Last Friday the Batmen lost our season opening game 8 to 6. What's worse is that I walked someone with the bases-loaded and two outs to cost us the game. I have carried that loss and that misstep with me all week and it haunts me, yet motivates me to do better in tonight's game. I try to console myself with the thought that I should be appreciati …
This blog is dedicated to Paul Napolitano who invited me to be his guest at the Yankee home opener this past Monday. Like a little boy, Sunday night, I was all excited in anticipation, but Mother Nature conspired to frustrate me as there was an unusually heavy Spring snowstorm in the night. When I awoke Monday I found that everything was blanketed …
I don't want to jinx the Yankees or Aaron Judge by writing about their present ALCS standing, but this story grows out of it. On Tuesday night Paul Napolitano took me to game 4 ot the American League Championship Series, which was a "must win" as our Yanks were down 2 games to 1. The first half of the game went poorly and we were losing 4-0 with …
In July I blogged about my Obsession with 6'7" 282 pound Yankee rookie Aaron Judge and my perception that, post All Star Game and his Home Run Derby win, he was losing his batting mojo and my related frustration. His post All Star game .179 batting slump inexplicably continued for an agonizing 6 week period. Then September arrived and Judge seem …
After winning the first 3 games of the 4 game "Subway Series" against the cross town Mets at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field Wednesday night, the rubber game was last night on the Mets home field. Gotham was represented by 200 members, family and friends due to the stalwart ticket acquisition and organization by Corey (Met fan) Bearak. Attending a …
There are many ways to define "after life".For me it is being the oldest player in a highly competitive slow pitch softball league where most players are in their 30s and old is 50. I am the pitcher and playing Manager for the Gotham Batmen and one of my teammates is my soon to be 50 year old son David. The plan for this season was to have his son, …
When I was young, being a Yankee fan, I was obsessed with Mickey Mantle. Mantle was the Yankee Key Man (last 3 letters of first name and first 3 of second). The Mick, despite his frequent injuries and leg problems carried me through the thrilling 50s and much of the 60s. His career ending was sad and he once said if he knew he was going to live a …
One of my favorite questions that I ask in an interview is "Who is your favorite historical figure?" The answers are both interesting and revealing. Recently an interviewee said Abraham Lincoln. Clearly, he is a worthy choice. However, it might be too obvious. My favorites are those where the person digs down. Joanne turned the question on …
My son David and I have played on the Gotham Batmen softball team for many years. I am the Batmen pitcher and David plays alongside me at third base. Last week the umpire asked me my age and after telling him I then pointed out that my son was also on the team. At the end of the next inning the ump called David and me over and, surprisingly, put …
Recently I met a young artist (photo above) at an Art Opening and while making conversation I bragged about a one mile open water swim I had just accomplished. Her response was that she had swum around the island. Taken aback, I asked her how long her swim was and she said 12 miles. Nearly speechless, I came back with "That's nearly as far as th …
Be honest, how many of you had the will and endurance to stay up last Wednesday night through the early hours of Thursday morning for the 10th inning, post rain delay, 7th game, Cubs 8-7 World Series, first in 108 years, victory?That's quite a lead, don't you think?After all, the Cubs had to exorcise the curse of the goat and free Steve Bartman fr …
Last Saturday I went back to our old High School (we still live in Roslyn) to take in the Roslyn High School Homecoming football game. So many memories welled up, eg, it is the same field on which Joanne was a cheer leader and upon which I played soccer. Better yet, I was joined by my son David and grandson Jackson, Roslyn High School attendees a …
Big Sexy is the affectionate ironic nickname pinned on the Mets 43 year old 285 pound pitcher Bartolo Colon who has been the winning pitcher in 230 big league games in a MLB career which started in the last century (1997). That's a lot to say about an ever smiling Dominican man who has become the people's choice. He can do no wrong!He just has thi …
On Sunday I watched American runner Galen Rupp win a Bronze medal in the Olympic 26.2 mile Marathon race with special empathetic interest. Some may know that Gotham General Counsel Ben Geizhals was my marathon running partner. We lived by the mantra of "Miles of trials and trials of miles" for a 10 year period in which we devoted ourselves to man …
My sister asked me if I could time travel in my present state would I like to go backward or forward. She chose going forward and said if things were not good at that future time she would "off" herself. I would chose going back to the 1950s. It's a classic case of if I knew then what I know now. I imagine Going to Yankee games as an adult as the …
Fridays With Fred
A perfect way to send you into your weekend