LUIGI SQUEEGEE & LEADING BY EXAMPLE: PART 2

Here’s part 2 of our interview with Luigi Squeegee, former bat boy of the New York Yankees and author of Clubhouse Confidential. 

Squeegee and I spoke last Wednesday at length about his concern for America’s youth and protecting them from the PEDs epidemic.  He’s also out there helping kids with his foundation, Squeegee’s Childrens Literacy Foundation.  A non-profit foundation dedicated to helping kids learn about the importance of education and reading.  We spoke about the foundation… check this out:

BYB: So how did you decide to do this foundation?

Luigi Squeegee: Well, my father died in 1999 of colon cancer and back then, I really wanted to do a foundation to help cancer victims, but over time, it developed into something else because there are so many foundations out there that concentrate on cancer, but when I looked around, I noticed that not as much was being done for our children.  I was noticing that kids didn’t know how to read or didn’t understand the importance of a good education.  I decided that something needed to be done in the Bronx, helping Latino and African American kids read was important to me.

I began going out and talking to kids in schools.  I would say, ‘hey, I didn’t finish high school, but I should have.’ They would often say, ‘but you work for the Yankees.’ I would remind them that I regretted not finishing school because education is important.  

BYB: Tell me the plan for Squeegee’s Childrens Literacy Foundation?

Luigi Squeegee: It’s about giving children hope.  It’s not about Ipads and computers for gaming, it's about books and reading and learning.  During Christmas, we went to Bronx PS 75 at the opening of our foundation. Actually Bronxnet covered it.   



We met with about 270 kids and handed out books, pencils, notebooks. Let me tell you,  there was nothing better than having some of those kids hugging me and thanking me. Now, eventually, I want to give iPads or Tablets to kids in schools so they can learn the how to use technology to their educational advantage and not for gaming or searching for ridiculous videos.

BYB: That’s great.

Luigi Squeegee: It is great. It feels good to help. And I can’t even take all the credit because I have tremendous support.  My mother Milagros Reyes, and my wife are helping me in this venture.  Ramiro Mendoza and Ruben Sierra have supported me with this. It’s great.

BYB: Who gave you the idea?

Luigi Squeegee: You want to know who inspired me? Derek Jeter. When I was a bat boy helping him organize his guest list for his Turn 2 Foundation events, and going to his events, I would see all these kids smiling. It really inspired me.  Jeter is generous and helps a lot of people.  Jorge Posada is very generous as well. It’s important to give back and I liked what they were doing and that’s why I’m doing it now.  I wish that the media would talk about these Yankees generosity rather than talking about steroids every day. These are important stories too. This stuff can lift us above the steroid era.

BYB: Finally, did you tell me you have another book coming out?

Luigi Squeegee: Yes, it’s a children’s book and it’s gonna be called Squeegee and the New York Crankies. I decided to call it the “Crankies”, because me being a bat boy, I literally baby sat millionaires.  You know, they are adults, but they act like kids.  Grown men get cranky.  

  
BYB: Nice, tell me more…

Luigi Squeegee: There are characters in it. For instance, there is a guy with the likeness of Bernie Williams. His character name is “Sleepy Bern”. Bernie Williams used to take short naps before he had to do live hitting, so I used to have to wake him up so and he would go out and hit fresh.  That takes a lot of talent.  There’s a character named “Perfect Cone”. 

The likeness is David Cone and the cartoon is of a guy having an ice cream cone… then he goes out and pitches a perfect game.  I just want to try and give some joy back to these kids.  If I can do that through reading, that’s a great thing.

BYB: Is the Squeegee’s Children’s Literacy Foundation website up? 

Luigi Squeegee: Almost.  We’re trying to make it perfect, we aren’t trying to be Obamacare.  Seriously though, we’re almost there. There is a Facebook fan page though. Look for Squeegee's Children's Literacy Foundation. Like it today!

Squeegee, thank you.  Thanks for taking the time and thank you for doing what you’re doing.

I hope everyone enjoyed our conversation with a guy who just wants to make a difference. 

And for anyone who missed it, read our conversation with Squeegee on ARod from the other day.  It’s SQUEEGEE TO AROD: "ADMIT TO WHAT YOU DID!"

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