees as a whole – captured their hearts and minds. As a family of police officers who have served for generations as part of the Department, they knew what it meant for them to be a witness to some of the greatest moments in New York City's sports history, especially in baseball – owing to the fact that the metro area is the true birthplace of American organized baseball and its rules. That includes being there when the best team of the city, the New York Yankees of the American League East of the MLB, play their home games at the now 10-year old Yankee Stadium, and they were there in one way or another at the old one just south (now Heritage Field in the Maccombs Dam Park), which stood for 85 memorable seasons.
As they all were at table with the family man, Danny, Erin and Jamie, as well as Eddie and Nicky, and the grandfather, former Commissioner Henry, were all abuzz by the announcements from WFAN, the official radio station of the Bombers, that Mo and Moose – what many fans called Mariano and Mike – were now on their road to Cooperstown. So Frank asked them, "Are you very much surprised that two former Yankees pitchers whom we all met are now at the Baseball Hall of Fame?" It was the best news they and millions more Yankees fans received after what had been a tough season, the Bombers, under GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone – more famous for his 2003 ALCS walkoff homerun that punched for the team a slot in the World Series - having been defeated by their AL East rivals, the Boston Red Sox, in the ALDS the past year. By the time of the announcement, the team had just said farewell to long time coach Mel Stottlemyre who had passed away recently, sent Sonny Gray to the Reds, and while losing Shane Robinson, Andrew McCutchen and David Robertson to the Phillies and Lance Lynn to the Texas Rangers (Neil Walker is yet to be signed as a free agent), got four new faces – ex-Mariner pitcher James Paxton, former Blue Jay shortstop Troy Tulowitski, and ex-Rockie pitcher Adam Ottavino and DJ LeMahieu, and the millions of fans were now demanding online that they get either Bryce Harper and/or Manny Machado, two of the more elite free agents ready to play for another team.
Danny replied, "Yes we are all stunned. We just can't believe that Mo got 100% of the votes cast by baseball writers and living members of the Hall. For Moose.. well not much, but still they are now set to be included in a long line of Yankees forever inscribed in this hallowed grounds. So what do you remember of having met these two many times?"
He then told them in reply that while he was not yet Commissioner he would be assigned to be at Yankees home games at the old stadium during their playoff games or during holidays, wherein the crowds would gather by the thousands. His father, while being the Commissioner then, would sometime take him to the home games, wherein he would listen to the voice of the team PA announcer Bob Sheppard and the music from the organ being played by Eddie Layton. In 1998, right before the playoffs, he visited the team while in practice at the old stadium before the game. That was the first time he saw Mo pitching in the bullpen, having seen him as a relief pitcher occasionally since 1996. In occasion, he, his late wife, and Jamie would get to meet with some of the team aside from him – among them, his teammates Andy Pettite, one of the starting pitchers, Jorge Posada, the catcher, the starting shortstop Derek Jeter, latter to be appointed team captain (the former 3, together with Mo, form what fans now call the Yankees Core Four), outfielder Bernie Williams, and 1st baseman Tino Martinez. On the Moose, he was there in the 2001 postseason following 9/11, and was there during the home playoffs. During the ALCS home games, he saw Mike, thanking him and many other fellow officers for their service and for securing the city, as well as for expressing utmost support for New Yorkers following the devastating events. And of course, the old Commissioner related to them of being there on Mariano Rivera Day in 2013, the day his no.42 jersey was officially retired at the current stadium.
Then each of the children told of their experiences. Danny was at one point in the summer of 1999 present just a month after David Cone's perfect game victory when he met Mo at a home game and saw him pitch in a game that led to a team victory. Regarding the Moose, he first saw him during the one of the home games of the 2003 ALDS, and yet again in 2005. Erin told them of how Nicky got autographs from both Yankees pitchers many times when she was a kid, when she, Erin, and her now divorced husband attended the games. For Jamie, he told them of the few times he got to meet up with the two in person, and having a signed baseball from each of them.
And Henry, the granddaddy, then told them that he was there in 1996 when he first saw Mo pitch as a reliever for the Bombers, and was in that World Series of 2001 when he saw the Moose for a home game.
Frank then told them, "You know what one thing that would make us proud as a city? That we have a team that is loved and hated by millions, that this city has embraced as its best, that has more of its athletes being in the Hall of Fame, and has more championships and pennants in the majors than any other. This is our city's number 1 team – the New York Yankees. Even as our family have attended Mets games in Flushing for many years our hearts beat as one with the millions of Yankees fans, in the good times and in the bad. Our family has been there and has been a living witness of many great moments in the Bronx for decades, and as long as we live, while we in one way or another live our promises to serve and protect the millions of people who live and work here, many of them knowing of how popular baseball is to this city, we will continue to be a big part of their cherished history for years to come."