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Yankees victory reverberates through Bay area

Staff photo by JIM REED

Chris Sessa of Signs USA changes the billboard in firont of the Yankees spring training facility today to reflect the club's 27th world championship.

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By ROD CHALLENGER

rchallenger@wfla.com

Published: November 5, 2009

TAMPA - When the New York Yankees won the World Series by defeating the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday night in New York, the victory had a special meaning in Tampa.

Tampa is the home of the team's legendary owner George Steinbrenner and the place where the Yankees' run to the Series began in the spring.

Outside the Yankees spring training complex on North Dale Mabry Highway, workers updated the signs, proclaiming the Yankees as winners of 27 championships. They also added the year 2009 to the list of championship teams, the first update in nine years.

Bronx native Tom Miano owns the company hired by the Yankees to redo the signs.

"This is a dream come true," he said. "It doesn't get any better than this."

Up the street at the team store at Steinbrenner Field, fans snatched up merchandise proclaiming the Yankees as world champions almost as fast as clerks stocked them.

Kevin Lafrazia, 33, of Pinellas Park was among the early customers.

"I've been a fan for a long, long time and most of the people who know me, I think would expect me to have this right away," he explained.

Lenny Thomas, 38, who has a 2-year-old son with the middle name of "Jeter" in honor of the Yankee shortstop, was also among the shoppers

The Pinellas Park resident said this championship meant more than others.

"It's a special one, specially since George isn't doing as well as he had been in the past." He added, "They really needed this one, so we're pretty happy."

Thomas was referring Steinbrenner, who has been ill for some time. He attended the first two games against the Phillies, returning to the stadium for the first time since Opening Day. After the Yankees won Game 2, Steinbrenner was helped into an SUV surrounded by security personnel to keep the media from seeing, MLB.com reported.

The team store is selling a special T-shirt that spells out the Yankees goal:

"Win it for The Boss."

Right now, the team store only has one type of world championship T-shirt and an adjustable world championship cap, but more items are expected to be available next week.

The T-shirts are selling for $34.95. More than 25 percent of the first shipment was snapped up in about two hours.

The world championship caps are priced at $39.95.

The store also has a lot of other Yankee merchandise including American League championship gear.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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