Sean Patrick Maloney: “to the city of New York, the New York Yankees are truly more than just a baseball team. For 100 years, they have…”

“to the city of New York, the New York Yankees are truly more than just a baseball team. For 100 years, they have captured the imagination, brought New Yorkers together and given our city of champions a championship spirit. The numbers speak for themselves: 26 World Series won. 38 Hall-of-Famers. 6 consecutive division titles--and counting. From Manhattan to Moscow, The Bronx to Beijing, you're likely to see someone wearing the distinctive Yankees ball cap wherever you go. The world over, everyone knows the Yankees. But my most cherished Yankees memory, and the one that confirmed the uplifting, inspirational power the Yankees have was in the aftermath of the tragic attacks of 9/11. It was the City's darkest hour and New Yorkers' most harrowing experience. Collectively, New Yorkers rallied around their neighbors, their leaders--and their championship teams. That year, the Yankees put on an exhilarating, magical performance in the World Series, constantly fighting back from the brink of defeat to push the series to the limit. That year, the Yankees' post-season performance was the first bit of good news many New Yorkers had received in weeks. For that, and so many other memories, I am thrilled to join with my colleagues here and millions of New Yorkers back home in congratulating the New York Yankees for 100 years of thrills, excitement and excellence.”