Last year’s Old-Timers’ Day was naturally special for then-rookie Anthony Volpe, but Saturday’s commemoration of the 15th anniversary of the 2009 World Series championship team means even more to the lifelong Yankees fan.
“It was the only one in my lifetime, so that’ll be awesome,” Volpe told The Post before going 1-for-3 with a run scored in the Bombers’ 3-0 win over the Rockies on Friday night in The Bronx. “Last year was definitely special, just to meet and see a bunch of people I look up to.”
It will be the 76th Old-Timers’ Day for the organization, which has dedicated the day to honoring members of its most recent championship team.
Volpe, who was 8 when the Yankees last won, said he remembers watching the title game with his family in his home in Watchung, N.J. The best part? He skipped school to attend the parade through the Canyon of Heroes.
Headlining the attendance list of this year’s event are Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, as well as first-time Old Timer Alex Rodiriguez and 2009 World Series MVP Hideki Matsui.
Volpe got to spend some time with Jeter at last year’s celebration, which happened to be the 11-year Yankees captain’s first.
While speaking with reporters about Volpe last year, Jeter commended the youngster’s ability to maintain his strong defensive game even when things weren’t going well for him offensively.
It’s unclear what the two talked about then, but Jeter said his advice to young players is to recognize that it’s just the same game with more people in the stands.
“That was great,” Volpe said of his interactions with Jeter. “Very organic, which I appreciated.”
Nine Monument Park inductees will be honored during the day, seven of whom have had their numbers retired by the Yankees. That includes Jeter, Rivera, Joe Torre, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, Bernie Williams, Paul O’Neill, Willie Randolph and Tino Martinez.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone, of course, will be in attendance. Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, the 1998 ALCS MVP, will, too, in addition to 1978 World Series MVP Bucky Dent, who is best remembered for hitting the three-run homer that gave the Yankees a 3-2 lead in the AL East division tie-breaker game against the Red Sox.
Former manager Joe Girardi, CC Sabathia, Nick Swisher, Johnny Damon and A.J Burnett are also expected to take part in the festivities, as well as former Yankees players-turned-YES Network broadcasters David Cone, John Flaherty and Jeff Nelson.
The Yankees have also invited the widows of three legendary Yankees: Diana Munson, widow of Thurman Munson; Kay Murcer, widow of Bobby Murcer; and Jill Martin, widow of Billy Martin.
