Ah, New York! Where I am from, where I was born and raised and have lived most of my life, truly defines me. I am a New Yorker. Not a New York City New Yorker. I do love the city especially Manhattan, but I am a metropolitan New York City New Yorker. The city and all it offers has a big influence even though I have lived exclusively on Long Island. But the gruffness and the grit and the accent is 100% New York. I root for every New York sports team.
My first sports team was the Yankees. At the early age of 6 or 7 I was hooked on the Yankees. So much so that to this day I can tell you the starting line up of the 1960 Yankees. Bill Skowran, first base, Bobby Richardson second base, Tony Kubek, shortstop, Cleve Boyer, third base, Elston Howard or Yogi, catcher, Hector Lopez or Bob Cerv, left field, Mickey Mantle center field and Roger Maris right field, Whity Ford, Bill Turley, Bill Stamford, Ryan Duran were some of the pitchers. You have to be a really New Yorker from birth to know this by heart.
But not only the Yankees, I root for all the NY teams, the Mets, the Giants, the Jets, the Knicks, even the Nets, the Rangers and most of all my Islanders. I have memories and stories around all of these teams.
However, the most important part of being a New Yorker is that, simply put, New York is home. Wherever I have travelled all over the world, there is nothing like coming home. Landing back in New York is just comfortable. It is familiar. And if returning on a cruise is how I come home, sailing under the Varazanno Bridge and past the Statue of Liberty is the greatest experience there is. I love New York!
