Back in those days there were 3 teams in this city. The Yankee's could see Coogan's Bluff and the Giants across the river. They were almost buddies compared the rivalry that was the Dodger's and the corporate, button down Yankee's.
The Dodger's were a real family and community team. Newk, Jackie, Erskine, Campanella, they all lived in the neighborhood. They shopped at our stores, they road the bus with us and their kids went to school with us. We lived and died with every victory and every loss. Big Newk was the last of that great Brooklyn Dodgers championship team. He was larger than life, as big as the game and now he's gone. My dad, my uncle and all of their generation loved this man, loved Jackie, loved Campy, and now they're all gone. I was only 5 but I remember the joy in our house when they won in '56. I remember the sadness, the anger and the sense of betrayal when the abandoned us three years later.
Goodbye big man. RIP. Man, I miss all of it.
