Yankee Fans Celebrate in the Canyon of Champions

An old tradition renewed itself today as Lower Manhattan hosted the newest Baseball World Champion New York Yankees through the Canyon of Champions.

What use to be referred to as a ticker tape parade hasn’t happened there since 2000. The parade route began at Battery Hill Park and concluded at City Hall Park where newly re-elected New York Mayor Michael BloombergMichael Bloomberg gave the key to the city.

The Yankee ousted the Philadelphia Phillies in a thrilling World Series Game 6 Wednesday, besting the contingent from the city of brotherly love 4 games to 2.

The nine year hiatus was expected to draw between 500,000 and 1 million spectators, according the Mayor’s office.

The cast of Broadway hit “Jersey Boys” was scheduled to perform this afternoon for the crowd.

Celebrities and common people alike joined the team through their right of passage as paper offering fluttered from windows that could be opened.

Some even attended on behalf of others

Christopher Gregorio, 23, a student who lives in Pennsylvania, made the trip on behalf of his grandmother Connie, who passed away during the All-Star Game Break and a “huge” Yankees fan.

“She would have loved to have been here,” Gregorio told a reporter from the NY Times. “She waited nine years for this. But since she passed, every time they were down we’d ask her for one more run. And she did it.”

Post Series Notes:

The Yankees’ Game 6 win averaged 22.3 million viewers, the second most of the series; 40-year-old Mariano RiveraMariano Rivera says he wants to pitch five more years; Derek JeterDerek Jeter jostled (in fun) with David LettermanDavid Letterman. There's bound to be a youtube version by now. Letterman asked if he was hung over. Jeter responded: "Probably not as bad as you." Letterman took a stab at who he was dating or whether Jeter was engaged. Jeter responded: "Are you?" If you find the clip, let me know.