New York Sports.

New York is the home of some of the most famous arenas in the world and I was keen to visit them.

First of all it was a trip to the Yankee Stadium in the Bronx to see the New York Yankees host the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NBL. I had only ever seen one game of baseball so I was excited to attend.

The Diamondbacks prevailed by 6 to 0. It was not a compelling contest. The game was played during a tropical storm, consequently the crowd was paltry and the atmosphere was mundane.

Never mind.

Next, it was an evening at Madison Square Gardens, perhaps the most prestigious indoor arena of them all. Many famous events have taken place here including Marilyn Monroe singing to President Kennedy and the titanic clash between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali in 1971.

I enjoyed a preseason NHL game between the New York Rangers and local rivals the New York Islanders. Ice Hockey never lets you down and it always provides great entertainment. The game ended 4 to 2 to the Rangers. Apart from the thrills on the ice the evenings events included “Dancing Dave” as well as “Tee Shirt Toss”. It was fun for all of the family.

Finally it was 2 nights at the Met Life Stadium in New Jersey to watch a brace of NFL games.

Along with Taylor Swift, I saw the New York Jets challenge the superbowl winning Kansas City Chiefs. It was a great thrill to watch the Chiefs star quarter back, Patrick Mahomes. Patrick has recently negotiated a cost of living bustin’ pay rise and he is reported to earn almost $60 million in 2023.

The Jets put up a great fight, encouraged by an energetic crowd and they almost took the game. However, the Chiefs held on for a 23 to 20 victory in a belter of a battle.

The following evening it was the turn of the New York Giants to welcome the Seattle Seahawks.

The Giants were brought down to size by the Seahawks who cruised to a comfortable win by 24 to 3. The Giants offence could not crack the Seahawks defence. Indeed,Daniel Jones, the Giants quarter back, was sacked a record equalling 10 times during the game.

That is not a record for New York to be proud of.

Come on Cas !

You can chose your friends but you can’t chose your rugby team.

Sometime, during the early months of 1961, my father took me “down the lane”, to watch my first game of rugby. He took me to see Castleford play Hull Kingston Rovers. My memories of the occasion are scant but I do remember that Castleford won the game and that Harry Poole played for Hull K.R. and Alan Hardisty played for Castleford.

Alan developed into the finest player to ever represent Castleford, and he had a memorable career. However, more importantly, his dad worked at the ground on match days and he allowed me to sit in the main stand for nowt.

Since that day I have been a fan. I have fond memories of catching the bus from Preston Corner to Castleford, where first of all my father would take me to the local pet shop to see a chimpanzee that resided there. Then it was a walk along Wheldon Road, stopping to buy sweets at a corner shop and then onto the game.

Unlike many arenas, Castleford’s stadium has not changed much over the past 50 years or so, although it was renamed ” The Jungle”. If Doctor Who ever paid a visit the Doctor would think that the Tardis had landed here before.

For several weeks I had been looking forward to going to see Castleford Tigers host the new world champions, St. Helens. I was not alone. A crowd of around 10 000 squeezed into the Jungle, including many who had travelled across the Pennines to support “The Saints”.

Rugby League is relentlessly rough and brutal sport. It takes a lot of courage to play the game. The Tigers played tough and started brightly but it was the Saints who roared into a lead and went on to win the contest.

The Tigers were left to lick their wounds, leaving their fans to wander back to their homes, downcast and crestfallen.

Oh well, never mind. It’s Wigan next. We’ll give them a mauling.