Contact: Sunny Mindel/Curt Ritter (212) 788-2958
Joining the Mayor at today's ceremony were Executive Director of the Museum Dave Kaplan and members and coaches of local high school baseball and softball teams.
"It's a great day to celebrate opening day of the 1999 baseball season, especially here at the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center where the presence of baseball - past and present - is all around us," Mayor Giuliani said. "I speak for the entire City and all Yankees Fans when I say that I am looking forward to what is sure to be an incredible season for both the Yankees and the Mets, leading up, hopefully, to the first New York City Subway Series."
The Mayor continued, "I am also pleased to announce, in honor of opening day, the City of New York and the New York Yankees are loaning the 1998 World Championship Trophy to the Museum. This trophy, which represents so much pride after a tremendous 1998 season, will sit alongside the 1978 Yankee World Championship Trophy, which is also on loan to the Museum. I am looking forward to another incredible season of baseball and join all New Yorkers and baseball fans in wishing the Yankees good luck as they begin on the road to another successful season."
Yogi Berra said, "The fans were a big part of the team winning 125 games last year. It's good that they see the trophy in person. And it's an honor to have the Mayor bring the trophy over himself. He was their biggest fan of all."
The 1998 World Championship Trophy will be on display at the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center located in Little Falls, New Jersey. Founded by Friends of Yogi, Inc., the not-for-profit Museum houses a permanent collection of memorabilia that highlights baseball history. Its mission is to celebrate and chronicle the long and successful life and career of Yankee legend Yogi Berra, and offers culturally diverse educational programming as well as conferences and rotating exhibits.
The trophies will be on display during regular Museum hours of Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. and during evening home games of the New Jersey Jackals in the adjacent Yogi Berra Stadium.
The 1998 World Series Trophy will return to Yankee Stadium for the team's home opener on Friday, April 9th.