By Mark La Monica
The Yanks are in the postseason for 13th straight season, which produces a 13th straight season of "Win the World Series or the season is a failure" stories, columns and quotes.
Some folks subscribe to that theory, that a World Series ring comes with residency in Yankees Universe. That's not realistic and we know that (or at least most of us do).
I had the magical 1996 season, where Joe Girardi's triple is still rolling around right-centerfield in my mind. I had the insane 1998 season, where Tino Martinez hit a three-run homer in the first inning at least 162 times. I had the 1999 season, where I almost died from choking on a bite of a sandwich the day of Game 2 (thanks again, Bones and Noose). I had 2000 and the thrill of being in Shea Stadium for the clinching Game 5 of the Subway Series.
So, I don't mind if the Yankees don't win another title for a little while. However, I would enjoy one more World Series ring this season for one reason: Don Mattingly.
Yankees fans whose fandom began 11 Octobers ago may find this next sentence difficult to comprehend.
Don Mattingly was Derek Jeter before Derek Jeter was Derek Jeter.
From 1984-1995, Don Mattingly was the main reason to be a Yankee fan. The one player fans could look to and say, "I want to make my dad take me to the Stadium because this guy is playing for them."
Just as Jeter owns New York City now (he does, regardless of how many bombs A-Rod hits), Mattingly did then. And he did it with a resume that included zero championship rings and even less famous women.
Mattingly was the quintessential tragic hero, the type of character that would make Shakespeare run out feathers and ink. When it came to Donnie Baseball, the only man in recent sports history to be nicknamed after the sport he played, any Yankee fan in the '80s and '90 would have chipped in to pay free-agent contracts to help him win a ring.
He just had the aura about him. He was the everyman, an aw-shucks Midwesterner who readily identified with the working class. Of course, it helped that he could hit the ball wherever he wanted.
Today's thirtysomethings who grew up Yankee fans can appreciate this: Mattingly was the player we all emulated in Little League. When someone would ask us who we wanted to be when we grow up, "Don Mattingly" was the standard response. Now, it's Jeter. And rightfully so. He's earned every bit of it.
Ask any true Yankee fan in 1994 how furious they were that August day when Bud Selig canceled the World Series. The Yanks had the best record in the American League at the time. The Yanks had Don Mattingly at the time.
Ask any true Yankee fan in 1995 how excited they were that early October day in Toronto when the Yankees clinched their first playoff berth since 1981. The Yankees lost to Seattle, 3-2. Don Mattingly hit .417, then retired a few months later.
Ask any true Yankee fan in 1996 how pained they were that mid-October day in New York when the Yankees won their first World Series since 1978 and Don Mattingly was nowhere to be found in pinstripes.
Ask any true Yankee fan in 1997 how sad they were that early April day in New York when the Don Mattingly, standing in Monument Park among the Yankee legends and championship winners, helped raise that World Series banner on Opening Day.
So, if for no other reason in 2007, let the Yankees win the World Series. For Donnie.
Comments (17)
Great article. I loved Donnie baseball. Funny, I had the same poster in my room as a teen. I remember never wanting to miss a Mattingly at bat. Mattingly to me was like Mickey Mantle was to my dad.
I couldn't have said it any better. I have tried to explain this to my nephews. I'm 33 and Donnie was the Yankee to look up to. When George gave him a hard time about his mustache I was so angry. It still bothers me that he isn't considered for the Hall because of the power drop off after being beaned in the back by Dave Stewart - that's when the spasms started. He won 9 Gold Gloves, was only behind Gwynn and Boggs as the best pure hitter in the game, was not fleet of foot but still a great base-runner, and never struck out more than 43 times in a season - unbelievable. He moved the runner over when he had to and did all the intangibles. Puckett got in with nearly identical numbers but wasn't near the fielder Donnie was. Puckett won 2 series but is it Donnie's fault that the Yankees never had any pitching while he was there. The Yankees were only a mediocre team. In fact he had better yearly averages than Molitor - Molitor stole bases but didn't play defense like Donnie either and had a lower career avg and only 12 more home runs in 900 more games. No doubt in my mind the HOF is anti-Yankees. He's the best and classiest player to never make the Hall.
hey don't forget his bad luck is even worse then just the 96 ws. he showed up in 1982, after the yanks were in the 81 ws. then , after the yanks were in the 03 ws he shows up in 04 as a coach, and well , lol whoops. 3 outs from a ws appeaence.
Larry,
I still have that poster!
Screw Donnie Baseball, he should have won one when he had the chance.
Stop wasting space with this bs.
Well done Mark.
I met Don Mattingly in 1991. The Yanks were playing a weekend series in Oakland and I took a couple of buddies with me from Albuquerque up to see the games. We stayed at the Airport Hilton, where the team was staying and were fortunate enough to be hanging in the hotel bar where the A's and Yanks celebrated a birthday party for Rickey Henderson's mom after the Saturday day game. (Rickey made a 5 minute appearance). Two things stand out in my mind from that day (well, 3, but I am not gonna elaborate on Mel Hall's beerhall
conquests).
First off, a young relatively unknown centerfielder had recently been called up and was playing for the Yanks and his name was Bernie Williams. During the entire weekend at the hotel, you never saw him without Roberto Kelly (or should I say vice versa). He was young, shy, in awe, and following Kelly around like a puppy dog.
Secondly, was the ABSOLUTE GRACE, STYLE AND DEPORTMENT of Don Mattingly.
During the party at the hotel bar, I did something that was against my
"standards" at the time. At my age of 36, I NEVER bothered anyone for autographs.
But in Donnie's case I made an exception as I sheepishly approached him with a tiny (infant size) Yankee cap that I had put on my son's head the day he was born 2 years earlier.
I was a nervous, stuttering 36 year old dad approaching an icon during a social event fully expecting to be rebuffed by a guy just trying to enjoy an afternoon.
Don Mattingly handled it like the FINE HUMAN BEING that he is, stopped my stammering mid sentence, smiled at me and said..."Stop, SIR, what are you trying to say?"
"Would you sign this for my 2 year old son?"
He laughed and complied, writing a nice message on the bill of the cap and talked to me for about 5 minutes.
We still have the cap.
A TRULY CLASS ACT.
YES, win one for Donnie Baseball.
Don Mattingly was clutch
There are so many other individuals similar to Don Mattingly's story - Ernie Banks never won a World Series, neither did Carl Yazstremskiand in football you have players like Dan Marino and Fran Tarkenton and even OJ Simpson! It's a team game. Some say that the Yankees won't win a championship with Mattingly part of their organization - "The Mattingly Curse"!
Great article. Don Mattingly was and always will be my baseball idol. I do everything as a righty but as a kid, I used to pretend that I was Don Mattingly and copy his hitting stance. I did it so much and so precisely that I eventually became a lefty at the plate. He deserves a ring more than anyone else on that team. I'm so glad that he is back on the team after going back to Indiana after his career was over. There isn't a more fitting name for him than Donnie Baseball.
Does recent sports history include Gordie Howe (Mr. Hockey)? Why exactly is this important, and who gave him the name anyway. Just more NY overhype. He was always great in the field, but had far too many mediocre seasons to warrant such adoration. He was a good baseball player.
Great article -- he was my hero -- I am 50, and it still pains me every time I see him in the dugout to think that he did not get a ring. The quintessential Yankee. Yes -- win one for "the Hit Man."
I grew up a Mets fan and hated the Yanks -- except for Donnie B. Do not compare him to Marino ( I am a now-20-year-suffering South Florida resident and Fins fan ) . Dan is separated from the Fins, Donnie is not. Donnie is integral to the team, Marino is a broadcaster. Not even close to comparing. Oh, and at least Marino is in the hall -- where Donnie should be. This column was right on target.
Nicknames? I guess Teddy Ballgame doesn't count?
Every sport is a ballgame, with the exception of hockey. If he were Teddy Baseball, that's one thing.
Plus the piece said "the only man in recent sports history to be nicknamed after the sport he played."
The only recent sports history for Ted Williams is the awful things his family did to his body after his death.
Larry Roth and many others love to paint things "anti-Yankee" when things don't go there way...Would you please take a minute to look up the numbers. NO WAY he's a hall of famer. The hall is for all-time greats, though a few have slipped in without proper merit. More than half the seasons of his career were mediocre. 90-95 (six seasons) he hit .285 and his biggest RBI year was 86. He had four outstanding seasons, two good seasons and six mediocre seasons in his 12 year career. 2100 hits and 1100 RBI doesn't get a player into the hall of fame. The hall isn't anti-Yankee, it's supposed to be reserved for the best of the best.
Drew,
You are right on about Donnie and the Hall. It pains me to say it, and yes, it took me a few years to admit it.
As much as we loved Donnie, he didn't have enough seasons of good health and dominance.
Still, if I could, I'd vote for him anyway.
I don't think Donnie Baseball deserves to be in the Hall either. That is hard for me to say since I was a huge fan of his growing up. The Hall of Fame voting is a joke anyway. There is no doubt in my mind Mark Mc Gwire will get in even though he was truly a one dimensional player. If not for his degenerative back, there is no doubt Mattingly would have made it to the HOF. He will win his ring one day hopefully. It just HAS to happen, he is too nice a guy. If he doesn't ever win one and Jose Canseco got one in a Yankee uniform ( which he subsequently sold, I believe) it would be a total disgrace.