Yankee Barbie says, "And NOW it's home!"

Hello. I'm Yankee Barbie and I'll be guest blogging today for JoAnn, who's still celebrating her Yankees' 27th World Series win.

When JoAnn was seven-years-old, she had no doubt whatsoever that she'd grow up to play center field for the New York Yankees. Writing would be her backup occupation, something she planned to do after retiring from baseball. Those were, in her mind, her only options. While waiting for the Yankees management to call, she wrote her first novella -- a tragic romance about two star-crossed mallard ducks -- for a second grade writing assignment.

The paper earned a gold star. And JoAnn kept writing. She even wrote to Mickey Mantle. Who wrote back! (Okay, some skeptics might suggest that a team secretary actually wrote those letters, but JoAnn prefers to keep the fantasy alive. And I don't blame her.)

Although the Yankees have yet to call her to New York to platoon center field, she has written a lot of books for a bunch of publishers. Including her first published novel, Stardust and Diamonds, for NAL, which was about -- what else? -- a baseball player.

But enough about her. . .

As you may have noticed in this photo, due to an unfortunate problem in scale, I appear a bit like Godzilla hovering over Tokyo. But to paraphrase a line from Sunset Boulevard (one of my fave movies!), I am NOT too tall. Department 56 made Yankee Stadium too small.

Yankee Stadium, known to true believers as The House That Ruth Built, was built in 1923. The first game in the stadium was held on April 18, 1923, with the Yankees beating the Boston Red Sox (from whom the Yankees acquired Babe Ruth, which is another story) 4–1. In its inaugural season, the Yankees also -- yay! -- won the World Series. (Though neither JoAnn nor I were around to witness it.)

This Cathedral of Baseball hosted thirty-seven World Series, more than any other baseball stadium. It also hosted the major-league All-Star Game four times: 1939, 1960, 1977, and last year, 2008.

But times change. Life moves on. This season the Yankees moved into a new home across the street. To bring tradition with them, last November, four members of the 1998 World Series championship team and kids from Bronx based youth groups ceremoniously dug up home plate, the pitcher's rubber mound pitching plate, along with the surrounding dirt of both areas and transported them to their new home. As this is being written, burly men with huge machines and sledge hammers are tearing down The House that Ruth Built to make way for a 10-acre Heritage Park that'll stand in its place. But I'm still sad to see it go, so I'll take a page from my dear friend Scarlett O'Hara Barbie and think about that tomorrow.

I understand how the new stadium might have been a little intimidated. After all, as I just pointed out, it had a LOT to live up to! I totally understand this, having to compete with Bridal Barbie. And don't even get me started on Malibu Barbie!

But the new stadium lived up to its heritage. Just like its big brother, it hosted a World Series in its inaugural year. And what a Series it was! There were times I was sitting on the edge of my seat!


There were also some GREAT plays! (Johnny Damon, the highlight reel people called. They're including your super brilliant steal of third base.)

The Pittsburgh Pirates proved to be super adversaries. For a while, I even used JoAnn's autographed Mickey Mantle ball to work out my Pilates, in case I'd be called in to platoon Center Field.



But that didn't prove necessary. Just like in 1923, our boys in pinstripes prevailed to win their 27th World Series and left me sitting on top of the world. (And a stack of champagne boxes!)

And to the Phillies fans, don't feel too bad. As the Yankees have learned twenty-seven times, there's always next year.

To share the celebration, JoAnn will be giving one reader who comments (chosen at random) a copy of the Mills & Boon edition of The Return of Caine O'Halloran, her 1994 Rita finalist HQ Temptation, featuring -- what else? -- a NY Yankees pitcher! To allow fans more time to celebrate and watch the tickertape Victory Parade down the Canyon of Heroes tomorrow, I'll be announcing the winner at five p.m. EST Friday afternoon.

Love to all baseball fans, whatever your team,

Yankee Barbie