He’s the Joe DiMaggio of Old-Timers’ Day.
When the Yankees hosted the 73rd edition o𓂃f Old-Timers’ Day on Sunday, Don Mongitore was iꦍn attendance, seated in section 224, for his 63rd straight. The players and format of the game have changed over the years, but Mongitore says his presence has not, having been to every one since attending his first in 1957 as a 7-year-old.
“When I first came here, it was a𝕴ll ꩲthese old guys,” said Mongitore, a Lynbrook, Long Island native. “Then it became some old guys and guys I sort of remembered. Now it’s like old guys that I [all remember].”
The only player on the field Sunday that Mongitore did not recall watching while growing up was Bobby Brown, who played from 1946-54 and is the last-living member of theꦑ 1947 World Series chaไmpionship team.
Mongitore’s father brought him to his first Yankees game on July 27, 1957, which was also Old-Timers’ Day. Back then, the Yankees’ old-timers played old-timers from whatever team the▨ current Yankees were hosting — that year it was the Tigers. In the regular game that day, Ray Boone — Aaron’s grandfather — hit a home run for the Tigers.
✱The streak caught on fro🐻m there, not intentionally at first, but once Mongitore realized he had something going, he made sure to put the game on his calendar every year so he wouldn’t miss one.
“My father used to take me, and then as I got older, I would take him as pa🐈rt of Father’s Day,” the 7🗹1-year-old said. “Now it’s like, ‘Hey, I got a streak going, I can’t give it up.
“I think it𒀰’s very special. Some people say, ‘What’s your religion?’ I 𒆙say, ‘My religion is New York Yankees.’”
Of ꦉthe 63 Old-Timers’ Days he has been to, Mongitore said his favorite memory was watching DiMaggio tuck a home run just inside the left-field foul pole iꦛn 1964 or 1965.
There haven’t been many close calls in getting to each game either, Mongitore said, and he doesn’t plan on letting 🅺the streak end any time soon.
“You notice that Don 𓂃Lar♛sen was wheeled out [on the field today]?” he said. “Well, if I have to be wheeled here, I’ll do it.”