When Billy Met Joba: Crystal to Suit Up for Yankees on Thursday

It's not a big secret that Billy Crystal is a Yankee fan. He directed 61* and City Slickers features a long speech devoted to the majestic moment when you walk into Yankee Stadium for the first time. The team has decided to pay him back for that longtime support during their game with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, one day before his 60th birthday.

He'll be throwing out the first pitch? Singing the National Anthem? Doing five minutes of his Muhammed Ali impersonation? No, no and no. Crystal will sign a one-day minor league contract, wear #60 and be eligible to play in the game.

"I've been waiting 50 years for this call," Crystal said. "I'm overwhelmed by the generosity of the Yankees and commissioner Selig. I know this'll be tougher than the Broadway Softball League, but I'm looking forward to helping the younger players, which by the way is all of them. Oops, I have to go, Scott Boras is on the phone."

What purpose this serves is beyond me. It does remind the Pirates that absolutely nobody in baseball takes them seriously, I guess. Crystal turning 60, is about four and a half feet tall and not exactly known for his athletic abilities, but, hey, it's only the Pirates.

I'm not really sure I get the Yankees these days. Running over a catcher blocking the plate during a game is poor sportsmanship but letting the guy from Forget Paris play is kosher? Which really damages the integrity of baseball more?

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

3-10-2008 @ 11:43PM

Dan said...

I'd say neither, considering it's spring training.

What's not to get? The Yankees probably feel they can get some additional positive publicity out of this stunt. Dude doesn't even have to play, just suit up, and there are no roster limits for ST games. Kind of not worth getting worked up over.

3-10-2008 @ 11:50PM

Yankees Tickets said...

That's really nice of the Yankees, he might play if they are ahead by 20.

3-10-2008 @ 11:57PM

Yankees Chick said...

In the movie City Slickers Billy Boy wears a METS hat throughout!

The fact that I knew that off the top of my head means 1 of 3 things: either I have a really good memory, am so obsessed with the Yankees that I notice these things, or just really like City Slickers.

all of the above.

god that's sad.

3-11-2008 @ 1:00AM

NOTA YUPPIE said...

SOMEBODY PLEEEEEASE LET IT STOP!! WHEN WILL THIS GUY, WHO WAS FUNNY FOR 20 MINUTES, THIRTY YEARS AGO GO AWAY?? BILLY CRYSTAL, PLEEEEASE GO AWAY!! LET IT STOP!! THE GUY ISN'T FUNNY TO ANYONE UNDER 50!
ALL THE OLD LADIES THINK HE'S THE CUTE LITTLE IMP, THAT THE REST OF US AR SOOOO SICK OF! GO TO THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS AND PACK THE HOUSE UP THERE, BUT PLEASE STAY OUT OF YANKEEE STADIUM? PLEASE?
THIS IS THE SAME GUY, THAT IN 1986 WAS AT SHEA STADIUM WITH A MET JACKET ON!! CAN I HEAR, FRONT RUNNER LOVER HERE?
SURE JOE TORRE GOT A KICK OUT OF HIM, THAT'S HIS CROWD, THE OVER 60 CROWD! BUT IF JOE STARTS WINNING WORLD SERIES OVER THERE IN LA, CRYSTAL WILL BE OUT THERE WITH HIS WHINY NOSTALGIA STORIES OF HOW, WHEN HE WAS A KID, HE LOVED THE DODGERS AND THE YANKEES!!!
HE USED TO GO TO GAMES ON THE SUBWAY! REAL TOUGH KID HUH? THE CLOSEST THIS BUM EVER GOT TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS WHEN HE PASSED THE SUBWAY IN HIS CAB! OHHHH MAMA MIA, PLEASE SOMEBODY STOP THE BLEEDING!
TELLING THE MICKEY MANTLE STORIES LIKE HE WAS A REGULAR GUY! ARE YOU NUTS MAN?
CRYSTAL, A REGULAR GUY? COME ON MAN! HE'S A SPOILED LITTLE WHINER, AND AN EGO THAT NEEDS TO BE FED THROUGH THESE LITTLE PRANKS!
OH YEAH BILLY , YOU HANG OUT WITH DENIRO, YOU MUST BE A TOUGH GUY!! GET THE @#&% OUT OF HERE!
YOU'RE NOT A REAL YANKEE FAN AND MOST OF US ARE SICK OF YOU, UNLESS YOU'RE MY GRANDMOTHER AND AUNTS, THEY'RE IN THEIR 90'S!
DOES ANYONE FEEL LIKE I DO? I AM SORRY BUT LETS PUT SOME REAL HEROES OUT THERE! LIKE THE ONES THAT ARE GETTING SHOT AT EVERYDAY IN IRAQ? THERE'S A LOT OF REAL TOUGH KIDS FROM THE BRONX THERE! OR MAYBE ONE OF OUR GOOD NYPD FOLKS, THAT HAVE TO PROTECT THIS HACK WHEN HE COMES TO THE STADIUM, WHICH BY THE WAY, NOBODY CARES BUT THE DRUNKS!
IF HE AGREES TO STAY OUT OF THE STADIUM, I'LL BUY HIM THE MLB PACKAGE!
BILLY CRYSTAL, GO AWAY!

3-11-2008 @ 1:17AM

jimenezz7 said...

DAMN you put a lot of feeling in that,I never knew anybody that felt that way about harmless Billy Crystal.Just promise me your not gonna go to your high school in a ninja suit later because no one will go to the prom with you.Dude CALM DOWN !!!!!!!

3-11-2008 @ 2:19AM

POOR LITTLE BILLY CRYSTAL? He is anything BUT POOR! The bum has made millions off of suckers paying for those schtick so called comedies that he does. TRUST me jimenezz7, if you were on a sinkng ship with that little bum, he would throw you the anchor to save himself!

3-11-2008 @ 11:19AM

rjs said...

Very rarely comment on these things but i just gotta ask to nota yuppie...how can someone possibly have so much hate towards billy crystal..even if you dont like him or his movies, thats was one thought out angry email my man,, let go of the hate brother

3-11-2008 @ 11:47AM

Ralph Garcia said...

Billy thanks for the movie 61*. In a way I think you might have gotten Steinbrenner and the Yankees to build the new Yankee Stadium to look like the old one which had that look before it got refurbished in 1974. I think you should think about making a life story about Casey Stengel. Stengel was very hilarious.

3-11-2008 @ 12:18PM

A BaseBall Fan said...

Don't we all have that majic moment where we wished we could have played on our favorite team. On the court with Mike, play a round with Tiger, sat next to Magic, or Shaq....ahh....we'd feel like a king for a lifetime and a day.
Billy Crystal has had a long history with entertainment and a life-long love of sports. It the Yank organization wants to do this in spring training...who is it gonna hurt? I know in recent years he has emceed several Yank sports charitable events including Torre's and Jeter's. The guy is older but that does not mean he isn't desereving some measure of respect for a lifetime of entertainment. Show a little respect. Old does not equal dead.

3-11-2008 @ 9:08PM

Jeff Smith said...

This adds up to one of the biggest jokes in baseball. It's a disgrace to MLB and to the Piisburgh Pirates. If I where them, I wouldn't even take the field. This is their profession and they fight to even make it to the major leagues. It is a shame that someone and a organization that has money can do this. If this happens, I'm done with MLB.