Red Sox/Yankees rivalry gone too far? Maybe.....

[Disney1fan2002]

If you live in Massachusetts, think really hard. I just noticed this year, but thinking back, I didn't see it last year, either.

Does your Little League program have a Yankess team? The town I live in no longer has the Yankees as a LL team. I mentioned this to my DH, and he said he heard someone has offered to "buy out" any Mass LL Yankees team, and buy new uniforms. I looked it up, it is a Minor League team called the Lowell Spinners. They will replace all Yankees team will Spinners shirts.

My town does not have a Spinners team, so they did not take this offer. They have, on their own, decided to eliminate the Yankees from the schedule.

At 1st, I thought it was funny. What kid would want to play on a Yankees team? But then, I realized, really, what are we teaching our kids? Sports are supposed to be fun. Especially at the age of LL. Personally, when the Yankess were a part of the town LL program, we really made a big deal of the Red Sox/Yankee games.

My son was lucky enough to have a spot on the coveted Red Sox. He is thrilled, because he is 6, and he knows the Red Sox are huge. But, if he was on the Yankees, he would be disappointed NOT to be on the Red Sox, but it would not devastate him. I should add that we are not huge baseball fanatics in our house. Yes, if a game is on, we may watch it, but we don't go on and on about the Yankees, ect. maybe other kids would be devastated, based on the level of rivalry in their house.

So, does your town in Mass have a LL Yankees team?

 

[salmoneous]

Um, does it really matter if a LL has a team named "Yankees" or not?

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Um, does it really matter if a LL has a team named "Yankees" or not?

That's my point. It shouldn't matter, but, in Mass, it looks like it is starting to matter.

 

[Virgo10]

As a life long Red Sox fan, I would have to say it matters. I think a healthy rivalry is good for kids and adults. It causes a vast amount of people to stand together and share the joys and, in the case of the Red Sox, the agonies.

I certainly would think that any Massachusetts team that wanted to name their organization The Yankees might have a screw loose or was infiltrated by someone from the Evil Empire.

 

[pyrxtc]

Its a fun thing that they are doing to "remove" all yankees from new England, not just MA. Most people know that it is just for fun and how your kids perceive it depends on how their parents spin it to them. I wokr at a ski mountain and we had a family from NY this past year and Dad came in wearing a Yankees winter hat. The entire renatl shop told him that Yankees caps are not allowed on out mountian but he knew it was all in good fun. he went out and had a blast. Wouldn't you know it, the next day he came in sans that hat, I asked him what happened and he said "it got lost last night" It just had completely diappeared from his hotel room. His kids thought it was hilarious and told us how great the Yankees were! the family felt special and said they were definately coming back next year dressed head-to-toe in Yankees. LOL! Just rememebr the fun spirit it is and odn't worry about it much. We often had yankees/Red Sox games when I played LL and really played it up but it was all fun. None of the kids hated being on the Yankees team that I remember!

 

[Loves Disney]

I have not seen this rivalry to have gone too far just yet...at least where I am lol. Our neighbors are true Yankee fans and in this house, you have to be a Red Sox fan lol. (I don't watch baseball, but am being told I like the Red Sox ). As an ongoing joke, if any of our neighbors are wearing Yankees hats, shirts, etc., he or she will not be able to enter into the house! LOL (of course this is not true, we just have fun picking on them lol).

We don't have a LL Yankees team here, but our town is incredibly small and so having any kind of baseball team is good enough lol.

As of right now, I would say the Yankees to Red Sox rivalry is still at a healthy level.

 

[canwegosoon]

I grew up on the East End of LI and baseball was not big at our house. Then when I moved upstate, baseball is a little bigger but I have come across NYY and BRS fans(even a METs or two). But the first time I ever knew about this rivalry was when I went to Hyannis in 01. Got on a tour bus, and couldn't believe how they were tearing in to the Yankees. Needless to say a few years later the Red Socks win...and since then it seems to be Holy War. I don't think most Yankees fans sit home worrying about the Red Socks...but it seems that Red Socks fans worry about the Yankees...I don't get it -but I am not a big baseball fan(so it's ok with me)...

BTW If NY ever posted a sign like the one on 90 Home of the World Series Champs-...we would need a lot more room.

 

[CamColt]

LOL!

Since our opening day is cancelled today due to the rain (that isnt raining), I happened to have our website open right here. I just went and checked and you are right there are no Yankees...not on Major league, or AAA. I do know we have a Spinners Team because DS's friend is on it and his Dad is coaching. Ive heard DS mention it and thought it was strange they had a Spinners team. I guess I know why.

DS is on the Red Sox this year and he is happy about it but he ws just as happy on the Pirates last year and the White Sox the year before. He would probably love to be on the Yankees because his grandfather is a Yankees fan!

 

[Fan2CSkr]

I grew up in a house that were/are Mets fans. My best friend has always rooted for the Orioles. As I grew I realized I was a Yankee fan. So in my house we were divided but it was all in fun and it was OK to not conform to what my Dad liked. I feel bad for the little boys that may want to be a fan of another team, yes even a Yankee since its being stressed it isnt acceptable. Taking one of those boys uniforms away and replacing it with a Spinner uniform is sending wrong parenting messages in my opinion. I think Tim Bawmann and his Yankee Elimination Program is not all in fun.

 

[cardaway]

Maybe it's the kids, or the parents of the kids on the team that didn't want that to be their team name. I can't say I blame them. The MLB Yankees owner has all but made sure they would be a love 'em or hate 'em situation.

To many folks (including myself) think that uniform represents much of what is wrong with professional sports these days.

 

[Teejay32]

I was never in LL, but all of my siblings were. I honestly can't remember ever seeing a Yankees or a Red Sox team. Braves, Dodgers, Giants, Pirates, Reds, Cubs, etc...no Yankees or Red Sox. It's probably not a bad idea to keep rivalry issues out of LL.

I think there might be another trend going on though. The Spinners are affiliated with the Red Sox, Class A. My brother played for the Angels organization Class A in Cedar Rapids IA. Minor league teams are still professional teams, and their fan bases are growing, because there are more baseball fans than the MLB can accommodate. It's a good trend.

 

[Dan Murphy]

.....Cubs......It's a good trend.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Our LL still have the Red Sox. I think competition is good, but taking ione team out of the LL because of the major leagues is going too far. What are we teaching the kids

I'm sure if you ask any of the Yankees or Red Soxs they wouldn't like it either.

 

[Teejay32]

Here it is, the whole story:

2/8/06 Lowell Spinners trying to Eliminate Yankee teams in Youth Baseball

LOWELL, Massachusetts – The Lowell Spinners, Class A Affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, are very excited to announce they have begun the process of eliminating Yankee teams in youth baseball around New England and replacing them with Lowell Spinners teams.

Red Sox fans understand how devastating it can be for any child to be on a Yankees youth baseball team in New England. The Spinners have heard stories first-hand of children actually crying and refusing to play if they have to play for the Yankees. The Spinners believe they have found an answer to the problem.

“When you are a kid playing baseball it is pure fun and worrying about what team you are on should be the least of your concerns,” said Tim Bawmann, General Manager of the Spinners. “It becomes an issue where kids are devastated when they find out they are on the Yankees. Many kids actually pray they will not be on the Yankees when the rosters and teams are announced.

“We figured the easiest and best solution was replace those Yankee teams with the Spinners, who are part of the Boston Red Sox system. We would like to make a point that this promotion is all in good fun and is merely meant to appeal to Red Sox Nation in New England.”

In doing their research, the Spinners estimated about half of the youth baseball leagues in New England have Yankee teams and the other half had already eliminated them because of this issue. Once the Spinners contacted several baseball youth baseball organizations in the area that still had Yankee teams three immediately joined the process.

Chelmsford Little League, Methuen Instructional League and Tewksbury Youth Baseball all agreed to eliminate their Yankee teams and replace them with the Spinners teams.

In exchange for their cooperation the Spinners are taking on the cost of replacing the uniforms and allowing the youth Spinners team to play on the field before a game this summer. The Spinners have also agreed to work with each youth baseball organization and assist them in their fundraising initiatives.

The Spinners are hoping more leagues will help with the elimination of Yankee teams. If a league does have interest, please contact the Spinners...

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SI Yankees Put Spin on Lowell
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February 17, 2006 - In response to the Lowell Spinners’ wildly recognized offer to replace the uniforms of any Massachusetts Little League team named the Yankees, the Staten Island Yankees have set the wheels in motion for their combative strike.

The Staten Island Yankees will retaliate with the same history, tradition, pride, and class that exemplifies their parent affiliate, the New York Yankees. When the Baby Bombers host the Spinners at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George between August 4th-6th, the young Red Sox will be welcomed with an onslaught of zany anti-Sox promotions.

Any fan arriving at the ballpark, with a donation of a Red Sox hat or shirt to be given to a Boston homeless shelter, will be treated to a free ticket. Any fan willing to receive a ballpark haircut and shave in the style of the New York Yankees, and honoring Red Sox runaway and current Yankee, Johnny Damon, will also receive free admission.

And not to be outdone by the Spinners, the SI Yanks will extend their own offer to any Massachusetts Little League team who decides not to change their name. These teams will be invited out to the ballpark for any of these games, wearing their uniforms, at no cost.

A special mini-plan for the SI Yanks’ series versus the Lowell Spinners are now on sale. The first one hundred fans to purchase tickets to all three games will receive a mini-talking Babe Ruth doll… the greatest YANKEE of all time (and a Red Sox defector). To purchase tickets to this exciting rivalry, or for more information regarding mini-plans and season tickets, please contact the Staten Island Yankees...

 

[Virgo10]

Here it is, the whole story:

OMG! We are raising our kids to be fanatics!! I think I would cry too if I was a kid and forced to wear a Yankee's uniform. Heck, I'd do it now!