Hideki Matsui And Johnny Damon To Participate In Old Timers’ Game This Season

2009 World Series MVP Hideki Matsui. Mandatory Credit: About Baseball.com

Their will be two new (old) faces in the Bronx on June 22nd. The Yankees announced that fan favorites Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon will play in the 68th Old Timers’ Game at Yankee Stadium. This will be the first time either has played in the game, and you can bet that both will be warmly welcomed by the Yankee Stadium faithful. Look for them to be joined by a few ex-teamates, and plenty of familiar faces. Former Yankees you can expect to see include Whitey Ford, Paul O’Neill, Reggie Jackson, and David Cone, among others.

The debut of the two players from the 2009 World Series Championship team will not be the only festivities that weekend. Goose Gossage will have his plaque in Monument Park unveiled on Old Timers’ Day, an honor Tino Martinez will experience a day earlier. These are two of four plaques the Yankees plan to unveil this season, with Paul O’Neill and Joe Torre being the others.

The former Yankees’ manager who won four World Series rings, will also have his number six retired this season, leaving Derek Jeter‘s number two, as the only non-retired single-digit number left.