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This Day in Yankees History: Pomp and Circumstance

With the Yankee fanbase in need of a jolt, the Yankees decide to play “Pomp and Circumstance” when closer Sparky Lyle enters the game.

By John Griffin
New York Yankees Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images

Welcome to the relaunched This Day in Yankees History. With the start of the 2020 season delayed for the foreseeable future, the Pinstripe Alley team decided to revive the program in a slightly different format. These daily posts will highlight two or three key moments in Yankees history on a given date, as well as recognize players born on the day. Hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane with us!

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This Day in Yankees History (April 19)

72 Years Ago

Yankees starter Allie Reynolds hits the only home run of his career, but he doesn’t believe it. Thinking that the Senators are trying to trick him, he refuses to step off of second base. Yankees manager Bucky Harris, in fact, had to go out to the field to convince him that the ball had gone over the fence.

71 Years Ago

On Opening Day, the Yankees unveil a granite monument to Babe Ruth. Placed alongside one for Lou Gehrig and one for Miller Huggins, it was located in deep center field, on the field of play. They would later be moved to Monument Park, beyond the left-center wall.

48 Years Ago

Desperate for something to excite a Yankees fanbase forced to watch uninspiring baseball, in a stadium that desperately required renovation, the Yankees decided to kick-start the era of “closer music” by having ace reliever Sparky Lyle enter the game to...”Pomp and Circumstance.” While it seems strange now, it was a hit with fans.

41 Years Ago

Following a clubhouse brawl with teammate Cliff Johnson, Goose Gossage sprains his a ligament in his thumb, sidelining him until July. Due to the fight, Johnson would be traded to the Cleveland Indians before Gossage’s return.

1 Year Ago

Yankees reliever Adam Ottavino faces Terrance Gore of the Kansas City Royals, becoming the first ever matchup between a pitcher and a batter with the number 0 in a major-league game.

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Birthdays

Birthday wishes to former Yankee pitcher Bryan Mitchell. Originally drafted in the 16th round of the 2009 amateur draft, he made 48 appearances with the Yankees, including nine starts. He posted a 4.94 ERA during that time, before being traded to the San Diego Padres alongside Chase Headley following the 2017 season. He is currently in the Chicago White Sox system.

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We thank Baseball-Reference, Nationalpastime.com, and FanGraphs for providing background information for these posts.

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