Yankees Universe

Yankees Universe is a charity that supports the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Created by the wife of New York Yankees President Randy Levine, the program raises money for the New York Yankees Universe fund. Proceeds for the fund are generated by donations and the sale of Yankees Universe t-shirts, and this money is made available to the cancer center. According to the MSKCC web site, the proceeds "go directly to support pediatric cancer research and care, helping to contribute to advancements in the treatment of children with cancer."

The shirts have become popular with Yankees fans and have raised money for Sloan-Kettering.

Since the inception in April 2006 the phrase has gained some popularity appearing in blogs and in the press in New York such as in the New York Post, May 2007: "Roger Clemens pitches well nobody will criticize him for coming and going in the Yankees' Universe". However, the phrase has been found in the popular press at least as early as 2001. [New York Times, "Yankees' Universe Has Two El Duques", June 16, 2000] As a result, some fans now consider "Yankees Universe" the unofficial name of the Yankee fanbase, as the team has a nationwide following and often attracts large crowds of its own fans at other Major League ballparks, especially Baltimore and Tampa Bay, and as an attempt to keep up with the very successful and passionate fan base known as "Red Sox Nation".

Famous Yankee Fans

The Yankees, like many Major League Baseball clubs, have a long list of celebrities, athletes, politicians and many others who cheer for them.

*Rudy Giuliani
*Billy Crystal
*Adam Sandler
*Jack Nicholson
*Donald Trump
*Ashton Kutcher
*Spike Lee
*Lebron James
*Denzel Washington
*Penny Marshall
*Artie Lange
*Henry Kissinger
*Sarah Jessica Parker
*Meat Loaf
*Chris Drury
*Jay-Z
*50 Cent
*P-Diddy
*Bob Dylan
*Regis Philbin
*Jerry Springer
*Paul McCartney
*Tom Brady
*Paul Simon
*Billy Baldwin
*Whoopi Goldberg
*Richard Gere
*Bobby Knight
*Val Kilmer
*Michael Bloomberg

References

* [http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7303492?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=49 Fox Sports Article: "Torre not to blame for Yankees' loss"]
* [http://partners.nytimes.com/library/sports/baseball/061600bba-yanks-elduquecito.html New York Times Article: "Yankees' Universe Has Two El Duques"]
* [http://www.cancer-war.com/cancer-prevention/new-york-yankees-yankees-universe-kids-with-cancer.html CancerWar.com]
* [http://www.nypost.com/seven/03052007/sports/yankees/carl_takes_a_sunday_drive_yankees_george_king.htm New York Post: "Carl Takes a Sunday Test Drive]
* [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/columnist/thorne/2007-03-31-thorne-curtain-2007_N.htm USA Today: "Thorne: 2007 show about to open with intrigue"]
* [http://www.nypost.com/seven/11182007/sports/yankees/closing_the_deal_45750.htm New York Post: MO EXPECTED TO TAKE YANKS' 3-YEAR OFFER]
* [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080415&content_id=2529764&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb MLB.com Article: "Red Sox Nation to Visit Yankee Universe."]

External links

* [http://www.yankeesuniverse.com/ Yankees Universe]