Editing Billy Crystal (section)

=== Sports ===
On March 12, 2008, Crystal signed a one-day minor league contract to play with the [[New York Yankees]], and he was invited to the team's major league spring training. Crystal wore uniform number 60 in honor of his upcoming 60th birthday.<ref>{{cite news | title = Billy Crystal to sign contract with Yankees | url = https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=ApQysfnqvYEYnzAzS7waMwc5nYcB?slug=ap-yankees-crystal&prov=ap&type=lgns | archive-url = https://archive.today/20080316062725/http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=ApQysfnqvYEYnzAzS7waMwc5nYcB?slug=ap-yankees-crystal&prov=ap&type=lgns | url-status = dead | archive-date = March 16, 2008 | publisher = Yahoo | date = March 10, 2008 | access-date = September 8, 2014 }}</ref> On March 13, in a spring training game against the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]], Crystal led off as the [[designated hitter]]. He managed to make contact, fouling a [[fastball]] up the [[first base]] line, but was eventually struck out by Pirates pitcher [[Paul Maholm]] on six pitches and was later replaced in the batting order by [[Johnny Damon]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Chris Girandola |url=http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080313&content_id=2423946&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy |title=Crystal strikes out in only at-bat |publisher=Major League Baseball |access-date=May 4, 2012 |archive-date=February 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212221419/http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080313&content_id=2423946&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyy |url-status=dead }}</ref> Crystal was released on March 14, his 60th birthday.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/23566549/ |title=Yankees release Billy Crystal on 60th birthday – Baseball |publisher=MSNBC |date=March 14, 2008 |access-date=November 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081026105558/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/23566549/ |archive-date=October 26, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Crystal's boyhood idol was Yankee Hall of Fame legend [[Mickey Mantle]], who had signed a program for him when Crystal attended a game where Mantle had hit a home run. Years later on ''[[The Dinah Shore Show]]'', in one of his first television appearances, Crystal met Mantle in person and had Mantle re-sign the same program. Crystal would be good friends with Mantle until Mantle's death in 1995. He and [[Bob Costas]] together wrote the eulogy Costas read at Mantle's funeral, and [[George Steinbrenner]] then invited Crystal to emcee the unveiling of Mantle's monument at [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]]. In his 2013 memoir ''Still Foolin' 'Em'', Crystal said that after the ceremony, near the Yankees clubhouse, he was punched in the stomach by [[Joe DiMaggio]], who was angry at Crystal for not having introduced him to the crowd as the "Greatest living player."{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

Crystal also was well known for his impressions of Yankees Hall of Famer turned broadcaster [[Phil Rizzuto]]. Rizzuto, known for his quirks calling games, did not travel to [[Anaheim, California]] in 1996 to call the game for [[WPIX]]. Instead, Crystal joined the broadcasters in the booth and pretended to be Rizzuto for a few minutes during the August 31 game.

Although a lifelong Yankees fan,<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/sports/baseball/19crystal.html | work=The New York Times | title=Feeling Lonely Behind the Facade | first=Billy | last=Crystal | date=April 19, 2009 | access-date=March 26, 2010}}</ref> he is a part-owner of the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]], even earning a [[World Series ring]] in 2001 when the Diamondbacks beat his beloved Yankees.<ref>{{cite news |title=Billy Crystal Strikes Out in New Career |publisher=The Insider |url=http://www.theinsider.com/news/727182_Billy_Crystal_Strikes_Out_in_New_Career |date=March 14, 2008 |access-date=December 6, 2009 }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In ''City Slickers'', Crystal wore a [[New York Mets]] [[baseball cap]]. In the 1986 film ''[[Running Scared (1986 film)|Running Scared]]'', his character is an avid [[Chicago Cubs]] fan, wearing a Cubs' jersey in several scenes. In the 2012 film ''[[Parental Guidance (film)|Parental Guidance]]'', Crystal's character is the announcer for the [[Fresno Grizzlies]], a [[Minor League Baseball]] team, who aspires to announce for their [[Major League Baseball|Major League affiliate]], the [[San Francisco Giants]].

Crystal appeared in [[Ken Burns]]'s 1994 documentary ''[[Baseball (TV series)|Baseball]]'', telling personal stories about his life-long love of baseball, including meeting [[Casey Stengel]] as a child and [[Ted Williams]] as an adult.

Crystal is also a longtime [[Los Angeles Clippers]] fan and season ticket holder.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2012-12-26/billy-crystal-jamal-crawford-crossover-dribble-christmas-la-clippers-nuggets|title=Billy Crystal loves the Clippers, and Jamal Crawford's dribbling|work=Sporting News|access-date=November 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121143528/http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/story/2012-12-26/billy-crystal-jamal-crawford-crossover-dribble-christmas-la-clippers-nuggets|archive-date=January 21, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>