NEW YORK – The Yankees’ first Old-Timers Day took place in 1947 and the highlight was the game.

Lefty Gomez, Wally Pipp and Earle Combs played for the Yankees, Ty Cobb and Cy Young dressed for the visitors, and in the last full year of his life, the dying 53-year-old Babe Ruth showed up in a suit to shake hands and wave to the 25,000-strong crowd at the original Yankee Stadium.

That September day 77 years ago marked the beginning of a tradition that continued until 2019. Most of the greatest Yankees of all time returned to the Bronx after their playing days to play a little ball, including Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford and Reggie Jackson. For them, the Yankees players and fans, it was a highlight of the season.

Due to COVID, there was no game in 2020 and no game since, although many veterans would rather get on their team and play than participate in the current format, which begins with player introductions followed by a question-and-answer session on the field.

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Restoring glory

Saturday was Old-Timers Day at Yankee Stadium and again there was no game. The stadium was two-thirds empty, but early arrivals cheered Michael Kay as he announced 34 former Yankees as well as the widows of franchise greats Thurman Munson, Bobby Murcer and Billy Martin.

And when Suzyn Waldman and Joe Girardi began the question-and-answer session by asking questions of many of the 2009 Yankees who returned for the 15th anniversary of the franchise’s last championship team, hundreds of fans left their seats and headed to the concession stands.

“I’m still mad that we’re not playing,” said pitcher and Hall of Fame candidate CC Sabathia.

Sabathia wasn’t joking and he told the Yankees so.

“Yeah, I want to play the game,” he said. “I think it would be fun to see some of these guys in motion, maybe even as a softball game.”

Why no game?

The final decision was made by Debbie Tymon, Yankees senior vice president of marketing, who is responsible for planning Old-Timers’ Day.

The real reason?

Old timers hear that this is the Yankees veteran the organization probably wants to visit more than anyone else. True or not, some hear that Derek Jeter, who turned 50 in June, won’t show up if a game is played because he doesn’t want to play and doesn’t want to be questioned about how others hit and pitch.

On Saturday morning, a veteran Yankees player was asked if he was upset that the celebrations no longer included a game.

“Yes,” the player hissed.

The former Yankee was then asked if it was true that Jeter was the reason.

“That’s what I hear, but Jeter will never admit it,” he replied.

After the on-field celebrations on Saturday, NJ Advance Media caught up with Jeter while he was answering questions in a conference room where he sat with Mariano Rivera, AJ Burnett, Alex Rodriguez and Joe Girardi.

When Jeter was told that Yankees fans would like to see him and A-Rod batting again, he replied, “You’re not going to see me batting again. No. I’d be afraid of getting hurt. But that’s not why there’s no game, because I’m not playing. I’m not making these decisions against your beliefs.”

That’s what we hear Jeter was told.

“They give me way too much power,” Jeter said.

Then NJ Advance Media mentioned that CC Sabathia had suggested a softball game.

“Why are you asking me?” Jeter said. “You could direct it to…”

Jeter was asked because he was the captain of the last Yankees dynasty and probably their greatest living player. He still has organizational power.

“I don’t think so,” Jeter said.

David Cone, one of four Yankees to pitch a perfect game, has allowed Old Timers Day home runs to Tino Martinez and Hideki Matsui in his two previous Old Timers Day appearances. He misses pitching once a year.

“We all had fun,” he said.

Cone said he “heard from the media” that Jeter was in charge, but “I never heard it from Jeter or the people who run it.”

Cone doesn’t know what to believe, but says it wouldn’t be a bad idea for other veterans to talk to Jeter about it. Many of the Yankees’ veterans want the game to return.

“As an Indian, I was able to come to Old Timers’ Day twice and see how proud some old people are to wear their pinstripes,” Sabathia said. “It was a lot of fun.”

Now that Sabathia is retired, he would like to throw against Jeter, A-Rod and other Yankees greats.

“My cutter is ready,” Sabathia said. “He’s ready for these guys.”

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Randy Miller can be reached at [email protected].