Fans have been through it all with the New York Yankees, but some make the game far more memorable than others.
It’s certainly fun to watch the New York Yankees crank home runs, win games in dramatic fashion and witness amazing plays on the field. What’s more fun, is watching the fans.Fans are the biggest part of the game. Without the fans, the players would have no reason to play.
They live and breathe the sport, sometimes more than the players themselves. They experience every emotion, every play, as thought they were the ones on the field.
Fans are something special and, quite possibly, the most important part of the game. No matter what team they cheer for, the sport binds them all together, from all walks of life.
Here are the greatest fan moments we’ve experienced in watching the New York Yankees. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll pray for baseball season to come faster so you can be these fans too.
Honorable Mention: For the Love of the Game
We’ve all been this kid. We’ve all brought in baseball gloves to games in anticipation of catching a foul ball. This kid represents all the joy we’ve ever felt about being a fan at a game.
Stealing the foul ball straight from the clutches of an older man, this young kid catches the ball and immediately is surrounded by fans celebrating alongside him.
The pure elation on his face is enough to remind us all why we once became fans.
Thanks for reminding us all that fandom and the baseball community is a beautiful thing.
10. Error After Error After Error
Sometimes the reason we are fans is because we couldn’t be the players. Well, this guy certainly doesn’t have the chops to make it to the big leagues with this performance.
The poor guy was trying to impress his girl, yet missed a foul ball. Three. times. Yes, a Yankees-Red Sox game can last a long time so he’s probably tired. But three times? Come on, man.
It may have been embarrassing for him, but it is constantly hilarious to watch after the fact.
9. Don’t Sleep On Your Team
Again, a Yankees-Red Sox match-up has the potential to last for hours. But falling asleep in a close game? That’s a no-no and you WILL get laughed at for it.
The announcers sure had a field day with this guy, as he took a steady snooze in the fourth inning of the game.
Hopefully, he woke up, as the Yankees ended up pulling out a 3-2 victory against their division rivals.
8. Let The Girl Play!
Little kids are always entertaining to watch, especially when they don’t really understand what’s going on. This girl… doesn’t understand. But all she knows is she’s having fun.
See the ball, throw the ball. And that’s what she did…except it just so happened to be foul ball off the bat of the legend Derek Jeter.
Dad was so ecstatic and taking pictures, but all his daughter wanted to do was throw the ball. The aftermath probably makes the video that much more hilarious.
Lesson to parents: if you bring your kids to the game, do NOT give them a special foul ball. Or do, but you might just lose it.
7. Ichiro Suzuki Has The Magic Touch
So it may be a Seattle Mariners fan, but because Ichiro was once a Yankee and the game was against the Yankees, it makes the list.
Also, it’s hilarious.
Ichiro chases down a foul ball and runs out of room, accidentally running into the stands and a fortunate fan. As soon as Ichiro reaches out to apologize, the hilarity begins.
Her reaction is priceless and lasts for a while. I’m surprised she didn’t pass out. But who am I to judge, since I guarantee any girl who gets run into by a famous baseball player would react the same way.
Her friend, on the other hand? Not that impressed.
6. Jeffrey Maier
We all know Jeffrey Maier. We all remember that fateful October evening in the Bronx where Derek Jeter lifted the Yankees to a victory over the division rival Baltimore Orioles.
Oops, did I say Jeter? I meant Maier. But for years, he was deemed a hero, just a kid who was going after a ball.
This moment is so memorable in Yankees history that it would be a crime to not include it. Maier changed the course of history, so, of course, this had to be recognized as a top fan moment for the New York Yankees.
5. GARY IS SCARY, BEER IS GOOD
This guy is…something else.
But this guy is the representative all of us crazy Yankee fans, who constantly cry and scream at the television when things don’t go our way.
Gary Sanchez came up to the major leagues last season with a bang. This was one of his many moonshots that occurred last season, caught by this character.
After catching the ball, he didn’t just cheer. He didn’t just high-five his buddies. No, he doused himself with a $10 Yankee Stadium beer.
Crazy celebration? Yes. But entertaining? Oh absolutely.
4. Donnie Baseball Gets Hungry Too
Fans are fun, but interactions between fans and players tend to be extremely entertaining. This was proven when Don Mattingly decided to help himself to a little snack during a Yankees game back in 1992.
After chasing down a foul ball down the right field line, Mattingly soon realized the ball was far out of his reach.
As the crowd, including a tiny child, looked towards the ball, Donnie Baseball saw his opportunity and took a handful of popcorn from the boy.
The boy doesn’t even question the slick move but sits in awe of Mattingly eating his popcorn. I don’t blame you at all, kid. Not at all.
3. The Proposal Fail
Just last season, we watched the saga of the dropped ring.
There was anticipation. There were nerves. There was a fumble. There was panic, chaos. Then, there was a happy ending.
With so many proposals going right at stadiums, it was only a matter of time before one went wrong. And when it did, we all felt for the couple. After the fact, we can all laugh.
As I’ve said before, it’s a good thing at least someone got a ring last year at Yankee Stadium.
2. Pork Chop Chomp:
This is the most memorable fan encounter for me. And that is because it is downright awkward, hilarious and unexpected.
This guy ACTUALLY takes a bit out of former YES Network reporter Kimberly Jones’ pork chop on a stick as she’s doing an on-air segment. Why? How? What?
It is just another fan craving on-air attention, while also making a fool of himself. Except, this time, it’s hilarious. I guarantee that if you watch it once, you have to watch it hundreds of times.
1. Lou Gehrig’s Retirement:
This moment, I wasn’t even alive for. But this moment was beautiful. It shows exactly how passionate and important fans are to the biggest moments in player’s careers.
Lou Gehrig’s retirement ceremony included various players and legends talking to the character of Gehrig after his diagnosis of ALS days earlier. July 4 turned from Independence Day into Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day.
The fans came into play once Gehrig sent out Sid Mercer to speak for him, as he was too overwhelmed. Walking off the field, Gehrig was stopped by the encouragement of fans, chanting, “We want Gehrig!”
With the overwhelming support of fans, he found his way to the microphone and gave the greatest speech ever…without any notes.
The fans had the power to encourage one of the most prominent speeches in baseball history. And because of the fans, the “Luckiest Man Alive” speech is written in history books.
It’s amazing to think that fans have power. They may be watching the game, but we feel everything. Fans are one of the biggest parts of the game, whether they know it or not.