Usually (once a year), I experience something that moves me to the point of putting my thoughts into words. Self-indulgent, perhaps but hoping others might appreciate this little story.
So, Eddie Class hit a walk-off homerun to propel the Reds over the New York Giants today. good guy good team Reds deserved to win!
As manager of the New York Giants, I wasnt happy with the outcome of the game but I also knew that at 2:00, my brother and I would be picking up my dad to take him to visit (for probably the last time) his best friend and my godfather, Salvatore Sammy Spadaro. Sammys kidneys have stopped working and hes been taken off of dialysis he has a few days, maybe a week to live.
Sammy and my dad dad grew up in Albanys South End in the 1930s and 40s tough neighborhood..tough kids. Both took up boxing and were top ranked fighters in the heyday of the Golden Gloves. They fought the first televised fight in Albany sometime in the 1940s. When my dad was 16 (Sammy was 21), he defeated Sammy by wearing him out with body shotsmainly because dad hit like Rocky Marciano (I know because I tested him ONCE when I was a teenager.. bad idea). They fought many times over the next few years until they both quit the ring and moved on to the next phase of their lives. But they became best friends through it all still are.
Ben Becker (Muhammad Alis Olympic trainer) wanted my dad to turn pro but after watching a guy get killed in the ring; dad decided scrambling his brains for a living might not be such a good idea. They both never lost their love for boxing, attending hundreds of fights over the next six decades. These guys are old school Italians (parents right off the boat) who did what they had to do to make a living..it was interesting, so Ive been told! Best men at each others weddings. Both had families and Sammy was asked to be my godfather.
I always enjoyed being around Sammy he was fun and always wanted to know how I was doing. I wasnt everyday close with Sammy but he was my godfather and my dads best friend, so I just respected those two facts. We usually saw him at all the family funerals and when my dad had nightclubs, he would pop in every once in a while. He was a complete spitfire, FULL of energy, always laughing, handsome ...... women loved him and he was also old school tough didnt take any crap from anybody ...all 5'4" of him.
At his 80th birthday (four years ago), he danced for hours and hours . people half his age couldnt keep up. We still talk about it. Sammy is 84 years old and has a son in his early 20s.that tells you all you need to know about him. Hes one of those guys you just never thought could get sick or get old. Then the kidneys went.
So this afternoon, we arrived at the nursing home in Delmar and there is Sammy in a wheelchair, old, thin and dying. Weve visited him before but he was on dialysis and his immediate future wasnt decided then. Sammy was semi-alert and he flashed us his great smile when he saw my dad. His daughter was there as were some old friends. My dad (79 himself and slowing down) sat next to Sammy and started talking about boxing (their bond), "Who was that kid who gave you a lickin in Boston"?.........."Remember our fight on TV"?..........."Who had the best left hook"? My dad got up and delivered a playful slow left hook to Sammys face and then just put his hand on his face and held it there. It was beautiful and heartbreaking and of course it got everyone of us in the room.............two old friends, one on his way out and the other hanging on to memories and a friendship. .
My dad has outlived all eight of his brothers, his wife, and all of the old crew from the South End, except for Sammy. Sammy's the last of em.
It got me to thinking of how fortunate we are to have this silly baseball leagueto have made friends (that transcend the baseball). It also got me to thinking about who I might be retelling old baseball stories with 30 years from now? Carlos Llera?, Mike Labanowski?, Jimmy K?, Dan Miriable?, Pete Geannelis?, Tom Maney?, Mike Ferraro?... .all really good guys(and friends) and guys who I certainly wouldnt have met without this silly baseball league.
Baseball, boxing and a tribute to a friendship .thats what I experienced today. My dad just called me..he was pissed and wanted to talk about A-rod getting drilled by Ryan Dempster. said he would have "knocked that punk kid out". I laughed because I know its true. I asked him what Sammy would have done. He laughed, "Sammy'd a hit him ten times before that punk even realized hed left the batters box". I laughed even harder because we both knew that was the truth. Heres to the friendships we make. If I may, heres to Sammy!
-- Edited by slounello on Sunday 18th of August 2013 10:09:24 PM
-- Edited by slounello on Sunday 18th of August 2013 10:09:58 PM
-- Edited by slounello on Sunday 18th of August 2013 10:15:41 PM
-- Edited by slounello on Sunday 18th of August 2013 11:25:07 PM
The thing that I find myself missing so much as I sit out this year with injury is the very thing you wrote about - the people that we meet and get to know in this league.
Thanx Stevie for putting life back in perspective. I shed a tear for you and especially your dad. He lost his wife and you your mom not too long ago. I can't imagine what it will be like when we start losing our friends. You're right. It's organizations like MSBL that create bonds like Sammy and your dad. Thanx for sharing. JimmK
Amen to that Steve ...... we are really lucky to be able to play at our age.... and I am sorry to hear about your Dads' friend.
Sometimes a positive attitude is all we have ...... We are on a 6 game losing streak (which followed a 5 game winning streak).
In that stretch we played the Reds (it was 3-2 after 6 innings), the Giants (0-0 after 6, 1-1 after 7 innings), Royals (2-2 after the 5th), Shaskys (we were up 12-7 going into the bottom of the 7th) and the Yankees twice (up 2-1 going into the bottom of the 7th and 3-1 going into the top of the 7th) ..... so we were competitive in every friggin game but lost them all.
Despite all that i was driving home last night after playing in two great games with great team mates... the sunset was beautiful and rather than feel sorry for myself i was quite content ... i am looking forward to getting everyone back and healthy and make a playoff run .... these crazy endings go both ways and we are due for a few breaks... and what better time to be due some breaks than the playoffs!
Best thing I've ever read here Stevie... I consider it a privilege to have gotten to know you a little bit over the last couple of years and genuinely appreciate you sharing that story, very moving and appropriate...
Godspeed for Sammy to the other side...
Stevie Last week when the Dodgers played your team,it may me laugh on the field when your teammates were razing you about getting to the thirdbase coaching box, while you had a crutch under one arm and that big black boot on your foot. Only true friends.
