Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- With the Red Sox and Yankees battling it out at Fenway Park, baseball rivalries on Smith Hill are running just as hot.

Not to be outdone by Boston fans, Yankee devotees, led by Cranston Rep. Charlene Lima, have submitted legislation that would create New York Yankee license plates for Rhode Island drivers.

The new proposal comes just a week after House lawmakers okayed plans to create Red Sox and Patriots license plates. Those bills now await Senate approval before becoming law.

In a state with divided loyalties, "fair is fair," Lima said.

"Think how much money this could bring into Rhode Island. You'll have Red Sox people out there getting plates and the Yankee people are going to try to outdo them," she said.

Like the Boston tags, half of the roughly $41.50 annual fee for the Yankee plates would go to charity, in this case the New York Yankees Universe Fund, which benefits Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

If approved, the Red Sox editions will benefit the Jimmy Fund, the fundraising arm of Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, while the Patriots versions will help the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation's education programs in Rhode Island.

Should the laws pass, all sports plates would be available through the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

Then the decades-old rivalry will hit the road. Look out.

 Tags  Red Sox RI

Comments

Jonathan Donkey said:

Why not just allow every sports team, that way we can get even more types of plates on the road. Yankees have NO affiliation to RI other then playing our local team - this is a farce and typical of RI politics in "well I want this." I can see the vandalism now from some inconsiderate "fans."

Link | June 11, 2009 8:32 AM
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Jack said:

How bout working on the affordable housing, tax, and mortgage crisis?? I can barely afford food and housing, just like the others mentioned in the Pawtucket tax increase article.

Link | June 11, 2009 9:28 AM
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