What was once lost, has now been found. We’re talking about the video of my assignment nearly 17 years ago: my very first World Series. I recently found the tape, and you’ll see it this Sunday in our Face the State Flashback.

WFSB photographer Brian Elba and I got the assignment to head down to Yankee Stadium to cover Game 6 of the 1996 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves.   The Yankees led the series 3-2, and if they won, it would be a huge story.   Channel 3 needed to be there.

Brian is a Brooklyn-bred Yankees fan so this was the ultimate assignment for him, but for me, a Red Sox fan, it was bittersweet.   Obviously, it was a great assignment any reporter would want,  yet would be an even bigger story if the dreaded Yankees won.

The Yankees did win, and the celebration on the field was ridiculous.   We were waiting in the media area near the dugout and as soon the game was over we sprinted up the stairs onto the field with our CBS crew running the cables so we could report live right near the first base line.    We were “good to go” in a few minutes just in the time for the 11PM news.

The clip you’ll see was anchored by Joe Tessitore, our sports director for much of the latter parts of the 90s, who is now at ESPN. At times, I seem a bit breathless and amazed by the frenetic scene that surrounded me.

The noise was incredible.  Fans cheering and music blaring over the loudspeakers, yet we pulled off our live reports.   The high moment of the night was when Wade Boggs trotted by us on an NYPD horse, as we beamed the images back to our viewers in Connecticut. When you see it Sunday, you’ll have to admit, it was a pretty cool moment in local television.

My next World Series was eight years later at Fenway Park, as a spectator, with my brother.  That was much more fun.

Watch the clip right here: http://www.wfsb.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8951077

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