STEINER & BYB: MAKING PEOPLE HAPPY

Last night was an event sponsored by Steiner Sports and endorsed by Bleeding Yankee Blue.  We even had a little deal going with Steiner and they allowed us to give the Bleeding Yankee Blue audience $20 off their ticket to attend an event staring Mariano Rivera and Alex Rodriguez. 

It was called Reflections on Business and Baseball. Of course, #BYB represented showing up early and ready for anything:

@KingAgamemnon and I at the @steinersports event with @AROD and @MarianoRivera @BleednYankeeBlu #BYBWriters pic.twitter.com/RtnRipSgbP

— E Morales (@e_morales1804) November 6, 2015

But not only that, plenty of Bleeding Yankee Blue readers took advantage of the ticket cost and darted over to see Alex and Mariano speak.  Steiner Sports and Brandon always do a bang up job.  They are professionals.  They have access to these players and they not only show them off, but they talk to them about leadership, in front of many fans who really want to find out what's in their heads.

We all know about Mariano Rivera.  The man has been a class act since the day he came up through the Yankee system. But many are only now seeing the true personality of Alex Rodriguez.  He was in the booth in the post season and he was fun.  He looks happy.  He looks like he's matured.  After a fantastic comeback season with the Yankees he looks relaxed... it's nice to see... and this is coming from a guy that was never a real Alex fan.

Ike Dimitriadis, a BYB senior writer was there at the Steiner event last night, and he wrote this on Facebook:

"Funny that I was at an event tonight with Alex Rodriguez exactly one year after this was published and shared. It still resonates."

This was the story he was talking about. It was AROD'S SIN ISN'T THE PROBLEM, IT'S AROD HIMSELF and I wrote it a year ago. Here's a portion:

"It’s finally crystal clear to me.  It’s not about his sins… it’s about him. He's the most hated man in America who virtually did the same thing as the many I’ve listed, and in some cases, not as bad.  But it doesn’t matter. ARod’s the bad guy.  ARod will never be forgiven. 

The others? Yup.. they’re free from judgement.  

Not Alex. He's the worst and it makes no damn sense." 

Irony at it's best. That's because all those "haters" are no longer haters... they are forgivers of Alex because Alex did well last season. Last night it was a packed house... some of our readers thanked me publicly.

Thanks @BleednYankeeBlu! @steinersports pic.twitter.com/QSDgYFNDA9

— Joanie Giammarino (@Joangyankee) November 6, 2015

I couldn't be happier, not only for Alex but for the fans. In the end, Steiner put together a terrific show.  Fans showed up to get a glimpse and fans were happy.  BYB fans were happy for the discount, and in the end, that makes me happy.

Bleeding Yankee Blue started out as a Yankee site.  5 years later we're about family, baseball, life and the Yankees.  We love how we evolved and if there are any opportunities like this in the future, there is no question, we will bring them to you.

I tip my cap personally to Brandon Steiner.  He's a stand up guy, a hard worker and a tremendous person.  Good work. You make alot of fans happy! We appreciate it very much!

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store! Follow me on Twitter@BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook! Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!

AROD & STEINER TEAM UP FOR SOMETHING GREAT!

I love stories that really make me smile. While the world of baseball continues on without our Yankees for the next few weeks, those stories are far and few in between. A few days ago though, I found a really good one.

I came across this really awesome video on Brandon Steiner's Facebook page. 11-year-old Jason is battling cancer. Steiner and Alex Rodriguez teamed up to do something great for this young man.

Young Kid with Cancer Surprised by Alex Rodriguez with Epic Ya...
I helped Alex Rodriguez surprise a young boy battling cancer with an unforgettable New York Yankees experience.
Posted by Brandon Steiner on Thursday, October 15, 2015

I love these stories. We get so caught up in our day to day routine sometimes that we forget that the world is a hell of a lot larger than us. We forget that people can, and do, do great things for others. Not for the praise or for what other people can offer in return. Sometimes it really is just about making other people happy. It really can be that simple.

Steiner and ARod completely knock this day out of the park for this young man. And a beautiful smile lit up his face as he met ARod, and every other Yankee in the clubhouse. Truly a fantastic thing for him. 

Hey, Jason! If you come across this, BYB is rooting for you buddy! Fight on, little warrior! 

--Erica Morales BYB Senior Writer 

Twitter: @e_morales1804




You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!

DEREK JETER, BRANDON STEINER & BEING COMPETITIVE

Steiner Sports God, Brandon Steiner had a podcast and had a chance to chat with Derek Jeter.  The best part in my opinion is when Jeter chatted about how competitive he was.  I love these quotes and I wanted to bring them to you.  This is the Captain in his own words ladies and gentlemen.  This is the guy we watch lead out team out every day and have appreciated for all these years...

Jeter says: “I think there’s something wrong with me – I like to win in everything I do, regardless of what it is... “You wanna race down the street, I want to beat you.  If we’re playing checkers, I want to win.  I could be playing my grandmother, and I want to win.  I have a competition problem.”

The full podcast, which was recorded back on February 9th can be heard HERE.   Brandon and Jeet talk about everything ranging from his favorite ice cream to the minor league struggles he's had, to the toughest pitchers he’s faced in his career. It's great.

I just wanted to bring it to you, I thought you'd like it, plus, you gotta love Jeter. 

A special thanks to Brandon Steiner and his crew for letting us use this stuff on Bleeding Yankee Blue. Be sure to check out our interview with Mr. Steiner himself... read "YOU GOTTA HAVE BALLS": A BRANDON STEINER EXCLUSIVE and buy his book!

Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

LARSEN'S PERFECT GAME JERSEY SELLS BIG

Friendships bring joy to everyone at one point or another. Luckily for us at Bleeding Yankee Blue, we have a few hook ups through friendships and a few months ago we brought you news about Don Larsen who was putting up the jersey he wore when he pitched his perfect game in 1956 for auction so he could raise money for his grandson's college. Read LARSEN TALKS TO BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE. Well, one good deed deserves another. Not only that. when people stand up and are so giving, we celebrate them here at BYB. It's just nice, plain and simple.

Mr. Larsen's World Series perfect game jersey sold at auction on December 5th for $756,000. Steiner Sports were the operation behind the auction. You know Steiner Sports, Brandon Steiner may be one of the smartest guys out there working with hundreds of players and many teams to offer certified memorabilia. (Read YOU GOTTA HAVE BALLS: A BRANDON STEINER EXCLUSIVE). In a nutshell, if you need help like Larsen did, you reach out and he'll run the darn thing.

The winning bid was made by Mr. Pete Siegel who is the CEO of GottaHaveIt.com. Siegel said of the winning: "We are ecstatic to have the opportunity to acquire this uniform from one of the most historic games in baseball history."

(In photo: Brandon Steiner)
Brandon Steiner, founder & CEO of Steiner Sports, said:  “this was the company’s biggest auction ever and the relationships we have with the athletes is what this is all about.” Gotta love that quote. Think about it for a second... I always talk about the fans and players relationship and how I wish that the interaction would be better... Like the old days. Steiner makes that possible.

As far as Don Larsen is concerned, he said "I am just delighted, and relieved, too...This will sure take care of the college education of my grandchildren, and leave a few dollars for a nice family vacation. I’m happy that the uniform worn on my greatest day has found a great home for a long time to come.”

A happy story all around. People taking the time to help each other, showing kindness, from Larsen, to Steiner, and the trend will continue somewhere else in America every second of the day. You gotta love humanity and human decency.   In the end, Larsen's grandchildren, Cody and Justin get a good education and then pass the torch being kind to someone else at some other time in their life... and so on and so forth...

Everybody wins.  

Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

DON LARSEN TALKS TO BLEEDING YANKEE BLUE

It's not every day that you get to talk to a living legend.  If you're Al Malafronte of Cirillo World Public Relations, you just scored big time! Al, a friend of Bleeding Yankee Blue was nice enough to sit down with Don Larsen on our behalf and ask him a few questions about life around his 1956 Perfect Game.  But there's other news...he was at the Yogi Berra Museum on Monday with Yogi Berra himself auctioning off his jersey worn during that perfect game, read HERE. The reason? To help out his grandchildren, currently in high school and college. He's giving back to his family and to be honest, you can't beat this!

So here's that short interview with the great Don Larsen. A special thanks to Al Malafronte, to Cirillo World Public Relations and to Brandon Steiner, the author of the new book "You Gotta Have Balls" who was also involved with this event. You can read all about Mr. Steiner HERE, we love the guy!  But now, I bring you Don Larsen. Enjoy this, I did.

BYB: When you pitched your Perfect Game in the '56 World Series, when did it start to click that you really had a shot at a Perfect Game?

Don Larsen: "I had mentioned it to Mantle at the end of the 7th inning, 'Mick, look at the scoreboard.' Wouldn't it be something? 2 more innings to go, I'm thinking, I shouldn't have said anything!"

(In photo: Hank Bauer)
BYB: Which Yankee were you closest to during your playing days with the Yankees club?

Don Larsen: "Probably Hank Bauer, and also Moose Skowron who we've lost. They were great teammates."

BYB: What is the best part of forever being known as "the guy" who threw a perfect game in the 1956 World Series?

Don Larsen: "That's one of those things I'll never forget with Yogi and I. What it meant to us then, and what it'll mean to us as time goes on; it'll never be forgotten."

Again, a special thanks to Al Malafronte and of course Don Larsen.  Also I want to mention "Perfect Pitch", a charity named in Mr. Larsen's honor.  For more information about "Perfect Pitch", you can visit their website by just clicking HERE.



Don Larsen Perfect Pitch HRD Introduction from Perfect Pitch HRD on Vimeo.

Here's alittle background: "Perfect Pitch," is a not for profit organization and all funds go directly to mentally and physically challenged children, sports programs for disadvantaged children, and special Scout troop #364.

We will be placing "Perfect Pitch" on our website next to all the other great charities we love!

We hope the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers enjoyed this. It was an honor to have Mr. Larsen and "Perfect Pitch" be part of the BYB family.  Thank you.

Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.

"YOU GOTTA HAVE BALLS": A BRANDON STEINER EXCLUSIVE

I'm a memorabilia freak.  I don't save up a ton of dough to just dump it on a $5000 piece of memorabilia, I have priorities, but I collect what I want to collect. Inexpensive and personal and something that I can pass onto my kids over time.  I even wrote a fun piece about it called WHAT'S IN YOUR JUNK DRAWER? Sometimes people have stuff they forget even have.

But enough about me. Let's chat about Brandon Steiner, founder and chairman of Steiner Sports Marketing one of the biggest Memorabilia guys in the world dealing with some of the most expensive pieces in the world. Mr. Steiner recently released a book titled "You Gotta Have Balls" and I was interested in asking him about what's it like to walk in his shoes. I got some pretty interesting answers and you'll enjoy this interview...I sure did.

BYB: Was sports memorabilia something you always wanted to get into? I read you started your empire with $8000 and in 2 years made $5 million. Is that even true?

Brandon Steiner: No, that’s not true at all! I started Steiner in 1987 with $4,000 and for a long time it just consisted of me doing small athlete marketing projects and arranging paid appearances for players. $5 million? 

I was literally operating check to check. Around 1993 I took $10,000 and started Steiner collectibles, with two clients on board - Mark Messier and Phil Rizzuto - and a closet of collectibles I had. I thought the items would be used mostly for corporate promotions and gifts to get new clients, but it quickly became more than that. But the business never really “took off” until 1999 and 2000, with the Subway Series.

BYB: Who was the first New York Yankee you worked with after your agreement with the Yankees in 2005?

Brandon Steiner: By 2005 we had them all.  My relationship with the Yankees really started in 1998; after that season, we had half the team under contract. In 2005 we were actually more Red Sox-centric, since they had just completed their crazy run of 2004.

BYB: After Christian Lopez caught Derek Jeter's 3000th hit, a home run, you reached out and offered to pay $25,000 toward his student loans. How did that come to be?

Brandon Steiner: Christian had given the ball to Derek voluntarily, when he could have gotten a lot of money for it, and so I was toying with the idea of helping him in some way because that was such a tremendous thing to do. But I couldn’t figure out the best way to help him – he didn’t want anything, really - and I almost gave up!  Then one morning Mitch Modell called me and said “I want to help this kid out, he’s a great kid.” So of course I was on board. Finally we got through to Christian and the idea of paying off the loans came up.

But this is more a story of Mitch helping the kid. He quarterbacked the whole thing, and besides the generous check, Mitch gave him his World Series ring and a full-time job. I was happy to help Christian and his family deal with the frenzy that surrounded him after he caught that ball. What a great story and a great kid.

BYB: What's your favorite piece of merchandise in the Steiner Collection and why?

Brandon Steiner: This one’s easy: it’s a photo of Mark Messier holding the Stanley Cup up, grinning from ear to ear, with his inscription “We did it – ’94 Cup”. The morning after the Rangers won that year, everyone I saw on the train to work was reading the Daily News coverage, with that photo on the back of the paper. That’s when it clicked for me - that there was a market for that kind of collectible – not just a photo, but the athlete making an inscription that brought all the emotions together. Also, Mark has always been such a great friend to me, through the years. He’s the best guy you could have on your team, period.

BYB: Growing up, tell me 2 athletes that you admired and why?

Brandon Steiner: Clyde Frazier, because growing up, all I wanted to do was become a NBA player and Clyde was the coolest and had “the shoes.” Also, Roy White, a solid baseball player and a very cool and calm player - never got too emotional – just played the game.

Bobby Murcer was a favorite as well as Roger Staubach. How can you not love Roger, with those great last minute comebacks and the way he served our country - and then came back and played some serious football! 4 Super Bowls.

BYB: As a kid, tell me who was the first autograph you received from an athlete? Do you still have it today?

(In Photo: Tom Tresh)

Brandon Steiner: Yes, of course I still have it! It was Yankees Tom Tresh and Joe Pepitone around 1970. That story is in the book. I was 11 and some older kids took me to the game that day and we sat by the on-deck circle and met those two guys. Another real big autograph I got as a kid was Thurman Munson. I met him in a hotel in Boston and he signed my program. You bet I got that!

BYB: What do you want people to learn about you in your new book "You Gotta Have Balls"?

Brandon Steiner: I hope they learn that all the grains of sand are what makes up the beach. That all the little things you do in life add up and if you pour yourself into doing them, they end up being big things.  And you never know when your luck can change so follow your dreams by making a commitment and sticking to it. Eventually you discover passion and fun. Don’t be afraid to fall, especially when you’re young!

BYB: Final question, do you ever read my website Bleeding Yankee Blue? If so, what do you think? 

Brandon Steiner: Honestly, I have not gone to your site before, but I just gave it a look and it’s awesome, very well done!  I can see how Yankee-centric you are, which of course I love.  I will be back and we should do some promos with you with Yankees seats and signed items. Why not? By the way, that's another question I ask in the book,  What else? and Why not?

Mr. Steiner, I think I'll be calling you about maybe working together on something, you've inspired me.

What a pleasure and such a likeable guy! We hope you enjoyed this interview with Mr. Steiner and I suggest all of you go out and get his book.  It's a great read.  Buy "You Gotta Have Balls", it's a must, I swear!

Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.