On a Long Night, No Shortage of Memories

By George Solomon
Sunday, July 20, 2008; D02

John O'Shea is a New Yorker through and through. When he was 8, his father took him to Yankee Stadium -- the "House that Ruth Built" 85 years ago on 161st Street and River Avenue in the Bronx.

This past Tuesday afternoon, four hours before the fourth all-star game at Yankee Stadium, as the Yankees prepare to move into their new $1.3 billion stadium one block away next season, John O'Shea stood with his 11-year-old son, Garrett, on River Avenue, staring at the baseball shops across the street.

"I came here for the first time with my father when I was 8," O'Shea said. "Stood in the same spot as we're standing now. A long time ago. My father and I said we'd come here for an all-star game some day. It was on our checklist, but we never made it.

"But now I'm here with my son and I'm thinking about my father."

What is it about baseball parks, parents and children that stir so many memories and emotions?

Why does someone who hasn't lived in the Bronx in 60 years want go up a hill to check out the old Grand Concourse neighborhood, the Concourse Plaza Hotel where Joe DiMaggio and many of his teammates lived, the old apartment house and a park where his grandfather sat on a bench and read a Yiddish newspaper called the Daily Forward?

Or walk down the same hill to the stadium where the Yankees turned on their lights for me and everyone else the first time for a game against the Washington Senators in 1946; or check out where I sat with my father in June 1948, when a cancer-stricken Babe Ruth said farewell. Or remind two of my sons that in the upper deck that season -- not far from where they were sitting -- when the man in front of me, whom I was playfully kicking, asked me sternly to stop, my father told him to shut up and shoved him. The poor guy -- off balance -- tumbled down four steep rows, got up and left.

So we toasted Sidney Solomon, whom had he lived would have been 109 next month, and turned our attention to the field. There, the Yankees and Major League Baseball were creating new memories, introducing some 40 Hall of Famers with the starters for this year's All-Star Game.

A memorable moment, if there ever was one, watching Derek Jeter and Cal Ripken hug, Manny Ramírez and Willie Mays shake hands, Geovany Soto look closely at Yogi Berra and perhaps wonder: "He was a Hall of Fame catcher?"

Yankees fans can be cruel (are the Red Sox so evil?), but they appreciate the game and their cheers and chants for Earl Weaver, Frank Robinson, Don Sutton and the other Hall of Famers would not be soon forgotten. "The most exciting event I've ever been part of," Sutton told me.

A 4-hour 50-minute, 15-inning game won by the American League, 4-3, was, in the words of Mike Rodgers, a fan from Dallas, "not long enough."

Readying for Redskins

Aside from reported 9,000 viewers who watch the Nationals, most of the remaining 5 million or so Washington area residents can breathe easy this weekend: The Redskins are back.

Washington's favorite team opens training camp at Redskins Park, with thousands of fans making the pilgrimage to Ashburn to watch their heroes starting today (complete practice schedule, including water breaks, available everywhere but Politico).

Those who do not make the trip to Ashburn can monitor practice daily, nightly and overnight on dozens of Internet sites, all of Washington's televisions stations, as well 24-7 coverage on ESPN (980 AM). That station had been known for the last 16 years as WTEM -- "The Voice of the Fan" -- before Redskins owner Dan Snyder's Red Zebra media company bought most of the radio stations in town, as well as Qatar's Al-Jazeera (WJAZ) and North Korean State Radio (NKSR).

So starting Monday, ESPN-980 will begin simulcasting Doc Walker, Big John, Al, B-Mitch and Andy Pollin on three local outlets, as well blanketing the Mideast and Asia. When the preseason and regular season begins, Redskins games can be heard on most every radio station in the area -- with the possibility that WWWT-1500 and the Nats will be overrun signalwise by the Zebra. Stay tuned.

But gone from Snyder's Triple X is John Riggins's afternoon show -- the Hall of Fame fullback being slotted into ESPN-980's programming as a "commentator," according to Red Zebra chief Bruce Gilbert. "John will be integrated into our programming all week, as well as postgame and day-after game roles," Gilbert said.

Translation: Riggo lost his gig.

All this madness awaits new head coach Jim Zorn, who up until six months ago was perfectly content as the quarterback coach of the Seahawks, enjoying offseason life on the ski slopes, hiking trails and waterways outside Seattle. Zorn will know that tranquil lifestyle is gone forever this week the first time he sees WUSA's Brett Haber trample WRC's Lindsay Czarniak in pursuit of a sound bite from Clinton Portis.

Zorn, 55, takes over a 9-7 playoff team from Joe Gibbs, who did one of his best coaching jobs ever getting the Redskins to the playoffs after the tragic death of Sean Taylor. When Gibbs announced in early January he was not returning, Zorn was hired by Snyder as the team's offensive coordinator.

That would have been fine with Zorn, except the candidates to succeed Gibbs (the reluctant Giant Steve Spagnuolo, Redskins defensive boss Gregg "Has my job interview ended yet?" Williams, Indy's Jim Caldwell and Jim "Who am I, Ron Paul?" Fassel) didn't work out. Enter Zorn, whose enthusiasm, ideas and personality were so appealing that Snyder and chief aide Vinny Cerrato asked each other, "Why not Zorn?"

So Zorn it is -- with a three-year contract, plus another two years at the team's option -- at about $3 million a year. A grand opportunity for Zorn, who has shown his new players great energy, along with his West Coast offense.

A low-risk gamble for Snyder and the Redskins.

If the Redskins return to the playoffs for the fourth time in Snyder's 10-year stewardship, his choice of Zorn will be inspired. If, however, disaster occurs (fewer than six wins here is disaster) will Snyder turn to a Bill Cowher or another big name for rescue and splash in 2009?

I hope not.

Those of us who questioned Snyder's choice of Zorn hope Zorn gets a fair shake to prove himself. Zorn needs a healthy Jason Campbell, Jon Jansen and Randy Thomas; a committed Portis, Santana Moss and Shawn Springs; a pass rush; and two of Cerrato's new pass-catchers to catch passes.

But most of all, Zorn needs Snyder's support.

· A nod to Don Breaux, who retired this week from coaching because of a heart condition after 27 years in the NFL, including 17 with the Redskins. Breaux was a first-rate offensive coach during his years in the league. He also was a gentleman of the highest order.

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