The Bronx Is Burning...

Rarely, do I find myself intrigued at a TV series as much as I have to ESPN's The Bronx Is Burning. Yea, my one buddy got me slightly hooked on CSI and ER. But, "Burning" evokes some long-lost and sorely-missed memories.

My first memories are of watching the 1977 Yankees on TV, while vacationing with my parents and grandparents in Wildwood Crest... when I was 2 1/2.

I grew up more of a Mets and Yankees fan than a Phillies fan. I loved watching the Yankees on Channel 11 WPIX. By far, my favorite baseball broadcast team in the 80s was Bill White and Phil Rizzuto. Everytime I would stop by my grandparents' house in Wilkes-Barre, my grandfather would have baseball or the news on. He was hard of hearing, and had the front room TV cranked all the time. I've always wondered if Pop436, as I called him because he lived at 436 South Hancock Street, and my great grandmother, his mother-in-law, ever got into arguments about baseball. He loved the Yankees, she was a big Mets fan. They probably watch every game up in the great TV room in the sky... with the volume all the way up.

With Phil Rizzuto passing, it's the end of an era. I think Scooter retired after the Yankees' World Series winning season in 1996. I listened to some old clips of him on mlb.com. I felt like Iwas 10 years old again, watching the '85 Yankees... they finished one game behind Toronto for the division title that year.

I listened to those calls, and his storytelling reminded me a lot of one of my co-workers here... Herb Tamburelli... both very nice, vertically-efficient Italian boys. ;) Both good storytellers, too. Herbie's retiring from our stations next week. Good Luck, Herb.

...and thank you, Scooter. They have a canoli waiting for you up there.

Talk with you tonight at 6:00. Buckle up.
TS