When I got to spring training this year I had heard the little whispers about Gary Sanchez. About how he wasn’t the same player last season as he was the previous season. I didn’t believe it for a second because if you know this kid, then you know his work ethic. For one thing he worked very hard this off season to be very ready for a new season.

Since the day Gary got to the big leagues I have been talking to him about Thurman Munson. I have told him how hard he worked and every once in a while I would give him a message from Thurman’s wife Diana. During the Yanks fantasy camp I told Diana that I was gonna relate some of the positive things to Gary that I learned from Thurman and some things that me and Diana shared.

After one of the Yanks’ practice sessions, I got together with Gary and organization catching coach Lino Díaz and we just talked about Munson. We talked about how positive of a person he was. We talked about how actions spoke louder than words with Thurman. We talked about how after forty years, the magnitude of the man could be so strong. We talked about all Thurman wanted to do was put the team on his shoulders and carry them to the finish line.

I remember after speaking to Gary last week and telling him how proud I was of him. I gave him a kiss and told him that was from Thurman. When I walked away tears actually filled my eyes because the last thing that Gary said to me was I truly do understand the magnitude of what this man meant to this organization and this city.

Today Gary Sanchez will be the starting catcher for the American League All Stars in Cleveland, Ohio, the state where Thurman Munson was born and raised. I can guarantee you that the Munson family will be watching in nearby Canton Ohio rooting on Gary Sanchez.

Life unfortunately goes on with or without us, however if you knew Thurman Munson than you would understand why his spirit is always here. If you knew Gary Sanchez than you would understand why I’m rooting for this kid to carry on the Yankees great catching legacy.

It was spring training of 1996, and the Yankees had a former Cy Young Award winner pitching vs. the Philadelphia Phillies, who were putting a hurting on the pitcher. This was the third consecutive start that the pitcher, who was known as “Dr. K,” was getting pounded.

Yes, Dwight Gooden was having a horrible spring training. Many scouts were telling Yankees’ Owner, George Steinbrenner, that Gooden should probably be sent down or even released. One scout even told the Boss that it was a noble experiment on his part but he should give up before it becomes embarrassing.

The Boss went to his pitching guru, Billy Connors, and asked him ‘what should we do.’ Billy told the Boss that we should give him more time because Doc had not pitched in a year due to his suspension from baseball. One scout even recommended that the Boss make him a relief pitcher but the Boss had always been enamored with the legend of Doc Gooden and really believed that the good Doctor, as the Boss liked to call him, could come back.

The Boss literally willed Doc into pitching back to prominence. He had many one on one conversations with Gooden and when he had to, he scolded him like a father. Mr. Steinbrenner paid as much attention to Gooden as I had seen him show any player in all my years with the Boss. Doc once asked me does he take this much time with all the players and I responded by saying, only if he loves you.

I remember one time in 1996, Doc got hurt during a game and the first two people in the trainer’s room besides Gene Monahan was myself and Mr. Steinbrenner. I remember putting my hand on Doc’s leg and the Boss sarcastically saying, ‘I didn’t know you were a Doctor too, Negron.’ That was the only time Doc laughed. The Boss asked Doc how he felt and Gooden said it hurts when you make me laugh.

Well, as we all know David Cone suffered an aneurysm and Doc got into the rotation and on May 14 of that year Doc Gooden pitched a no-hitter. Gooden valiantly pitched that game for his dying father who was about to have open heart surgery. Even though the Boss wanted Doc to go home to be with his dad, Gooden wanted to pitch the game first. Doc just felt that it might be just the medicine that his father needed.

Well as we all know, 23 years ago today, Doc did pitch the no hitter. Rookie shortstop Derek Jeter caught the final out on a pop up that took forever to come down. Doc was carried off the field and the next morning when Doc walked into the hospital room, his biggest surprise was not that his Dad was lying there. It was that George Steinbrenner was sitting next to Dan Gooden with his hand on Dan. I think that this meant more to Doc than pitching the no hitter. I don’t know, I have never asked. I tried to keep that moment light by saying to Mr. Steinbrenner…….’Boss, I didn’t know you were a doctor also.’

This will be my third Mother’s Day without my mom.

The fact that I still have her number in my phone and get the urge to call her every day doesn’t make it easier. If you had as special a mom as most of us did then naturally we will miss them for ever. They say it gets easier with time. Well it doesn’t, we just learn to deal with it.

Yesterday I was taking my nightly bath. That’s my time to meditate. I listen to music through my radio that you scream at and say OK Google, then you mention the song and like magic the song or the album comes on. So I screamed ‘OK Google, Frankie Valli’ and for what ever strange reason the song “MY MOTHER’S EYES” came on. The words are so compelling, so beautiful, and the song literally puts you in a beautiful setting with your wonderful mom at probably the greatest moment that you had ever had with her. As Frankie Valli sings the song it feels like he is literally crying.

It was an incredible roller coaster ride because one moment I’m a little boy and my mom is telling me how great I can be. She is making sure I look perfect before leaving for school. Saying that me and my sisters are the most important things in the world to her. Then just like that my MAMA is gone.

I want to think that I made her proud. She was truly a big reason for any semblance of success that I may of had. She never took credit for it. She was just happy that through the Yankees I was able to pursue my dreams.

My mom, the strongest woman that I had ever known, died of Alzheimer’s related causes. She suffered for several years with this. One day I was laying in bed holding her, she was talking like a one year old child and at that moment I knew she was gone. I hugged her very, very tight. Prayed to her and God and basically said goodbye.

When she died, I was naturally devastated because the most important person in my world was gone. Literally all the people that I loved were gone. The men that helped mold me like my uncles Hector, Kino, Vincent and Roman. They were my mom’s brothers.

The Boss meant so much to me and he was gone. My Pop is gone, but to lose my Mama, just devastating. I remember walking into the funeral parlor and seeing all the flowers, I thought that was so very nice. Some of my friends that couldn’t afford flowers, brought them anyway. I could hear my mother screaming now about spending too much money. Boy, she would be mad but so very grateful at the same time. I saw this gigantic floral arrangement from my pal Alfred Zac and I was really happy to see the flowers from the Yankees. Mom would’ve really liked that because she was always grateful for all that the Yankee family had done for me. Then I saw this other beautiful arrangement.

This one was from Frankie Valli and his “4 Seasons” band. Tears came to my eyes because Frankie and his friendship and his right hand man Robbie Robinson have meant the world to me. The day after the funeral I was a lost soul , a wondering stranger not knowing whether I was coming or going. Robbie Robinson called me and said we are going to be at a theater on Broadway and Frankie wants you to come. I told him the I was just not in the mood. Robbie is a very spiritual man and knew how distraught I was and said all the right things to get me there.

When I got to the theater I was told to go to Frankie’s dressing room. I hung out with Frankie until just before show time. Then we went to the area behind the stage and Frankie and the band had a prayer session of which they included my Mother Jenny. Frankie and Robbie asked if I had a picture of my mom. I always do. They took it on stage and put it on Robbie’s keyboard. Can you believe it , The original Jenny from the Bronx made it to Broadway!

This is my Mother’s Day Story and whether your mom is still with us or not, think of how great they were or are.

Have a HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

Ten years ago, I brought Yankee rookie outfielder Brett Gardner to visit some sick kids at a hospital in Manhattan. This is a tradition that was actually taught to me by the great Yankee catcher and Captain, Thurman Munson. He quietly would go to hospitals and schools as long as there would not be any fanfare surrounding the event because he didn’t want any distractions to mess up the event from the kids.

Reggie was also very good in these settings because he was never afraid to show affection towards these kids. Bobby Murcer was very sentimental when it came to visiting kids or adults in hospitals. Bobby actually showed me that it was ok to cry. The Boss, George Steinbrenner, was great because he would make the kids feel like they were his equal.

One of the great visits I got to share with a Yankee was when I had plans to visit a little boy at a hospital with Chien-Ming Wang. I got up that morning and looked at the sports page and realized that he was pitching that day. There is an unwritten rule that says that if a starting pitcher is pitching that day he is not supposed to do any kind of an appearance. So I called Wang and mentioned this to him. He immediately asked, is this visit going to be so tough that it’s going to affect my start. I said probably not but that’s the rule. Wang said look if you don’t want to come because you might get in trouble then don’t come, however I am not going to let that kid in the hospital down. So he went and I did go with him and I did get reprimanded for taking him. However, Wang did pitch a great game that night in beating the Orioles and the little boy in the hospital had a wonderful visit with the then great Yankee. It’s something that, to this day, he has never forgotten.

When I took Brett Gardner to the hospital, he met a young lady who had been waiting and praying for a heart. With each passing day things were not looking good. Brett actually got to sit in front of a lot of the kids in the hospital and read one of my children’s books. (The Greatest Story Never Told)

After finishing up and signing some autographs for everyone we started to walk out. A girl by the name of Alyssa Esposito went up to Brett and said if you take my bracelet you will hit a home run tonight. The girl said please take it because someway this might help me. Brett smiled and took it. When we got in the car, Brett said I’m not playing tonight and if I play you know I don’t hit home runs. I said, look Brett you did a wonderful job with all the kids and you never know what’s going to happen tonight. Well Brett was right, he wasn’t in the starting lineup however Johnny Damon got into an argument with the umpire and got thrown out of the game. Brett Gardner batted for Damon and he hit a fly ball down the left field line that got past Twins left fielder Denard Span and went all the way to the wall. Gardner raced all around the bases at about 100 miles an hour for the first inside the park homer at the new Yankee Stadium.

As Gardner was celebrating in the dugout, another miracle was happening. The doctors at the hospital were telling Alyssa that they had found her a heart. Ten years later she is a strong beautiful woman who is about to get married in October. She is a strong believer in God and she strongly believes that God sent Brett Gardner to the hospital that day.

Yesterday I got together with Alyssa at the Project Sunshine fundraiser. I got to meet her fiancé. I marveled at her confidence as she addressed the 800 people at the event as she thanked Project Sunshine, the Yankees, her Family and fiancé, and of course her hero who hit her the home run that she so badly needed at that time, Brett Gardner.

I guess that was just another Yankee Miracle.

A special thank you to Sally Cook from Project Sunshine for always pushing me into bringing the players to visit the kids.

Dan Colon is a 52-year old baseball player from the sandlots of New York and New Jersey. As a kid, he lived in the Bronx and Manhattan. Like most kids of that era, he had the dream of playing in the big leagues. Dan was a very good player, a third baseman, but he fell just short of his dream. Dan went to college, got married, had kids and continued to play baseball. He played for so long and so well in these leagues that he would become a sandlot legend. Always a true gentleman, he was well liked by the players that interacted with him.

Two years ago, he played in a major adult tournament at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. In his final game there, he played so well both offensively and defensively that they were comparing him to Yankee legend Graig Nettles. Play after play, his glove was like a magnet. As fate would have it, Dan even stroked a big double to help win the game. Afterwards, the kids that were there would ask Dan for his autograph. That was truly Dan’s big moment in the sun.

However, fate would not be so kind. Shortly after getting home, Dan started feeling a little strange. His hands were not feeling right. He started having trouble combing his hair. All the little things that we take for granted, Dan was having trouble doing. He started going to doctors for all sorts of exams until he got the horrible news that no one would ever want to hear. Dan has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclorosis or ALS and as it’s come to be known, “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” a disease that affects one’s motor skills.

When Dan was telling me about what he’s going through, I couldn’t help but think of the movie, “Pride of the Yankees.” I immediately thought of the scene when Gehrig couldn’t put on his tie. I also though about the fact that just like Dan, Gehrig was a wonderful person.

I asked Dan what keeps him going from day to day and he tells me that, naturally, the love and support that his family gives him and then without skipping a beat, he says his ‘love of the Yankees.’ The fact that he can watch all the games and really stay mentally involved with the team helps him so very much.

Just recently, he was watching a great pitching performance by James Paxton. The left hander struck out 12 hitters in 6 innings. It was the second consecutive start that Paxton struck out 12. It was also a game that, even though it’s early in the season, the Yankees needed a start like that out of Paxton in order to preserve the pitching staff.

The thing that really impressed Dan about the Yankee pitcher was when Yankee Mgr. Aaron Boone came to take him out of the game, Paxton tipped his cap and waved to the fans. Dan asked me when was the last time that you saw that? I told him that it was Jim “Catfish” Hunter. I told Dan that “Catfish” was one of the classiest players that I had ever met in baseball. Just a wonderful man. I told Dan that “Catfish” was the same type person as Dan is. What is ironic is that at just about the same age that “Catfish” would get ALS, Dan was also afflicted with the dreaded disease.

Dan asked me what kind of person James Paxton is. I told him we have had limited conversations but it has always been about reaching out to help kids and charities. Dave Valle, the former catcher and MLB broadcaster, has told me what a terrific young man Paxton is. So Dan responded by saying that he roots for all the Yankees but will root a little harder for James Paxton, just so that he can see that little tip of the cap and also think of “Catfish” Hunter.

Dan asked me if “Catfish” was a fighter? I told Dan that “Catfish” was just like you. With that, Dan said, then he fought ’til the end.

If you would like to help Dan with his fight:

https://www.gofundme.com/RallyCaps-HelpDansCostofALS

Frank Tack baseball field, Clearwater, Florida.

It was a warm and somewhat foggy night. Two teams are battling it out. Mostly teenagers and guys in their twenties. The only exception is 57-year old Aris Sakellaridis, the oldest guy in the league.

It had been a pretty uneventful game until the 6th inning when all of a sudden a tall figure was walking in from the right field parking lot. It seemed as if everyone stopped what they were doing to see who the figure was. It looked like an old classic picture of the great actor James Dean.

Well it wasn’t James Dean, it was Yankee co-Chairman Hank Steinbrenner who decided to come to the game to see his friend Aris play. The young players, and for that matter all the players, were blown away that Hank would come down to the field to watch everyday people play.

Aris would respond to that statement by saying that Hank is a regular person who appreciates the good in all. After Aris grounded out, Hank grabbed a bat and gave him some proper batting tips. In some of their conversation Hank even told him about proper pitching mechanics, just in case Aris would be brought in to pitch. Joking around, Hank said I’m taking over and the first thing I’m gonna do is change the name of this team from the Pandas to a more masculine name like “Bullfrogs.”

Michael Kelly is the Pandas’ designated hitter. As it turned out he had been a spring training intern for the Yankees. Now he works for the Yanks class A affiliate, the Tampa Tarpons. Kelly is the public address announcer during the Tarpons’ games.

In between at bats he got to spend time with Hank getting advice on steps he should take in order to advance in the world of sports management. Hank could not have been nicer in his advice to this aspiring young man. He was like a professor talking to his pupil.

One by one some of the other players and some parents would come over to shake Hank’s hand. As you stand next to this man and listen to him talk about different subjects you realize how much he really has to give to the world.

This morning I was watching the animated film “Henry & Me.” I had forgotten that Hank did the voice of his father, George Steinbrenner. He may have been the best actor in that film. I must add that the other actors were named Richard Gere, Luis Guzman, and two Oscar Nominated actors named Danny Aiello and Chazz Palminteri.

I guess he is just like James Dean.

Last week I had the pleasure of having my off Broadway play, “Batboy, A Yankee Miracle,” performed by my cast in Hernando County, Florida, for the U.S. Veterans and First Responders. I also got to do two, one-man shows with the original music of the incredible Alex Martin for the Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg, Florida where 100% of the proceeds went to the area charities.

After the shows at the Academy, I had a reunion of sorts with the legendary actor George Hamilton. It was “Love at first bite!” (Title of the 1979 Horror Comedy movie that starred George Hamilton as Dracula)  Actually it had been probably 40 years since the last time that we had seen each other.

The first thing out of Mr. Hamilton’s mouth was “I remember your hair well, what happened to it.” He was referring to the fact that I had a rather large Afro hairstyle in the decade of the 70s. Now I keep it short and straight. I told Mr. Hamilton that it’s called old age. He looked at me and laughed.

We got a chance to talk about how much he liked George Steinbrenner and the great relationship that the Boss had with his dear friend Cary Grant. Mr. Hamilton told me how terrific the Admiral Academy had been for his son George Jr.

My pal Aris, who is in the Batboy play, was thrilled to meet the distinguished Mr. Hamilton and actually brought him a gift. Aris asked him if he had seen the new Yankee Stadium yet and Mr. Hamilton said he had not. So Aris said ‘I have a special gift for you.’ Aris handed him a small box and inside was a replica plaque of the great George Steinbrenner. “Wow,” Mr Hamilton responded. He said that he would ‘always cherish this gift because he thought that George Steinbrenner was just a really good man.’

Mr. Hamilton said he would always have fond memories of his great Hollywood friends and him visiting with the Boss during those Championship games in the 70s at the old Yankee Stadium.

It ‘s opening day and I just finished reading the fabulous book, “Big Fella,” the very thorough story of Babe Ruth.

Having met members of the Ruth family throughout the years, I was able to truly appreciate some of the Babes intimate family moments.

It also made me understand why he loved kids so much. His feelings about them was a wonderful reminder of how great the big George (Steinbrenner) of my era was.

Approximately 10 years ago, I agreed to participate in an animated film entitled “Henry & Me,” a story about a young boy battling cancer who is taken on a magical adventure by a stranger named Henry. During their journey, the boy meets New York Yankee legends, both past and present, who give him lessons about baseball — and life.

I actually received a signing bonus and at the press conference I signed the back of the check and handed it over to Daniel Quintero, from the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club.

I also agreed that if the film made money, the proceeds would also go to the club and a couple of hospitals that I’m involved with.

Some of my great friends from the sports and entertainment world joined me in making the film including Richard Gere and Chazz Palminteri. They came into the studio to loan their voices for their characters. Danny Aiello, who appeared in “The Godfather” among other great films, blows it away as the doctor who cares for the young cancer patient.

In my heart I know that Danny’s greatness in the film is because of what he lived through in real life with his own son, who he lost to cancer several years before performing in “Henry & Me.”

I was very proud that the producers of the film thought enough of my children’s book series that they wanted to do an animated film based on those books.

To see George Steinbrenner in this film as an animated character really made me happy, because his young family members would be able see a little bit of what their grandfather and great grandfather was all about by watching the film.

To hear the Boss’s oldest son, Hank, play the role of his father so professionally was very inspiring. After five years of hard work on this project and some very wonderful reviews I felt a wonderful sense of achievement for everyone involved. After the film premiered at the Ziegfeld Theatre (with all the pomp and circumstance” I thought we had a “Disney type” of movie that would stand the test of time.

Because this was one of the very few baseball films ever done and the first with actual Yankees lending their voices, I thought, at the time, how could we go wrong?

Unfortunately as two great prophets (Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz) once said in their song, “That’s Entertainment!”

Even though my role in the film was strictly in the creative end, it broke my heart that the film did not do well commercially. It hurt even more that I was not able to give another check to my friends, the kids at the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club.

My friend, David Jurist, from Hackensack Medical Center, deals with the pediatric cancer program at the hospital and whom I support by putting together visits for the children with my many celebrity friends, kept telling me not to count on the film because motion pictures are always a “crap shoot,” no matter how good they are.

When I was reading Jane Leavy’s book on Babe Ruth, “Big Fella,” I couldn’t help but think about how beautiful this film is and how something should be done to bring it back to life again.

If for no other reason than to have kids and their parents sit down together and watch something good and something real.

I know that some of you remember me writing a “Henry & Me” story last year during opening day and I guess this is my annual plea to bring this film to prominence, where it belongs.

To purchase your copy of “Henry & Me” today please visit here.

Ray Negron is a sports executive with over 40 years of experience in baseball. His first job came from a chance encounter with George Steinbrenner as a youth. He has become an American film producer, a best-selling author, and a philanthropist. His memoir is entitled, “Yankee Miracles: Life with the Boss and the Bronx Bombers.”

If you ever saw the movie “A Bronx Tale,” the most prominent line in the film is when Sonny (Chazz Palminteri) says to “C,” the young boy that he is mentoring, how in life “there is nothing worse than wasted talent.”

When I saw the new commercial on the Yes network about the up and coming Yankee season, I was blown away. The ad features Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton and “Sir” Didi Gregorius and his double play partner Gleyber Torres. They also have Ken Singleton, Michael Kay, John Flaherty, David Cone and Paul O’Neill.

This commercial is very tactfully and tastefully put together. Just when you think you have seen it all, in pops the great Academy Award nominated actor Chazz Palminteri. Chazz just gives the commercial that true Hollywood feeling. Charlie Santoro, a sales specialist at YES and a part time actor who plays Chazz’s assistant barber in the commercial, said that having Chazz in this role made every one bring their “A game” to the set.

I was told that Chazz was very generous in helping all the people on this job.

When I spoke to Chazz about doing this commercial he responded by saying that it was truly a lot of fun. One actor said that when you have a Chazz Palminteri on the set, it’s like the equivalent of a young player being on the field with Mickey Mantle.

I personally have spent as much time in the world of entertainment as I have in the sports world. I can honestly say that of all the actors and entertainers that I have known, I have never met a bigger Yankees fan than Chazz Palminteri.

Having Chazz in this commercial for YES was genius casting and what ever they paid him was worth every penny.

There was no wasted talent in this Bronx Tale for YES!

Last night I got to go to the Murray Theatre at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida. The main attraction was former Yankees’ superstar Bernie Williams.

Every seat was filled with baseball fans and music lovers. Among those in the audience were some of his former teammates like David Cone, David Wells and Tino Martinez. Also on hand were Yankee icons Willie Randolph and Mr. October himself, Reggie Jackson.

When Bernie walked on stage, the feeling was like being at the first game of a World Series. It was as if Bernie went up to the batter’s box with his bat, then turned to the umpire and called time. He asked for the batboy, handed him his bat and the batboy then handed Bernie his guitar. At that moment Bernie proceeded to hit it out of the park.

Song after song from Bernie’s magic fingers just mesmerized everyone in the audience. The usually quiet Willie Randolph acted like a “teeny bopper” at a Beatles concert. Willie could not hold back his emotions because like everyone in the audience, the music just ran through your soul.

I have seen Bernie perform before but there just was something very magical about last night. After the show I asked Bernie if there was a difference in the emotional preparation for this show as compared to that of a World Series game and Bernie said that it was pretty much the same. He also said that just like baseball, he practices with the guitar every day.

The elegant living room setting of the Murray Theatre made it that much more magical. It made the audience feel like they were a part of the band. With that type of setting, Bernie made you feel like he was performing just for you.

The true home run in the show was when Bernie was brought back for a curtain call and he performed “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” like I have never heard it before. It literally brought the capacity crowd to its feet.

Reggie Jackson is a man that I have big time respect for.  He is also a person that knows his music. He is also the most brutally honest person that I know. With that being said I went over to him and asked him for his review of Bernie. Mr October had one word. GREAT!!!