CHARLESTON RIVER DOGS WILL HONOR PHIL NIEKRO

I just wanted to bring this to your attention.  I turns out that the Charleston River Dogs will be honoring Hall of Famer Phil Niekro & Atlanta Braves All-Star Javy Lopez at a "Hot Stove" Banquet. That's pretty cool.

The event is sponsored by Tom McQueeney State Farm Insurance.

According to the press release sent to Bleeding Yankee Blue:  "Niekro and former Atlanta Braves All-Star catcher Javy Lopez will be the featured guests at the Charleston River Dogs 10th Annual Hot Stove Banquet & Auction on January 31 in Charleston."

The Hot Stove Banquet is an annual event hosted by the Charleston River Dogs that brings all baseball fans together to celebrate the magic of America’s Favorite Pastime. These standouts will share behind-the-scenes stories, answer questions and pose for pictures all of which will create memories that last a lifetime."

If you are in the Charleston area,  the reception begins at 6 pm with the dinner starting at 7 o’clock. Tickets are $65 per person and include dinner, a table gift and autograph or photo opportunity. Tables of eight with preferred seating are available for $550. That's pretty cool if you can get a group of baseball fans together.  Sounds awesome actually.

As many of you know,  Niekro  had a 24-year career playing for the Braves, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays. His lifetime record of 318-274.

We are big Niekro fans here at Bleeding Yankee Blue. We recently had an opportunity to interview Natalie Niekro, the daughter of pitching great Joe Niekro to talk about her father and make people aware of brain aneurysms.

Read it here in ONCE A YANKEE, ALWAYS A YANKEE.  It's eye opening.

Anyway, for tickets to the River Dogs event and additional information, please contact the River Dogs at (843) 577-DOGS (3647).

Tickets may also be purchased online at www.riverdogs.com or www.rileyparkevents.com.

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

THANKSGIVING WITH THE HENSLEYS

If you know BYB by now, you know we love the Yankees, we love baseball and we celebrate family.  Last year on Thanksgiving day we had the privilege of interviewing baseball great Joe Niekro's daughter Natalie in a heartfelt interview titled ONCE A YANKEE, ALWAYS A YANKEE. Many applauded Natalie and her work with the Joe Niekro Foundation and we support her work and strength as well.

This year, we are thrilled to bring you an interview with Marci Hensley. She's Ty Hensley's mother and more importantly, a true family person, just like us here.  I was thinking about Ty and his crazy year, and his interview he did with us at BYB titled EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: TY HENSLEY: YANKEES 1ST ROUND PICK. I got to thinking, "How does a family who is surrounded by baseball all their lives change even more, now that someone like Ty has become a New York Yankee?"  Marci was nice enough to help me out with this interview and send a few pictures. It's a very special Thanksgiving interview,  so keep reading... find out what it's like to sit at the table with the Henlseys on Thanksgiving. It's full of encouragement, smiles and love.

Enjoy this... I did.
 
BYB: What's a typical Thanksgiving for the Hensley family?  

Marci Hensley: Ha! Well, really the words "typical" and "Hensley family" don't normally go together, and Thanksgiving is really no exception.  I don't think one Thanksgiving Day itinerary has ever been the same. We have spent Thanksgivings traveling to be with family. We have spent Thanksgivings with good friends and we have had a few on our own. We have even spent a couple on the road when Ty was being recruited for football, which weren't our favorite since we are not fans of anything but home cooked meals on that day.  An interesting note is that Thanksgiving Day 1992 is the day I found out I was going to be a mother for the first time. Little did I know 20 years later, I would be doing an interview with Bleeding Yankee Blue because that baby was to become a New York Yankee.  

BYB: What's a typical Thanksgiving knowing Ty is a New York Yankee?

Marci Hensley: Actually, just until a few days ago we were all set to go to Iowa this year.  Ty's 15 year old brother JR, who is a 6'5' 250 lb left-handed sophomore, is being recruited for football and we were headed there on an unofficial trip. 

 

(In Photo: JR & Ty Hensley)

But plans changed when Ty's call time for a PSA shoot changed to 7:00AM on Friday morning.  We are now spending the holiday with friends and family.

BYB: What's the most important part of Thanksgiving for you as a mother?

Marci Hensley: Giving thanks to our Lord, family and cooking a few of my favorites.

BYB: Ty is a kid with a lot of confidence, heart and talent.  How did you focus him to shoot for the stars as a kid?

Marci Hensley: Thank you for your kind words.  I don't know if I focused him or he focused me, but the love and support we have in our family allows us all to believe that with hard work and sacrifice anything is possible.

(Photo Credit: Marci Hensley / a young Ty Hensley)
BYB: Did you always know Ty was going to play professional ball? What is your earliest memory of him playing baseball?

Marci Hensley: Professional baseball?  No.  In fact, I was not a fan, and until his sophomore year in high school, I avoided the thought of it.  I lived through it with my husband, Mike Henlsey.  

(In Photo: Mike Hensley)

I lived through the highs, the lows, the injuries and his heartbreak when he was released. We worked 4 jobs between us to allow him to finish school, most of the time not knowing where our next dollar was coming from.  It's different now, signing bonuses are bigger and back then the scholarship program didn't exist.  That piece made me much more supportive of Ty's career choice.  My first memory of ball was tee ball of course, cute but incredibly boring by the second hour.  Being the son of a baseball coach, he had a terrible time with tee ball.  He threw a fit because "they didn't play it right."  One should only get three strikes and there are three outs.  He didn't understand why everyone got to bat, and there was no winner.  It drove him nuts.  He actually got into a fight with another boy over the fact that he thought his team had won and the little boy told him nobody wins. Yep tee ball was a struggle.

BYB: Describe the scene when you were waiting for Ty to be drafted? Where were you, how did you and your family feel before his name was read?

Marci Hensley: We were at a restaurant in Edmond.  We had about 100 friends and family there. It was pretty intense starting at about 6 PM.  I was not really in favor of having a "draft party" but Ty was confident and that was what he wanted to do.  Mike, my husband was in the back watching on TV and on the phones in the office talking with our advisory team and team reps.  I was running back and forth. We really felt for a week or so we were going to the Rockies at 10.  In fact, for those that are interested, there is a MLB Network draft documentary on You Tube on the Rockies 2012 draft.  They actually filmed in the draft room on draft day and when they reached to pull David Dahl's name off the board, Ty's name is right underneath it. After that pick, we had some teams that surprised us by not picking him, and some we turned down.  When Mike came out off the office right before the Rangers picked, I knew he was coming up.  I thought "Here we go, he is going to be a Ranger." Then, they didn't call his name and everyone in the room was taken back.  Ty put his head in his hands and I started to cry.  I looked at my husband and he had a big smile on his face... I mouthed "Yankees??" and he nodded his head.  It's a blur after that.  

CC and his son on the TV, hearing Ty's name and then screams and hugs.  I can't tell you how many conversations Mike and I had leading up to the draft about the Yankees being the right fit for Ty.  It was just something we felt from the many meetings we had with them and the kind of person he is.

BYB: You called me out the other day on Twitter when I wrote a piece critical of the Yankees handling of minor league talent in MAYBE THE GROOMING OF YOUNG YANKEE TALENT AIN'T WORKING. Fair enough. You quickly came to the defense of the young kids who put their everything into this glorious game.  Was that your motherly instinct coming out or what? 

Marci Hensley: I guess I'd be lying if I said there wasn't some momma bear reaction that caused me to reply, but not just because of Ty.  As I stated above, I lived it with my husband.  I don't know anymore then what I have read about the Yankees development of players, but I do know that making it to the majors is more about a bunch of factors such as health, opportunity, and work ethic coming together.  That doesn't happen in one season with kids coming out of high school. It takes some time, in pinstripes or in some other jersey, it doesn't matter.

BYB: How important will this journey for Ty and the Yankees be for your family from this point forward?

Marci Hensley: This one is hard to put into words.  Our son's happiness is what is important to us.  Right now, playing baseball and being a Yankee makes him happy.  The story of this relationship is being written and we are only just beginning the first chapter.  I am looking forward to the rest of the story.

BYB: The Bronx is one of the toughest places to play.  Many succeed, but some don't. If you had 3 magic words to push Ty to succeed what would those 3 words be?

Marci Hensley: "Believe In Yourself"  He writes it under the lid of all his ball caps.

BYB: If you could have 3 people at your dinner table on Thanksgiving, which 3 would you choose and why?

Marci Hensley: Could you ask a more difficult question?  If I have to narrow it down to any Yankee, I would say CC Sabathia because I would like to hear him talk about his PitCCh In Foundation and how he and his family gives back.  They are so wonderful at it and the conversation would be very appropriate for the day. 

Next would be Jackie Robinson so we could talk with him about overcoming adversity to achieve his dreams.  The other seat would be for two people, I couldn't have one without the other.  Ty's Grandpa Bill and Grandma Judy, my husband's parents who have passed away.  They were the most wonderful, giving people I have ever known.  They helped shape Ty to the young man he is today.  We would only need one seat because Bill would let Judy sit on his lap.

BYB: Do you read Bleeding Yankee Blue? If so, what do you think?

Marci Hensley: Yes I do read BYB.  I enjoy it because the content is heartfelt and honest, with many different opinions of the subject matter represented.  The writers obviously have passion for the game and their team and strive to extend that connection to the reader.

Marci, I cannot thank you, your husband Mike and Ty enough for being such generous people and giving our readers alittle taste of what it's like to be part of the Hensley crew.  You are all part of our BYB family and I truly appreciate this wonderful chat with us on this special day.

Thank you. The best of luck... and Happy Thanksgiving.

BYB TURNS 2 YEARS OLD. HOW WE DOING?

I'm no dummy. I don't walk around with a big head, ego, attitude or strut. My day stays the same no matter what happens. What I mean is, I know that if tomorrow came along and there was a better Yankee blog out there that you heard about, I'd be left in the dust and life would still go on. I don't get myself over excited, yet, truth be told, I am excited.   I have been smiling a lot lately and it's all because of our Bleeding Yankee Blue readers... you guys and gals who come to us after you wake up in the morning. You sip your coffee while clicking through our morning news and entertainment, and you do it because you like us...you really like us!

Liking someone or something happens when what you find is appealing, or you agree, or maybe that person or thing is so damn adorable, you can't get enough of it. I'd like to think that BYB is all of those things and it's because you come to our site and click away and share with friends that we've gained a lot of popularity over the past 2 years. I honestly don't know what to say...I am blessed. Thank you.

I should write Sergio Mitre a thank you note, because Sergio Mitre has brought us all together. It was September 14, 2010 that BYB was born in a piece titled WHY LAST NIGHT WAS IMPORTANT.  Since then, you found us on your own, through a friend or even by accident. Why? I'll tell you what I think the reason is; we bring you stuff the others don't...we're honest, we're funny and we're a fan site. We're you! I could sit here and Sabermetrics my ass off, what would that offer you?  I'm not in the "know it all" business. I am in the interactive business and I cannot get over just how amazing you readers are. You are all simply terrific.

Since we started and built our mini-empire, I wanted to bring all my favorite people together and over the past 2 years I've compiled some pretty fun stuff here.

(In Photo: Pete Caldera / Courtesy, New York Times)
If you read us every day, you know that I've always admired the works of Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record for years as well as Jack Curry of YES. Luckily,we were able to speak to each of them and bring you some great info too. Thank you both. Here are those interviews:

NO ONE DOES THE YANKEES BETTER THAN PETE CALDERA

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: JACK CURRY

By the way, not only is Caldera is writing stud, he's a singing one too.  I thought our interview was great, I failed to mention the New York Times piece on Caldera by Corey Kilgannon.  read that HERE.  You gotta love this guy.

I've been obsessed with former Yankees public relations guy Marty Appel for as long as I can remember and BYB has 2 Q and A's with him, because after all, he knows everything about the Yankees. Read those here:

YANKEE STORIES REVEALED BY PR GIANT MARTY APPEL

MORE YANKEE HISTORY WITH MARTY APPEL

I've met some pretty incredible people the past 2 years; Beth Hucke, who heads "We Want Nick Swisher to Host SNL", Dave Goode, a former vendor at Yankee Stadum and a guy I can now call a friend (Read THE VENDOR FROM THE HOUSE THAT RUTH BUILT)... Carol, the biggest Yankee fan I've ever met on Facebook. Carlos who was one of the first guys I met through BYB and he runs an amazing travel site called America Trek too. Go there, read it, it's awesome. Andrew Condell who's a true Yankee fan and makes me laugh more than anyone... Watch this:

Kristen Meriwether and Dave Martin of the Epoch Times who are some of the best underrated writers in sports and featured BYB in their Opening day piece on baseball back in April. They could have interviewed anyone... but they asked me. I will always be grateful. Read Baseball season kicks off in New York.

(In Photo: Luigi & his son)
I've met Luigi Squeegee, the author of Clubhouse Confidential who has become a close friend of ours here at Bleeding Yankee Blue.  Squeegee, you're the man! Doug Drotman of Drotman Communications of New York, a Public Relations firm. Doug is the most courteous and organized PR guys in the business. Don't remember who he is? Does The Runyon 5K run ring a bell? Without Doug, we don't have our interviews with Roy White, Mickey Rivers and Ron Blomberg promoting the Runyon 5K run. Doug is the best!

(In Photo: Charles & Joey Moses)
To my pals Charles and Joey Moses... from Australia (Read BYB, THE BIG APPLE & AUSTRALIA.) If you ever get a chance to have a pint with those 2, do it, they'll change your life.  Even Nicole Hart of WINK, who was formerly of WKTV and supports us 100% and we love it!

And finally, to Debi and Jen and Kiley, Krissy, Stefie and Donna and Evelyn... you guys are the greatest group of Twitter "chicks" ever, we love your support! To Fox and Joe, thank you so much for always re-tweeting our stories, you guys rock.   The point is, The Yankees and BYB has brought many of us together. It's incredible. I would love to mention you all, and if I forget anyone, I apologize...know this though, we're one big family and we appreciate your help...all of you.

How about them Yanks? Paul O'Neill's interview with us is the most popular interview ever on Bleeding Yankee Blue, read EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: PAUL O'NEILL.  Scott Brosius, Chuck Knoblauch, Homer Bush and our first Yankee interview with Steve Karsay...damn, they all chatted it up with "little" us!  What about current Yankees Nick Swisher and David Robertson? We helped promote their charities in the process and Lord knows, you help people that are in need when you can.  I appreciate all the Yankee players that spoke to us, you guys are great!

And a big Thanks for the Bichette family and the Niekro family. I reached out to Dante Jr and his mom, Mariana for interviews and they were nice enough to give one each! Couple that with one of the most emotional interviews we've ever done, a Thanksgiving release with Natalie Niekro, the daughter of pitching great Joe Niekro. I have to say, I was touched by both of these terrific family units.  Please take a moment and read those three interviews below:

Dante Bichette Jr: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Mariana Bichette: MOTHER'S DAY WITH THE BICHETTES

Natalie Niekro: ONCE A YANKEE, ALWAYS A YANKEE

And what about our writers at BYB? They've become personalities to you all.

• Mikey Blue is my friend for over 20 years. He's my right hand man, best friend, brother and I can't take a leak unless he assures me it's the right move. 

• Jesse Schindler, one of the best sports writers on the web, hands down.  Don't believe me? Believe this, remember Schindler's name in 8 years when he's the guy you'll be searching for to provide inside baseball information.

(In photo: Jeana, Ivan Nova & Erica)

• Jeana Bellezza and Erica Morales kick ass. 2 women writers with more spunk and baseball knowledge than anyone. I like spunk and I love having them on the BYB team.

• Our recap writers, Frank Gentry, Ike Dimitriadis and Sam Thaler. They are great, thorough and each do their recaps in their own unique way.  Who needs ESPN's Rapid Reaction when you have these guys. We make it fun and dare I say, you should come to us first. After all, wasn't it Ray Negron, the author of Yankee Miracles who said, "You guys are just as good as the regular beat writers." I'll take that. 

•  Lem Allen always has another take that I admire, so I am thrilled that he can bring us a unique perspective once in a while! Thanks man.

• Kate Munrow does my Yankee Shorts and it's become insanely popular overnight. A fun top 10 list isn't easy. Combine the Yankees and great nuggets and Kate pulls it off beautifully every time. By the way Kate, you're past deadline... send it on over!

• Let's not forget Steve Skinner, a guest writer who puts in 110 percent, not because he has to, he doesn't. He does it because he wants to...for you.

And yeah... me too. Look, I've written hundreds upon hundreds of pieces for my BYB baby. Sure, call me the Godfather, but the reality is, I usually don't put my credit at the end of my posts only because that's how it started for me here. Let's not forget, Bleeding Yankee Blue started with just me. As writers were added, I didn't want you thinking I wrote their stuff, so I gave them credit... it's the right thing to do. I just never felt the need to change that routine and so, there you have it. So yeah, if there isn't a author credit...it's me just like it was on September 14, 2010.

Finally, to celebrate our birthday, we have a few messages from people who have supported us, check it out: 

"Happy birthday wishes!  Two years of innovative, clever, breakthrough material that helps nourish the unending appetite of Yankee fans for more, more and more.  Don't know where the Internet will be taking us, but I suspect you'll be ahead of the curve for a long time." 

 --Marty Appel, Former Yankees Public Relations Guy & author of Pinstripe Empire 

"Thanks for putting so much time and effort into the success of Bleeding Yankee Blue. You started this purely for the fun of it, and it turned into something much bigger than that. You really transformed this into a really powerful, respected blog among Yankees fans. You do it for the readers, and I am here with them thanking you first hand. I'll always stick with my favorite Yankees blog. Here's to many, many more to come." 

--Will Cohen, the first BYB Writer 

"Happy Birthday BYB!! The 'go to' place for info!!"
--Rose Passantino

 "HAPPY BIRTHDAY BYB! My go to place for everything Yankee! A big thank you from a mom of one of your writers to have found a place to let her creative juices flow! I know there will be many more birthdays to celebrate and this happy and proud Yankee fan will be along for the ride!"
--Linda Bellezza 

"Happy Birthday BYB!"

--Lori Vargo Heffner

"I am very happy I found BYB this season to have a unique insight to the Yankees. Many awesome stories with current and former Yankees. I have said it in other posts but a HUGE THANK YOU... to you and ALL the WRITERS at BYB ...Happy 2nd and many many more."
--Dave Goode

"I've been following you guys from (nearly) day 1 and I don't think I've missed a day since! Awesome blog, awesome people! Long may it last!"
--Danny O'Broin

 "Happy Birthday Bleeding Yankee Blue!"
--Charles Moses

At the end of the day, something happened to BYB in the past 2 years, we became relevant. You turn to us for information, opinion and humor. It's not only flattering, it's humbling. You don't have to, hell, there are a ton of places you can go for Yankee info, but you don't wander, you stay loyal and it may be the nicest thing that's ever happened to me.Thank you for understanding us. Thank you for knowing that we don't believe we are the only answer out there...hell, you understand that we're just having fun, and we appreciate you "getting it."

Years ago I thought to myself "I feel like I'm supposed to do something". Granted, I didn't know what that was, but I've always been a creative person, so something was bound to come to me...and it did. BYB was born. From there, an audience arrived, and my baby is 2 years old because of you.

By the way, a special thanks to Rob at Bronx Baseball Daily, Mike at Bronx Goblin, Greg from Sliding into Home, Rasheeda from Bomber Boulevard, Lisa from Subway Squawkers and Matt from Yankees Fans Unite. You all have been a great to me. I appreciate you guys. Thank you.

So happy birthday to BYB and to you guys too, the best readers in the world! It's been an incredible journey for me, but it's not always easy. I am always working on BYB. Sometimes it's not so fun. Sometimes I want to pack it in... that's the truth.  One night I said to my wife "I may need to close up shop, I'm very, very tired." She looked me dead in the eye and said "Your readers would be upset. You can't do that."  It's right then that I realized why I married this woman...she's right...she's always right. I can't do that, and I won't.  I'll do this as long as I can because I want to and because I know you'll be looking for it. At the end of the day we're family right? We support each other, a pretty important and significant action in life.

Support, love, life and Yankees.  It's our birthday and damn...it feels good to be 2.

BYB FRIENDSHIPS, GENEROSITY & THE YANKEES

After a truly successful HOPE week, an event the Yankees put together every year for the past 4 years, I got all fuzzy inside today. There's alot of love in Yankeeland.   The New York Yankees give back to communities that are less fortunate, and so many others do so much as well, it's pretty awesome.  Doing good things can be addictive.  I like seeing a complete stranger on a line at the supermarket give an old lady and extra dollar who's short cash at the checkout line.  I like it when I watch my twins share or when you hear about a kid's raising money at their lemonade stand, not for them, but for someone in their community who may have a serious illness. It's all hope, it's generosity and let's face it, it kicks ass.

HOPE week was really special, I was touched and watch it closely. The Yankees did a lot to make people smile and the most recent one was this picture of David Robertson signing autographs for members of the Children's Alopecia Project  (a disease that causes hair loss.) Many Yankees were there for that event at the Botanical Garden earlier that day as well. A nice ending to a great week.

Since September 2010 Bleeding Yankee Blue has been on the ride of a lifetime.  What started out as a gag between friends turned into something much more, we're a family.  It's large group of readers and true Yankee fans that want to read about and talk about the Yankees, the players and what we love, or hate about them.  We try to keep it clean, we try to keep it fun, and because of that, we've become mildly successful.

We've never taken ourselves too seriously.  I mean, we write with a passion for our team, but we are fans and like you, we react.  The best part about BYB is we've met many interesting people, like Natalie Niekro, the daughter of Joe Niekro who runs the Joe Niekro Foundation. Natalie spoke with us in ONCE A YANKEE, ALWAYS A YANKEE and she's giving back with her foundation to make people aware of brain aneurysms, the same disease that took her father's life.

We chatted with Laura Posada on Twitter and openly expressed our love for Jorge Posada as well as her family and the great work they do with the Jorge Posada Foundation.

 (In Photo: Tristin Greer / Doc Haveron with some Yankees) (Photo credit: Myrna Sharma)

We've met true fans that try and help others like Doc Thomas Haveron who runs the MVP Foundation and Haveron Total Health and helps kids' dreams come true by getting them to meet some true baseball greats.

We've interviewed Marty Appel, Jack Curry and Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record, guys that I personally wanted to be apart of the BYB family because I admire their writing and work so much.  Sure, that was a personal one for me, but hey, I run this thing, I'm allowed to pick and choose I guess.

Most importantly though, I was touched by something that happened back in April 27, 2011.  I don't what it was, but when I saw the pictures of the devastation in Tuscaloosa, Alabama of entire homes wiped out, families displaced with no food, shelter or memories, well, let's just say it got to me.

(Photo By: High Socks for Hope/after April 27th tornadoes: Tuscaloosa, AL)
 I have always believed in helping others, but as a guy who lives modestly and raising kids myself, money doesn't always come easy.  Then David & Erin Robertson came to the rescue and when David used his Yankee celebrity and pledged last year that he would contribute money to help the people in his hometown of Tuscaloosa, I realized something special was about to happen...national awareness.

Fast forward to last June when I simply asked David what we could do to help.  He put me in touch with Erin and we put together our first interview about what they wanted to accomplish in Tuscaloosa. Read  EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: HIGH SOCKS FOR HOPE, here's a small excerpt of that:

BYB: Tell me why High Socks for Hope was started?

David Robertson: High Socks for Hope was started right after the tornadoes hit Alabama on April 27, 2011. Tuscaloosa is my hometown; it is where I was born and raised, went to high school and college. It is a place that will always be home. Seeing it destroyed really affected me. I knew I had to do whatever I could to help fix what had happened. My wife and I discussed several options of what to do and where to donate money, but decided we wanted to make sure we knew where it was going and that 100% of it was going toward relief efforts. We opened the "David and Erin Robertson Foundation" to start collecting donations and then the High Socks website to start raising awareness of the devastation and needs that are present. We also went to Tuscaloosa to view the damage and meet some of the people that were affected by this tragedy.

(Photo By: High Socks for Hope/after April 27th tornadoes: Tuscaloosa, AL)
BYB: Describe your initial reaction when you saw the destruction in Tuscaloosa for the first time?

Erin Robertson: I was shocked to see the devastation. David and I had watched a lot of videos and spoke to a lot of people down there before we visited, but nothing could have prepared us for what we saw. There was debris everywhere and so many houses and buildings were destroyed. It was truly heartbreaking to see.

(Photo By: High Socks for Hope/after April 27th tornadoes: Tuscaloosa, AL)
BYB: What is the ultimate goal of your foundation?

David Robertson: Our goal is to help as many people as possible that were affected by the tornadoes in Tuscaloosa and the surrounding areas. We haven't set any monetary goals because the needs are endless. It will take billions of dollars to fix what was damaged. Our goal is to assist those that are in the most need. There are several families that we work with that are either homeless or struggling to make ends meet, and we are working hard to get those families in a safe place and back on their feet." 

This past March Bleeding Yankee Blue decided that we might be able to help more. Sure we made Bleedingyankeeblue.com t-shirts to expand our brand, but then we decided we'd actually try to give back too, not just bringing awareness to the cause, we'd raise alittle money. There were plenty of charities we could have chose, but we sat down and decided High Socks for Hope would be the first foundation that BYB would contribute to in our short blog life.

Again, I reached out to Erin to see if they wouldn't mind alittle extra help. She and David accepted and in a handshake agreement, we decided that when you buy a Bleedingyankeeblue.com shirt, money goes toward the High Socks for Hope foundation.  Sure, it's a $1 a shirt, it seems small, but we believe it's a worthy cause, a special cause, and everything helps. If not for the hard work and awareness of the Robertson's, let's just say, I'm not sure we'd realize the impact in Tuscaloosa. It's because of them, that we're all reaching into our pockets and giving back.  As fans, but as human beings too...we all want to help. BYB has now raised $283 because of the fans and that doesn't include the money we're also personally contributing for every strikeout and save David get this regular season.

Bleeding Yankee Blue is slowly becoming relevant and it's because of you, the readers that so many of us are coming together...it's pretty cool.  We're truly family.  I pleased with that, I think we all should be and I'm just glad BYB has become this meeting place and that you're all apart of it.  Thank you.

Enjoy your Sunday everyone.

 --Casey, Creator of Bleeding Yankee Blue
Follow me on Twitter: @bleednyankeeblu

ORDER A BYB SHIRT NOW, DROB WEARS ONE! Also, 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.

WHY HIGH SOCKS FOR HOPE IS IMPORTANT

It’s not every day that I get behind an important cause, but I have tried my best to promote and bring awareness to causes that are run by special people. Sure, the ones that Bleeding Yankee Blue get behind tend to be Yankee related, but I’m a Yankee fan and that alone made me aware of what they are in the first place! Once I read about them, I chose to promote them on BYB because I believe in these people doing wonderful things. For example, in the past we have told you all about the wonderful job the Jorge Posada Foundation has done with children with Craniosynostosis... you know Jorge and Laura run that and we here at BYB truly appreciate Natalie Niekro and all her hard work with the Joe Niekro Foundation. We interviewed her about her father Joe in ONCE A YANKEE, ALWAYS A YANKEE.

One foundation that just makes my heart explode with kindness though is High Socks for Hope run by David and Erin Robertson. When I see a family displaced and everything they own is gone due to a natural disaster like a tornado, my heart breaks. I’m man supporting a family of 6. I cannot imagine having nothing for my family in the blink of an eye. Sure, parents do what they can, but once you build a life for people you support and it’s wiped out, what do you do? That’s why High Socks for Hope is so important to me. I lived in Kentucky for a short time when I was a kid and I remember the worry when tornado season kicked in gear. Sure, you live your life but it’s always in the back of your mind.

I applaud what David and Erin Robertson have done and just to fill you in, Tuscaloosa, Alabama was slammed with life threatening tornadoes back on April 27, 2011. It was David’s home town and because of that destruction, he and Erin kicked into gear and started to make a difference getting supplies to the people there that lost everything and start the rebuilding. It is tremendously kind and you need to be a very special person to do what they've done.

The cause is important, the need is real and the help is always needed and I just wanted to remind you all that anything you can do, large or small is important to High Socks for Hope. As David told me in our interview with him last year (HIGH SOCKS FOR HOPE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW):

David Robertson: "There are several ways people can help out. If someone would like to make a tax-deductible donation, they can make checks payable to: "The David and Erin Robertson Foundation" and mail checks to:

Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund
PO Box 770001
Cincinnati, OH 45277-0053"

And don’t forget about the other foundations that Bleeding Yankee Blue also supports. Pick a cause that’s important to you and give alittle. We here at BYB are hoping to have a very important announcement soon in reference to High Socks for Hope and we hope you guys will look for it.

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

ONCE A YANKEE, ALWAYS A YANKEE

For me and I am sure millions of other Yankee fans, Thanksgiving is all about family. I am very thankful for my family and friends and know that I have been blessed. I am also very thankful for having the opportunity to write for Bleeding Yankee Blue as it continues to grow each and every day. BYB has given me the opportunity to get to know so many of you fellow fans and to share in our love and passion for the New York Yankees. We really are like a family. And part of what is so special about this job is that I also get to meet some amazing people who are part of the Yankee family. Not just current and former Yankee players but often their families who are involved with charities and causes that help millions of people.Well, I recently had the opportunity to interview an amazing woman who is part of our Yankee family. Her name is Natalie Niekro. I am sure many of you recognize her famous last name and that is because she is the daughter of one time Yankee pitcher Joe Niekro. Which, of course, makes her the niece of former Yankee pitcher and 300 game winner, Phil Niekro. In fact, Phil and Joe Niekro are the winningest brother combination in baseball history, with 539 wins combined.

Unfortunately, In 2006 Joe Niekro passed away suddenly of a brain aneurysm and Natalie almost immediately began to research aneurysms and her tireless work led to her establishing The Joe Niekro Foundation. Below is our conversation about her father, the foundation, and how you and I can help.
BYB: Natalie, first thank you very much for giving us a few minutes. Fans are certainly familiar with the Niekro name. Can you tell us what was it like to be the daughter of a Major League baseball player?

Natalie Niekro: Well I get asked that question often and what I always tell people is that I wish I was able to appreciate it more, particularly the places we traveled, etc. I was young so I always felt like a regular kid. I mean I knew my dad was a Major League pitcher but to me he was just my dad. He was someone I loved very much and he was a great dad.BYB: What is your fondest memory of your dad?

Natalie Niekro: I was a little young to have taken away a specific memory or moment during those days but I will say that my fondest memory was going to the Astrodome and just being able to run around on the field and play with the other children of the players before games. In fact, I use to run around with Nolan Ryan's children.And I remember when we had to clear the field before the game started and we would take our seats to watch the game. It was a time of my childhood that I will always cherish.

BYB: Can you tell us something about your father that maybe many of us would not know?

Natalie Niekro: Well, when my Uncle (Phil Niekro) was traded to the Yankees in 1985 my father was with the Houston Astros. My father actually approached the Astros management and asked to be traded to the Yankees so he could play with his brother. Not sure a lot of people know that. He really wanted to play with my Uncle and the Astros and the Yankees made that happen.

BYB: Natalie, because everyone reading this is most likely a Yankee fan, can you tell us what is was like for your dad to be part of that 1985 Yankee team?

Natalie Niekro: My dad was so happy to be playing with Uncle Phil and he always said that the Yankee organization really is like no other. The way they treat their players and fans is second to none. I just remember him always giving the Yankee organization so much praise.

(In Photo: Phil Niekro)
BYB: How often to you see your uncle Phil Niekro these days? How is he?

Natalie Niekro: My Uncle Phil is doing great. I see him every so often and we talk frequently. Like me, he misses his brother very much and is active in helping get the word out on The Joe Niekro Foundation.(In Photo:Joe Niekro, Natalie, brother Lance Niekro)
BYB: Your father died of a brain aneurysm in 2006. What do you remember most about that day?

Natalie Niekro: My father's passing was a shock to me and everyone in my family. His aneurysm was sudden, unexpected and undiagnosed. Within 18 hours of Dad’s rupture, he was pronounced dead. In fact, it was just weeks before my wedding. It all happened so fast and it was literally at that moment that I decided to dedicate my life to educate the public on aneurysm.

BYB: So please tell us about the Joe Niekro Foundation?

Natalie Niekro: The Joe Niekro Foundation was established in 2007 in honor of my father. After my dad died from the aneurysm, I immediately started doing research to find out as much as I could about them. I was astonished by the lack of public awareness and under-support of research of such a widespread and often fatal condition. I decided that to launch the foundation to really bring awareness to this condition.

BYB: What is an aneurysm, and who are most vulnerable?

Natalie Niekro: Basically an aneurysm is a weak or thin spot on a blood vessel in the brain that balloons out. The bulging aneurysm can put pressure on a nerve or surrounding brain tissue. It may also leak or rupture, spilling blood into the surrounding tissue (called a hemorrhage). Brain aneurysms can occur in anyone, at any age. They are more common in adults than in children and slightly more common in women than in men.
BYB: How can our BYB readers find out more information and help support The Joe Niekro Foundation?

Natalie Niekro: All your readers have to do is head over to JoeNiekroFoundation.org -- we have a wealth of information on the website. There is so much more research that needs to be done so any help your readers could give would be greatly appreciated.


Thank you Natalie for taking the time and many thanks to Mikey for getting this interview. It's important on such a special day because it's about love and family. We love that we were able to give you this interview on Thanksgiving. Natalie is now a part of the Bleeding Yankee Blue family and we appreciate her taking the time. Her father will never be forgotten. Thank you so much Natalie!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

--Casey

--Mikey Blue, BYB Senior Writer
Email: DonnieBaseball2323@gmail.com
Twitter: @MikeyBlu23

COULD MARIANO RIVERA RETIRE AFTER 2012?

There is wide speculation about Mariano Rivera possibly retiring after the 2012 season after reports surfaced that the Sandman will possibly need vocal chord surgery. Read about it HERE. Mariano has said of his throat, "Every time I talk and talk, it get's worse." According to Mariano, he will go to the doctor again on Monday to determine if he will indeed need surgery.

That being said, you'd think the guy was sitting home feeling sorry for himself if you read the media reports, but he's not. Instead, he's going out and giving back, especially on this Thanksgiving holiday weekend. It's pretty hard to not like a guy like Mariano Rivera.He sat down with 42 kids as part of the HOPE charity. HOPE is the largest provider of emergency food services in Westchester county. The video is below:



I can't say enough about Mariano. He can take a negative and turn it around. Mo is a true Yankee, he knows he's a public figure and he knows that giving back is one of his responsibilities. You have to admire that. (In Photo: Erin & David Robertson)
People like he, David and Erin Robertson (High Socks for Hope), CC Sabathia (PitCCh In Foundation) and Natalie Niekro, Joe Niekro's daughter (The Joe Niekro Foundation) know how important it is to help others in need. Many others do too, I don't mean to single anyone out, I just get behind the charities in this post and am happy to promote them.

Look, there's a lot of speculation about Mo hanging it up after the 2012 season and it comes with the territory; Mariano is nearing the end of his career, he's just about 42 years old, so, it's expected, but for crying out loud, can we at least get into the 2012 season? The media hype surrounding this vocal chord report is fast and furious and it's not fair...one step at a time, that's all I'm saying.

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.