Yankees Social Media: HOPE Week 2023

This week, we focus on the Yankees’ work in the community.

It’s Sunday once again, and you know what that means — it’s time for our weekly social media roundup! On the field, the last week has been a rough one for the Yankees, who had two of their biggest wins of the season before a brutal three-game losing streak at the tail end of the week. Off the field, however, this was, in my opinion, the best week of the season: HOPE Week. Even outside the Yankees’ official events, members of the Yankees community engaged in activism and volunteer work this week, raising money and spreading awareness for causes near and dear to their hearts.

HOPE Week, Day 1: Damar Hamlin, Sarah Taffet, & CPR Training

On January 2nd of this year, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after making a tackle, the result of an episode of commotio cordis. Paramedics performing CPR and using AEDs (automated external defibrillation) were able to restart his heart on the field, and he has since made a full recovery.

Since that day, Hamlin has used his experience to promote CPR awareness. To kicick off HOPE Week this year, the Yankees held a CPR training class and invited not only Damar Hamlin, but also Sarah Taffet, a former Fordham University softball player who also underwent cardiac arrest on the field, to the Stadium.

HOPE Week, Day 2: Sarah Langs & ALS Awareness

Eighty-four years after Lou Gehrig called himself the “luckiest man on the face of the earth,” the New York Yankees honored Sarah Langs, a writer and researcher at MLB.com who revealed last October that she was diagnosed with ALS, and six other women suffering from the disease. Since her diagnosis, Langs has used her platform to revitalize attention in ALS awareness and research, which has been chronically underfunded over the years.

HOPE WEEK, Day 3: Hinchliffe Stadium

On the third day of HOPE Week, members of the Yankees held a baseball clinic for local youth teams at the historic Negro League ballpark Hinchliffe Stadium. Refurbished in the last few years after being vacant since 1996, Hinchliffe is the new home of the New Jersey Jackals independent league team and will continue to serve local youth and high school sports teams.

HOPE Week, Day 4: Dancing Dreams

Thursday saw Aaron Boone, Harrison Bader, Domingo Germán, Albert Abreu, and Wandy Peralta visit the Dancing Dreams studio in Queens, working with dancers with physical or medical challenges. Founded in 2002, the organization strives to ensure that everybody can enjoy the world of dance.

HOPE Week, Day 5: Street Lab

To cap off HOPE Week, Giancarlo Stanton, DJ LeMahieu, Jose Trevino, Clay Holmes, Clarke Schmidt, Oswaldo Cabrera, Billy McKinney, Ron Marinaccio, Ian Hamilton, Nick Ramirez and Luis Rojas surprised children at a “pop up program” run by Street Lab at Jennings Street and Prospect Avenue. Over the course of the day, they played basketball, baseball, soccer, and hockey.

Anthony Rizzo Foundation Auction

In between Carlos Rodón’s Yankees debut and the offense failing to score off old friend Jameson Taillon, the YES Network broadcast highlighted The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation, showcasing items available to bid on as part of their annual Swing For the Fences fundraiser auction. The proceeds for the auction go towards helping families fighting cancer.

Kyle Higashioka & the Special Operations Warrior Foundation

Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka, meanwhile, highlighted the Special Operations Warrior Foundation auction. The organization aids the families and children of American Spec Ops soldiers killed in the line of duty.

Happy Birthday to the Sevy Kids

We wish a happy birthday to Luis Severino’s children this week.

Tommy Tightpants and Giancarlo “Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson” Stanton

Ever since spring training, the Yankees social media accounts have occasionally come out with “This is Yankees Baseball” videos in the vein of the old “This is SportsCenter” commercials. While there have been some great ones so far, such as Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo eating Captain Crunch and spaghetti, I think this one starring Tommy Kahnle takes the cake.