Last night after seeing the Yankees lose their second game of the World Series I watched the post-game show.
They were interviewing first baseman Anthony Rizzo. He was asked about the post-season slump of team captain Aaron Judge.
Rizzo looked up and it was as if he spotted Judge in the locker room. At that moment he had a sad yet prideful look on his face and said Aaron Judge is one of the best people I have ever known. The conviction on his face told me that he was being sincere.
It told me that every player on that team was rooting for Judge. Not just because of the greatness in winning a championship but because of the greatness in the man. Rizzo said that no matter how high or how low Judge may be he is always there for all his teammates.
This reminded me of a time when Jim Catfish Hunter, one of the greatest pitchers of all time and a very beloved figure in the Yaknee clubhouse went through a funk in 1978. We were playing a game in Fenway Park against the Red Sox.
Catfish got continuously crushed by the Sox hitters. Our pitching was tired so our bullpen was short. For the team, Catfish took the beating.
After the game, I left the ballpark with Thurman Munson. We were in my car. Thurman had a sad look on his face and he was very quiet. I knew this was more than just us losing. When we got to a red light he said make a U-turn. We headed back to Fenway Park. We pulled into the player’s parking lot. We walked into the clubhouse and as you walk in the first doorway on the left is the trainer’s room.
Catfish was sitting on the trainer’s table. He was being worked on by trainer Gene Monohan. The assistant trainer Herman Schneider had a sad look on his face because as I said Catfish was that much loved and respected.
Thurman went over to Catfish and put his arm around him. I couldn’t hear what he said but Catfish laughed. However, it’s the look that they gave each other. That told the whole story. When we got back in the car Thurman said that Catfish was going to be just fine. Thurman also told him that if he continued to give up all those homers George was gonna charge him for the balls.
Let me say that after losing the first two games to the Dodgers that year in the World Series we would win the next four and Catfish Hunter would be the winning pitcher in the deciding game.
I’m not saying that the same thing is going to happen here. I’m just saying that sometimes in life good things happen to good people.
I don’t know Aaron Judge that well but from what I have seen, Aaron is a very good person who like Catfish Hunter is very much loved and respected by his teammates. As Thurman Munson once said about Catfish, Rizzo said about Judge, We don’t worry about him. He is a big reason why we are here!
Aaron Judge is today’s version of…
THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES!!!!!
