Pink Hat Day at Yankee Stadium

Long before pink hats became something of a controversy among Red Sox fans, the Yankees tried to popularize them among their own fans. June 23, 1991 against Minnesota was Yankee Stadium's first and last "pink hat day," as every fan in attendance was given one. The Yankees were more prepared to play in front of 37,000 points of pastel brilliance than the eventual world champion Twins, who fell to the Bombers 11-2. Although largely forgotten, Pink Hat Day lives on in just about every baseball card set from 1992, as it seems every card company but Upper Deck had their photographers at the Stadium that day.


Scott Kamieniecki won his second major league start, improving to 2-0. He allowed six hits and two runs in 7 and2/3 innings, walking one and striking out three. After the game he learned that real big leaguers don't clean their own cleats.


Jesse Barfield had a rough day, going o-4. He made two of the three outs in the Yanks' six-run second inning, including the at-bat shown here, a fly-out to left off of Paul Abbott.


Barfield was the first batter Abbott faced in the game. Paul ended up pitching 5 and 1/3 innings, allowing four runs but striking out seven batters.


Terry Leach relieved Abbott and gave up one run on three hits in the eighth inning.


The run Leach gave up was this RBI single by Carlos Rodriguez, who replaced Barfield in the lineup as part of a double switch. Don Mattingly scored on this base hit.


Closer Steve Farr finished the game off with a scoreless ninth, striking out two Twins.