Breaking Down the History of New York Yankees’ Iconic Roll Call Tradition

With 27 World Championship titles, the New York Yankees stand as the greatest and most storied sporting franchise in the history of Major League sports across North America, and probably across the world as well. Naturally, with such a glorious history, the Yankees cater to an enormous, but sometimes loud fanbase.

The Bleacher Creatures are exactly that, who presently occupy Section 203 in the historic Bronx, and chant the traditional Yankees roll call during every Pinstripes home game. But what is this roll call that every Yankee wants to hear when they step into the Bronx? Scroll through this article to find out everything about the iconic Yankees roll call.

What is the Yankees Roll Call?

The Yankees Roll Call is a tradition that takes place during home games at Yankee Stadium in the Big Apple. The roll call is a chant led by the Bleacher Creatures, a group of die-hard Yankees fans who usually occupy the right-field bleachers.

The Roll Call typically starts with the Creatures chanting the name of the Yankees’ starting shortstop, followed by the names of the other players in the starting lineup, one by one. As each player’s name is called, they will typically acknowledge the Bleacher Creatures with a wave or a gesture.

How did the Yankees roll call begin?

The exact origin of the Yankees’ Roll Call is not entirely clear, but it is believed to have started in the late 1990s, possibly in 1996. The Bleacher Creatures had a tradition of bantering with Yankees right fielders and center fielder Bernie Williams for years prior to this.

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But the Roll Call as we know it today, began when a fan named John Zenes, also known as “Megaphone John,” shouted the name of first baseman Tino Martinez during an MLB game. To Zenes’ surprise, Martinez turned and acknowledged the fans with a wave of his glove, and the tradition of the Roll Call grew from there.

What section are the Bleacher Creatures at Yankee Stadium?

The Bleacher Creatures inhabit Section 203 of the ballpark, which is in the right-center field area. In 2009, the original Yankee Stadium moved across East 161st Street. Naturally, the Bleacher Creatures had to move with the Yankee Stadium and had to give up their original Section 39. However, the Bronx Bombers front office had to shift the Bleachers Creatures, in order to maintain tradition.

That being said, the most difficult moment to pull off a roll call is when the Yankees get hit for a homer in the first innings of the game. This is what happened in Jeter’s last home game when Hiroki Kuroda conceded a homer on the first pitch of the game. However, the Yanks came back strong, and Derek Jeter concluded his career in the most Jeter-like way. A clutch, walk-off single to win the game 6-5.

Yankee fan favorites with the roll call

Undoubtedly, the Bleacher Creatures are noisy but proud, and with the backing of a powerful team like the Yanks, they create an atmosphere in Yankee Stadium, which gives the Bronx Bombers a massive home stadium advantage, like no other team in the big leagues.

Back in 2021, when the stadiums were emptied due to the pandemic, the Pinstripes on the field missed the Bleacher Creatures, which was visible through Aaron Judge’s heel spin pointing toward Section 203, before Brett Gardner dropped to his knees and flexed his muscle before the empty bleachers.

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What are your thoughts on the iconic Yankees roll call? Are you going to visit the Bronx to scream “AAR-ON JUDGE?” Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!