In the spring of 1977, the Yankees were playing the Mets in an exhibition game at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg Florida.
After the fifth inning, Billy Martin took Thurman Munson out of the game to give him a breather and let Cliff Johnson get some work in.
After showering, Thurman got dressed and was just sitting by his locker staring into space.
All of a sudden he looked at me and said to tell the clubby to give us a ride.
Thurman told the clubhouse attendant to take us to the field where the Yanks use to hold spring training in the days of Babe Ruth all the way through Mantle.
The guy said, you mean Huggins- Stengel field. Thurman said yea how far is it. The guy said about 5 minutes. Thurman said take me there.
It was literally 5 minutes away just like the guy said. As we were driving there the guy said that the field gives him the creeps because it was rumored that the spirits of the Yankee past are always there. Thurman never said a word. When we got there Thurman got out of the car and just stared at the field. I knew Thurman well enough that when he was in one of those moods you didn’t say a word and got out of his way.
He walk out on the field and looked at the gigantic water tower then he walked to the outfield (right field) and just stood there. It was almost as if he was praying. I never asked him because the moment really looked personal. For me, I was just happy to be there and be able to share that moment with our most important Yankee. I really wanted to ask him what went through his mind but at the same time, I felt like I already knew.
Today I live five minutes from Huggins-Stengel field and go there on a regular basis to pray and meditate.
For years I have been taking young players, both professional and amateur there to talk about the magnitude of the place. About the fact that Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig spent so much time there.
In 1997 Dwight Gooden’s father died in St. Petersburg. George Steinbrenner had a wonderful relationship with Dan Gooden and was at the service. I gave the eulogy. After the service, Mr. Steinbrenner asked me to meet him at Huggins- Stengel field to have a talk. We walked into the outfield and there he complimented me on the eulogy. He told me that we had to really watch over Dwight now more than ever because of his drug problem and the fact that he lost the man that he loved so much. I honestly believe that the Boss felt the spirits were there because as he talked he was looking up at the sky. I wanted to laugh but I didn’t dare.
Through the years I got to tell the story of the field to some of the greatest players of all time like Hall of Famers Roberto Alomar and Cal Ripken and one year even got to bring the Yankee’s fantasy campers and some Yankee greats to play a game there.
Every year Thanks to area youth director Shawn Drouin from the Tasco teen program I get to talk to area school kids about the history of the field. It’s always shocking how little today’s kids know about the history of our great game.
All-star shortstop Bo Bichette of the Toronto Blue Jays was fortunate enough that as a kid got to play his High school games there and probably knows more Yankee history than most Yankee players.
I recently got to bring a true Yankee historian, Yankee Rookie Anthony Volpe to the field and because of the mentoring of his big-time Yankee fan and Munson fan father Michael… he really knows about Yankee history however he was mesmerized about the greatness of the field. The smile on his face made me feel like he was actually meeting The Babe and Lou. It was a beautiful feeling and it took me back to when I first walked onto Huggins- Stengel with Thurman Munson.
