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Read the press release here.

Yankees President Helps Fund Mass. Senator's Pro-Red Sox Ads

By Jill Colvin | April 18, 2012 9:17am
U.S. Sen. Scott Brown.
U.S. Sen. Scott Brown.
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Win McNamee/Getty Images

MANHATTAN — Yankees President Randy Levine has gone to bat for Red Sox Nation.

The Bronx Bombers' chief donated the maximum amount to Massachusetts Republican Sen. Scott Brown's re-election campaign, which has recently been running a series of ads championing the Boston Red Sox.

Levine donated $2,500 to Brown's campaign last month, the latest campaign filings show.

"Now the Yankees honcho is playing for Scott Brown’s team. What’s next, a Derek Jeter endorsement?" asked an irate Boston Herald columnist, who first reported the cash Wednesday.

In one radio spot, Brown reminisces about the first time he laid eyes on Fenway Park, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

"Go Sox!" he cheers at the end.

Thousands of fans streamed into Yankee Stadium for the 1:05 p.m. home opener against the Los Angeles Angels.
Thousands of fans streamed into Yankee Stadium for the 1:05 p.m. home opener against the Los Angeles Angels.
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DNAinfo/Patrick Wall

Brown campaign spokesman Colin Reed told the paper they welcomed the support.

“We’re happy to accept Randy Levine’s donation,” he said. “The way Scott Brown looks at it is, this is their way of paying us back for Babe Ruth.”

Levine, whom the paper described as "the embodiment of everything we hate about the Yankees," formerly served as New York City's Labor Commissioner and later, a deputy mayor in the Giuliani administration. He has been an active political donor for years.

Brown has also had help from the Yankees in the past.

His opponent in the 2010 election, Martha Coakley, made a notorious gaffe when she dissed former Red Sox star pitcher Curt Schilling, who had endorsed Brown, by calling him a Yankee fan.

The pitcher used the accusation to question how in touch Coakley was with the state.