WHY I APPRECIATE MY FATHER

My Father took me to my first Yankee game ever. It was a 1981 World Series game. We sat in the Mezzanine section at Yankee Stadium. My father taught me responsibility, hard work and dedication brings progress and success. My father taught me kindness but at the same time, standing up for yourself. My father also, taught me baseball.

As a kid playing in little league, I'm not going to lie, I sucked. I was never able to get on base and I had absolutely no confidence whatsoever. But my father was the one who told me to not give up and to always try again. I remember thinking "Why am I going to try again, I'm not even good." Yes, I loved the game of baseball, but I just couldn't do it.

I remember my dad taking my to a huge field down the street where we grew up; we must have went down there 3 times a week and all the while, he'd pitch to me, we'd play catch and then something happened.... I started to hit back. I started to catch... I started to get better.

I remember being a kid in what was called the "Majors" of our little league. At at this time in my life, I was 11 years old. I remember my dad being in the stands every game and if he was late because of work, I would see him by the right field foul pole in his suit usually showing up in the 3rd inning. I remember when I bunted for the first time and got on base and seeing my dad do a fist pump. I remember stealing a base and I was feeling pretty good.

I remember playing shortstop as a lefty for the first time. It was a position I always wanted to play and a position he helped me learn for weeks at that big field. I remember when the coach was convinced I could do it. Most of all, I remember that ground ball coming from the batter to me that day when I played shortstop. I remember it was slow motion but the ball was coming my way. I remember scooping it up, touching second base for the force and throwing a bulls eye to first to complete the double play. I remember... I learned that from my dad.

There are a lot of things that happens in ones life to make it go really really fast. You advance in a job, you move to another home and you have children, but luckily for me, my father was there for all of it. He's always guided me and he's helped me now guide my boys, as a father myself. He gives advice and now, as I get older, I take that advice and also break his balls alittle. But the most important thing in life is he's here and he's always been there.

I mentioned this in an earlier post titled WHY JETER IS EPIC FOR 1 REASON and in it, I talked about Jeter and a good family upbringing. I am happy to say I have a great family as well, my mom is incredible too. They are supportive, loving and always there. But most importantly, those traits carried over.

When my son hit a double a few weeks back and knocked 2 runs in to give his team the lead, I wrote that my son and I had a moment. The whole world stood still, but I remember his eyes and I remember his look, stoic yet proud. He was saying Thank you. The reason why that was so important to me is because it brings be back to my little league double play. I remember running into the dugout, but I remember catching eyes with my dad. We had that same moment... I was saying Thank you. I came full circle.

Happy Father's Day to the most incredible guy I've ever known. I may break your balls, but I couldn't do any of this without you. Now learn how a computer works and check out Bleeding Yankee Blue, won't ya?

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