A Broken Bat
Hello fellow baseball fans! My name is Jonna, but you may know me as JP_YankeesGirl over on X. My username is @90syankskid, and that tells you about everything there is to know about me. I grew up in the 90’s, and was born to a diehard Yankee fan, my dad, who grew up checking out books from his elementary library about the Mantle and Maris chase, and later came up through high school when Bucky Dent reversed the curse.
I grew up in a small town between Denver and Kansas City, so my family made every effort to catch the Yankees whenever they were within driving distance. My very first game was actually when I was just six months old at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, though I don’t count that as my first. Technically, my first game was in-utero at the old Astrodome. I must've been hooked then when I could hear the excitement from my older brother’s big catch―a ball from Rickey Henderson!
Growing up in a Yankees household during the '90s—especially during their dynasty years—was an experience that turned me into a lifelong fan. But the moment that truly sealed the deal for me came when I was just six years old, one year before the dynasty began.
Fast forward to one of my earliest vivid memories of being at a game. The ground had just broke at Coors Field. It was a brisk overcast day in Denver, Colorado―April 2, 1995, to be exact. The 1995 season had been delayed due to the strike. The Colorado Rockies were welcoming fans to their new stadium for the first time for two exhibition games against the New York Yankees. This was the first game played at Coors Field. Buck Showalter, who was in his final season as the Yankees’ manager, handed me Spike Owens’ broken bat during batting practice. I walked away that day not only with a broken bat, but also a ball that was later tossed to me by a bullpen coach.
That bat quickly became a show-and-tell favorite at school, and during the ‘90s playoff games, it served as my lucky charm. Owens’ broken bat witnessed countless magical moments throughout the Yankees’ dynasty of the ‘90s. But more than that, it instilled a loyalty in me that goes beyond fandom—it’s woven into my very being. I’m a fan for life.
Throughout my elementary years, I found countless ways to make the Yankees a core part of my identity: the aforementioned show-and-tell item on repeat, a Don Mattingly (mustache and all) Halloween costume, my very first research paper in keyboarding class on…you guessed it…a Bernie Williams autobiography, a Thanksgiving craft that mentioned the Yankees, Derek Jeter, and Bernie Williams as things I was thankful for, several journal entries, among so many other things. That love for the Yankees continued into high school, where I managed to work them into several art projects. And when it came time for my senior pictures, there was no question—my Yankees hat had to make an appearance.
While my loyalty to the Yankees runs deep, my love and admiration for baseball as a whole has always been just as strong. In 2021, I had the incredible opportunity to volunteer for MLB All-Star Week in Denver. Sitting at the MLB Draft and witnessing young players live out their dreams as they were selected by their first professional teams was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that reshaped the course of my career.
That moment ignited my drive to immerse myself in the sport even further. In the fall of 2022, I took on the role of Lead Yankees Writer and Baseball Content Lead for Jersey Sporting News (now On New Jersey Sports), where I cover not only the Yankees but also the Mets, Phillies, and their affiliate teams. Through this role, I’ve been fortunate to cover the College World Series in 2023 and 2024, including interviews with rising stars like Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews just two weeks before they were drafted.
In February 2023, I launched Babe’s Babes Media (formerly Babe’s Babes Podcast), a platform dedicated to covering the game through the lens of women in baseball. This journey has led to incredible conversations and friendships with amazing guests, from one of the original kids from The Sandlot to the Cubs’ organist, an official tour guide from Fenway Park, the Executive Director of Rickwood Field, and Veronica Alvarez, among many others.
Most recently, I created Reliving Rosenblatt on Instagram, a page dedicated to celebrating the rich history of the College World Series. This journey continues to evolve, and I’m excited to see where it takes me next!
As I look back on my journey from a young fan with a broken bat to where I am today, I’m reminded of how deeply baseball has shaped my life. From my earliest days at Kauffman Stadium to the excitement of volunteering for the MLB All-Star Week, my passion for the game has only grown stronger. Now, as a writer, podcaster, and content creator, I’ve been fortunate to combine my love for the Yankees and the sport of baseball with my career. Whether I’m covering the College World Series or shining a light on women in baseball, I’m grateful for every opportunity to share the game with others and connect with fellow fans. Baseball isn’t just a sport to me—it’s a lifelong journey, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me next. Thank you for joining me on this adventure, and here's to many more seasons of baseball, memories, and, of course, the Yankees!