For the first time in 40 years the San Francisco Giants play at Yankee Stadium, New York.

Here’s why this series is special.The San Francisco Giants open their interleague schedule by visiting The Stadium in the Bronx for a three-game series against the reigning American League Champion Yankees. June 7, 8 and 9.

This will mark the first time since the 1962 World Series that the Giants and Yankees play each other. That 1962 Series featured such stars as: Willie Mays, Willie McCovey,Orlando Cepeda, and Juan Marichal.

Among other notables also included were José Pagán, Gaylord Perry, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Roger Maris, and Whitey Ford .

“This is indeed a historial series for these franchises…but we have business against the Yankees, this is a good opportunity for our team to measure ourselves with one of the great teams going today, the Yankees”-

-Dusty Baker

Rich Aurilia born in Brooklyn is buying tickets in bunches for his family and friends.

“This is it, playing at The Stadium is one of the great moments of my life”. Aurilia, came off of the DL in the second game of the three game series at San Diego, first stop of the three-city roadtrip (S.D.,NY,TOR).

Aurilia cannot get away from New York, even when he plays in San Francisco. One of his bats is in up-state New York at the Cooperstwon Hall of Fame and Museum.

On June 14,1997 he hit the first interleague Grand Slam in history. Ironically, the blast was off his Giants teammate in 1996 and Brooklyn parochial school rival, Alan Watson

New York has more Puertoricans than the island of Puerto Rico. Benito Santiago, the Giants veteran receiver was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. “There is nada like New York, nothing in the world….you see the monuments to Ruth, Gehirg, DiMaggio, Yankee Stadium is the Church of Béisbol”

-Benito Santiago.

Benito was the catcher for 1997 Toronto Blue Jays and Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens. And we know where Clemens pitches.

But the biggest story that “never happened”was the much talked about posible “mano-a-mano”in the Bronx between the Hernández brothers. Liván and Orlando El Duque. Both share great memories from their days in Cuban baseball, their daring escape from the island (like another 1 million Cubans)looking for the land of Freedom and Opportunity. Both have a great passion for the sport, although Liván might not show it when he is on the mound. He is always cool and composed.

The Giants will play three in New York against the Yankees, then three more in Toronto and then return home to face: Oakland, Tampa Bay and Baltimore.

The Giants were the first team ever to play an interleague game, back in 1997 at The Ballpark at Arlington against the Texas Rangers. I was on that trip broadcasting the game, I didn’t like interleague play then and I still don’t like it today five years later. The only thing I detest more is the DH rule !

But nobody (on the Giants side) has more memories of New York and San Francisco than Mike Murphy. Murph is the Giants equiptment manager. He was the first San Francisco Giants batboy in 1958, previously with the Seals. He, as a young man witnessed the transfer of this franchise from New York to San Francisco, he has seen hundreds of uniforms and thousands of great games.

He is a very private man and prefers not to talk about what he has seen over the years.

KTVU CH 2 will be televising all three games of this Giants vs. Yankees Series from New York. The station anticipates one of their highest ratings since they have been televising baseball in the Bay Area. They usually lead the way as far as ratings is concerned.

————————————————————–

Amaury Pi-González is on his eighth season as the Spanish Voice for the San Francisco Giants on KZSF 1370 AM “La Caliente”. Previously for 17 seasons Gonzalez was the Spanish Play by Play voice for the Oakland A’S.

During Postseason play the fans can hear Amaury calling the action for LBC(Cadena Latina Net) and Fox Sports. Gonzalez covers the Caribbean World Series in the winter.

His articles are on: www.latinobasebll.com