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<p>NEW YORK &#8212; The verdict is in: Rookie slugger Aaron Judge is getting his own rooting section at Yankee Stadium.</p><p>Now in session, The Judge&#8217;s Chambers.</p><p>Framed by faux wood paneling, covering three rows and fashioned to fit 18 fans wearing black judicial robes with the Yankees&#8217; logo on the front and his No. 99 on the back, this court opened on Monday night.</p><p>New York hosting Kansas City was first on the docket. Looking like a jury box, ballpark style, with proper lettering on a sign at the back of Section 104, just behind where he plays right field.</p><p>Judge leads the majors with 15 home runs, most of them hit very far and very hard. Huge at 6-foot-7, he was humbled when the team approached him with the concept. After all, this is a tradition-laden franchise that doesn&#8217;t often do things to single out players, even Bronx Bombers.</p><p>&#8220;I was shocked, you know. I was surprised,&#8221; Judge said. &#8220;I think it&#8217;s going to be a pretty cool idea that the fans will like. It will be something the fans I really think will enjoy.&#8221;</p><p>Unlike the King&#8217;s Court in Seattle for ace Felix Hernandez or the Mannywood area that once developed at Dodger Stadium for Manny Ramirez, people won&#8217;t be able to buy tickets in The Judge&#8217;s Chambers.</p><p>Instead, a cross-section of fans will be chosen to sit there. At first, those wearing Judge jerseys and T-shirts inside the stadium likely will get picked, along with their families.</p><p>The plan is to branch out for community groups, charity organizations, Little Leagues, schools, hospitals and others to occupy the space.</p><p>Who knows, maybe someday even a real judge will preside. In 2012, Bronx-born U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor sat with the Bleacher Creatures for their noted &#8220;Roll Call&#8221; before a game.</p><p>Those selected for this section with get Styrofoam gavels &#8212; stamped with &#8220;All Rise!&#8221;&#8212; to tap against the bench, along with other mementoes to keep. The robes, those stay.</p><p>Zach Venezio and Sophie Topouzoglou had seats near the Royals&#8217; dugout. But they gladly moved into the newly created spot when presented the opportunity to sit 20 rows behind Judge.</p><p>&#8220;I was on board right away,&#8221; Venezio said. &#8220;This is awesome. I even wore my Aaron Judge shirt out here tonight. I love the way he plays.&#8221;</p><p>Judge acknowledged his cheering section when he took the field before the top of the first inning, and lobbed a ball in that direction after warming up.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s exciting, that&#8217;s all I can really say,&#8221; Judge said. &#8220;All the off-the-field stuff, the promotions, they&#8217;re great. But I&#8217;ve still got a job to do on the field. If I&#8217;m not doing my job on the field, all this other stuff wouldn&#8217;t be happening.&#8221;</p><p>The Yankees started to think about a section for Judge in spring training. His success on the diamond and his interaction with fans &#8212; he likes to play catch with kids in the stands &#8212; made this an easy decision for the club.</p><p>&#8220;Aaron&#8217;s a unique and engaging player and The Judge&#8217;s Chambers is a reflection of that,&#8221; Yankees spokesman Jason Zillo said.</p><p>As Judge&#8217;s production increased, so did his popularity.</p><p>The Yankees took to punctuating his home runs with the distinctive thump-thump from &#8220;Law &amp; Order.&#8221; Earlier this month, a group of friends showed up in the right field seats wearing black robes and judicial wigs.</p><p>Like the Wolf Pack that howled for pitcher Randy Wolf in Philly or Sheff&#8217;s Chefs who wore their hats for Gary Sheffield in Atlanta or the Coneheads way back at Shea Stadium, the crowds drove this move.</p><p>&#8220;It was the fans&#8217; enthusiasm over the last few months that allowed us to act upon this idea,&#8221; Zillo said.</p><p>The section was built last week while the Yankees were on the road.</p><p>And if all goes well down the road, maybe Judge might sport a judicial robe himself.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;d have to be extra tall, I think,&#8221; he said, smiling. &#8220;They&#8217;d have to find an extra tall one.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;I might have to. One of these days, you might get me into one. We&#8217;ll see,&#8221; he said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">The rooting section for New York Yankees rookie Aaron Judge is viewed at Yankee Stadium in New York. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_116716009-682bb972b802450185a73ac91bd15290.jpg</photo0><caption0>The rooting section for New York Yankees rookie Aaron Judge is viewed at Yankee Stadium in New York. </caption0><photoCredit0>Ben Walker | AP photo </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_116716009-3e2c0524b38a4649bce3a6c7547b0a95.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The rooting section for New York Yankees rookie Aaron Judge is viewed at Yankee Stadium in New York. Looking like a jury box and known as The Judge&#8217;s Chambers, the section is just behind where Judge plays right field. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_116716009-3e2c0524b38a4649bce3a6c7547b0a95.jpg</photo1><caption1>The rooting section for New York Yankees rookie Aaron Judge is viewed at Yankee Stadium in New York. Looking like a jury box and known as The Judge&#8217;s Chambers, the section is just behind where Judge plays right field. </caption1><photoCredit1>Ben Walker | AP photo </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By BEN WALKER</p><p>AP Baseball Writer</p></bylineMeta></div>

All Rise! The Judge’s Chambers, in session at Yankee Stadium