Concern By All

The Yankees-Cleveland game came to a halt in the third inning after Alex Rodriguez (r) hit a line drive off the head of pitcher David Huff. Huff suffered only a bruise and after a trip to the hospital for x-rays, he actually returned to the stadium for the remainder of the game. Rodriguez appears to be saying a silent prayer on behalf of Huff.

Ready For The Sun

I'm always looking to find something different about our many famous, well-photographed bridges and landmarks in New York. The secret is to find an interesting subject to occupy the foreground in order to add a twist to an otherwise mundane picture of - in this case - the Manhattan Bridge.

The man with yellow umbrella and dressed in traditional Buddhist clothes was relaxing near the bridge when I took this shot.

Fire On Display

While out for a exploratory walk in an unfamiliar section of Brooklyn, NY - along 5th avenue - I passed the restaurant, SONG, and from the street, you can see all the action in the kitchen. Fire usually make me stop and try to capture its essence in a photograph. Plus, the motion blur of one of the many cooks in the cramped space, adds to the sense of urgency in the kitchen of a popular eatery.

Does Nike Know About This?

This shoe was on display in a store window in my new Cobble Hill neighborhood. I don't know who makes it, but if this type of high-heel sneaker catches on, then the big shoe companies might have to jump on the fad. Perhaps this is for formal basketball games where you're required to dress nicely for the night.

The Yankees Get An Exciting Win

The Yankees Marcus Thames is watching his game winning homer sail into the left-field stands at Yankee Stadium for an 11 to 9 win over the Red Sox. It was the first meeting of the two long-time rivals in the Bronx this season. Thames says he knew he got all of Johnathan Papelbon's fastball in the bottom of the ninth inning.



Then the fun began ...





Here's the welcoming party at home plate. Thames is in the center of that mob of happy Yankees ... somewhere in there - taking cover as his teammates give him a good-natured pounding.

And - as he did 15 times last season for "walk-off" wins - A. J. Burnett (r) gives the celebratory pie in the face to Thames during the post-game TV interview. It was like old times at Yankee Stadium.

Not A Dark Cloud

The game at Yankee Stadium was on network TV and a blimp was used to get panoramic shots. On a bright day in the Bronx, the shadow of the giant airship cast an interesting shadow on the field. The big shadow passed over the field very quickly but I figured out when it might be coming over (by watching for a technician on top of the scoreboard) and I was ready. It reminded me of a late 1970's movie called Black Sunday that involved a blimp and some nasty things happening at a major sporting event.

Good-Bye Annie

A couple of years ago - while I was at Los Angeles Valley College as photo editor of the school newspaper - I had to cover the rehearsal for the musical "Annie" that was being staged on campus. The girl who played the lead role was terrific and the dog - Sandy - was pretty good as well. The stage version of "Annie" will go on forever, but the newspaper version of it will soon be over.

Little did I think I'd have a reason to use this photo when I snapped it.

A Mother's Day Flower

To all of the fans of this blog: Happy Mother's Day!

Right This Way ...

This photo dates back to the spring of 2009 when I was staying in a hotel in New York while working for the Yankees. This was before I moved from Los Angeles. Outside my window the traffic along 2nd avenue was being directed by a series of cops. I shot this in the early morning hours and was able to mirror this policeman with his own shadow as he waved cars, trucks, and buses along the street. You might not think about it, but each one of the cops has his or her own unique way of directing traffic. Some wave their arms in bigger arcs. Others were smooth in their hand and arms movements while others were more robotic-like.

Ernie And Me

Longtime Detroit Tigers announcer Ernie Harwell has died at the age of 92. Cancer took his life but the disease can't take our memories of knowing him as a friend and inspiration. Ernie learned last year his cancer was inoperable but he said he was ready - when the time came - to meet his maker. When I spoke with him in late March of this year, he was typically upbeat and interested in how I was doing and how the season was shaping up for the Yankees. And he always finished our conversation with a hearty, "Call anytime Paul ..." This photo was taken in 2004 after a game in Florida. When I got my first Major League announcing job in 1988 with Cleveland, I was welcomed to the big leagues by a congratulatory letter that was waiting for me when I arrived at spring training in Tucson, Arizona. So here was a major broadcasting talent taking the time to welcome a raw rookie - me - to the fraternity. That should tell you all you need to know about what kind of person Ernie Harwell was.

Summer Comes Early To New York

It was a nice summer-like evening in New York at the Yankees game with Baltimore. It's anywhere from 10 to 15 degrees warmer than it should be for this time of year around here. No Complaints - except for the 90% humidity and the mid 80 degree temps on Sunday. Sticky and hot is not what we expected for early May. Oh ... and did I mention the thunderstorms? But on this night, the colors of the field and sky all seemed in sync. Even the bluish grey and white clouds suggest Yankee colors.

"Boxing" Returns To Yankee Stadium

It always pays to have a camera ready to record unusual sights. Here - in the park across from New York's Yankee Stadium - this group of men is preparing for ... well, I'm not sure what's in the offing for them. But the guy in blue was in charge and his students seemed to hang on his every word. Actually there will be a REAL fight at Yankee Stadium on June 5th when Brooklyn's Yuri Foreman takes on Miguel Cotto. Maybe one of these guys will be on the under card of bouts.

Incoming!!

The Yankees' Brett Gardner leaps above the left field wall at New York's Yankee Stadium in a vain attempt to catch a home run by Chicago's Andruw Jones. The fan standing up caught the ball, but his buddy - on the left - wants only to protect himself from what he thinks might be a baseball on his head. By the way, the guy who made the catch threw the ball back to the field as is expected when a homer is hit by the visiting team.