Stars out for World Series Game 1, First Lady Michelle Obama biggest star of all

By AP
Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Stars out for Yankees-Phillies World Series Game 1

NEW YORK — Kate Hudson and Minka Kelly gave their boyfriends’ World Series opener some sparkle.

Hudson was sitting next to her stepfather, Kurt Russell, star of cult classic “Escape from New York,” to cheer on Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez and Kelly, of “Friday Night Lights,” was in captain Derek Jeter’s suite as New York and the Philadelphia Phillies played Game 1 on Wednesday night.

Alec Baldwin, Matthew McConaughey, NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon, former New York Rangers captain Mark Messier, ex-Homeland Security head Tom Ridge and movie directors Spike Lee and Steven Spielberg were also spotted in the high-priced seats near home plate for the Yankees first Series game in six years. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was in his front row seat next to the Yankees dugout along the first-base line.

Giuliani, a fixture at Yankees games since the championship run during the 1990s, knows why a baseball game in the Bronx brings out the boldface names.

“New York’s the capital of the world,” Giuliani told The Associated Press while standing on the field before the game.

The performance of hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and fellow New Yorker Alicia Keys, singing his hit “Empire State of Mind,” was postponed because of poor weather. The message shown on the 100-foot video board drew a loud chorus of boos.

The duo will sing before Game 2 on Thursday night.

Playing the first Fall Classic in the $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium brought out the Hollywood celebrities that take a sporting event into the style pages, but the biggest fuss was made for first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, the wife of vice president, who participated in the pregame ceremonies to honor U.S. war veterans.

Secret Service agents set up metal detectors for the fans entering the deluxe Legends Suite entrance, snipers were posted on top of the video board in center field and trench-coat clad servicemen lined the front rows during warmups. Officers wearing bulletproof vests led bomb-sniffing dogs through the seats near the Phillies dugout before fans were let into the stadium.

The early rain and chilly weather kept the stars off the field during the pregame workout. In years past, Lee, Alyssa Milano and Russell have mingled with the players and league officials during the pregame workouts.

The last time the Yankees won the World Series, Russell wore a Mets jersey during the 2000 Subway Series. This year, he has been seen wearing a Yankees jersey, likely to show support for Hudson’s boyfriend.

(This version CORRECTS style on Jay-Z, first lady).)

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