Thursday November 2, 1995
“Two Very Important Announcements!”
Coach Jerry Corrado declared sternly to my seventh period physical education class at Kingston High School.
“First off, there is no ninth period make up gym class today.”
The crowd of students assembled on the bleachers, waiting for the bell to ring (myself one of them) began talking, indifferent to Coach’s proclamation.
“Second!” Coach shouted to regain our attention and silence.
“Second!”
“Joe Torre has just been named the new manager of the New York Yankees!”
Once again everyone began talking still indifferent to Coach’s public statement.
Everyone except me that is!
Coach had my full and undivided attention. But coach was done trying to communicate with the group of rowdy teenagers waiting to get for seventh period to end. Staring down at his grade book he waited for the bell, saying nothing more regarding his baseball news.
As soon as the bell rang I ran down from my seat among the top of the bleachers and approached Coach Corrado. I was desperate for some more information.
“Is it true Coach? You know, about the Yankees?” I asked in a frantic and questionable tone.
“Yes” He said to me heatedly.
“It was just announced on the radio, on WKNY during a news break.”
I pulled my New York Yankees cap from a top my head. It’s dark blue color with the interlocking white N Y. discussed by the hat and all it represented, and it’s new manager. I extended the hat out in my hand toward Coach Corrado, and said with anger and disappointment,
“you want a hat?”
“No! I want Buck Showalter back!” Was Coach’s equally angry disappointed return.
I was just fifteen years old, and I couldn’t believe the awful move that George Stienbrenner and the Yankees brass had just made. Joe Torre was known in my mind as a failed Mets and Cardinals manager. A guy whose track record for failure was sure to whip out everything former manager Buck Showalter had just accomplished.
Eleven months later, I was at my uncles house jumping up and down in front of a television when Charlie Hayes caught a foul ball pop up off third base, to crown the Yankees the 1996 World Series Champions. The vision of Torre with the World Series Trophy in his hands and tears in his eyes still seems like yesterday in my mind.
From 1996 right up until two weeks ago, Joe Torre has been the vital component for success in the Bronx. For the last 12 years Torre has been a tremendous leader of Yankees players, a calming voice in the media, and an influential figure with ownership.
But now it's all over.
At 2:00pm on Friday October 19, 2007 Joe Torre offically anounced is tenure as Yankees Skipper as come to an end.
There are many fans, journalists and analysts who are among the opinion that the time has come for a change in New York, and Joe’s departure is ideal. Many feel that Joe has never been a great situational manager, not big on strategy guy. Many also think that losing key coaches like Mel Stottlemyre and Don Zimmer hurt Torre as they were the real brains in the Yankees dugout. These oppions may have some legitimacy. However even if these theories are all 100 percent accurate, Torre is still the most qualified guy for the job. There is just no suitable replacement for Joe in the foreseeable Yankee future.
In recent years thing have gotten stale with Joe and the Yankees. In fact, in the last three years Joe’s head has been on the chopping block every October. As I watched live from Yankees Stadium during game four of the ALDS I felt that this was finally the end for Torre in New York. I was one of the many 56,000 in attendance chanting Joe’s name in what we figured was his final good bye.
Appropriately, Joe’s last official appearance on the field at Yankees Stadium was to bring in closer Marino Rivera. Rivera has been the single most important player to Joe’s success in the Bronx. One New York reporter even joked years ago that Joe’s last day with the Yankees should be one day less then Mariano Rivera’s last day.
Mission Accomplished.
Since that sunny November day back in 1995, there have been only two days that I have felt such horrible sadness as a Yankees fanatic. The first day was game seven of the 2004 ALCS when the Yankees lost to the Boston Red Sox.
The Second was today.
