(
)
Longtime Yankees trainer Gene Monahan, who will retire this year following his 49th season with the team, shares a half-century of pinstripe history with Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: Your first day as Yankees trainer, 1973 Opening Day in Boston?
A: It was the first game ever of the DH. It was Ron Blomberg, and he walked. I remember we got three runs in the first inning of the first game and I thought, “Boy this is easy.” Well, we got beat 15-3.
Q: Favorite Yankees moments?
A: There’ve been thousands of ’em. On the field, one of my favorites is when Chris Chambliss hit the home run to put us in our first World Series when I was the trainer here in ’76. Obviously, Bucky Dent’s home run in ’78, with Reggie [Jackson’s] following in the same game. The no-hitters and the perfect games, all tremendous things. Mo Rivera getting his 602nd save. That was a big emotional moment for me personally ’cause … saw just about every one of ’em … and off the field, the birth of my (two) daughters.
Q: What was your reaction the moment Bucky Dent hit the ball?
A: Well, Bucky had just fouled a ball off his ankle, and we had to go out there and we were trying to get it calmed down and talk him down through the soreness of that, and sprayed it off a little bit, and we were talking, Mickey Rivers was on deck. He came over and said, “Buck, you got a cracked bat there, brother. Use this one.” So he gave him a different bat, we went back to the dugout and I turned around, and the crack of the bat, and the ball went to left field and we thought, “Hey, that ball’s got a chance.” And [Carl] Yastrzemski went over in the corner and looked up and it was in the net.
Q: Favorite Yankees team?
A: This year’s because it’s the most current.
Q: Most devastating defeat?
A: Well, I would have to say it was the playoffs with the Red Sox when we were up three games to none with an inning to play in Game 4.
Q: And after the game?
A: It was just kind of a weird quietness, and I knew I didn’t like it. And when you have games like that, even as the athletic trainer, you can’t wait till tomorrow to get back out there.
Q: When the Red Sox won Game 7?
A: I remember wanting pretty much to say goodbyes to guys, and then I wanted to go home. I just wanted some private time, quiet time with my family, and that’s what I did.
Q: The happiest you ever saw George Steinbrenner?
A: The Atlanta World Series, we were down two games to none, and Mr. [Joe] Torre said, “Don’t worry about a thing, Boss. We’ll go down there and beat ’em a couple of ballgames, come back and win it.” That’s exactly what we did. And he was so happy that he was visibly emotional, and … he was loving everyone. … He just let it all come out, and that was so gratifying.
Q: The angriest you ever saw George Steinbrenner?
A: (Laugh) He used to get pretty mad at me on a one-on-one basis. It was scary sometimes … a lot of times. For me, the worst four-letter word in the English language is lose. L-O-S-E. And he hated to lose as bad as anybody. And when we had tough times going, and we were losing ballgames and guys were hurt, that’s when he got the maddest, because he couldn’t solve that problem overnight. And he’d call me upstairs, and it was a one-sided conversation, and it was a loud conversation.
Q: Would he say, “Get these guys on the field!” to you?
A: Yeah. “What’s wrong with this guy? What’s wrong with that guy? Why isn’t he playing? You don’t realize you’ve got more injuries than any other team combined in the American League, what is it with you guys?” Stuff like that.
Q: The day he returned from his suspension?
A: He was beaming. … He had a sharp sportcoat on and a long sleeve shirt, and he comes strolling through there with the swagger that we always knew to grow and love and we missed. My heart was applauding inside.
Q: The secret of Joe Torre’s success?
A: His ability to remain calm … under fire. And lead with quiet forcefulness. You knew where you stood. You understood it, and he was sincere with it.
Q: The secret of The Captain’s success?
A: To be honest with you, I don’t know, but I’ll say as an observer and an admirer [of Derek Jeter], he’s like that stuff that I always say that Pete Sheehy taught me and Joe DiMaggio: You learn more with your ears open and your mouth closed and your eyes open. And he doesn’t ramble on and put his business out on the streets. He’s a private person, but he quietly, with a lot of dignity as well, handles situations with guys on a one-on-one basis without anybody else knowing about it.
Q: The secret of Mariano Rivera’s success?
A: Mariano is a family guy and a religious guy, and he’s got some internal drive that I can’t explain.
Q: Your bond with Thurman [Munson]?
A: He bought himself a Corvette, he pulls up into Binghamton, walked into our old ratty little clubhouse and said, “I’m Thurman Munson and I’m not gonna be here very long.” I said, “Well my name’s Geno and I’m the trainer here and I’ll sure help you as much as I can.” And he asked me what it’s like to play pro ball. He didn’t know anything. He had a couple of gloves and some shoes. Taught him a few things and we had some special times together. And then when I caught back up with him after my minor league career came to a close in ’72 and we joined up again here, we had a lot in common, and we helped each other. I would listen to him, he had a lot of really personal things inside, and he was very private as well, but he would share those with me and a couple of other guys. That was good stuff.
Q: Thurman’s relationship with Reggie?
A: Well, on the field they were two fiery guys that played to win. And they got along really good with that. But on the other side of the coin, they’re two different backgrounds, two different personalities. Those two things are gonna clash. And they did. But it kinda worked out really well for the club, and each of them individually that they had that because … it’s a little bit of an edge-maker, and they came to work with the edge a lot of times, and it kinda worked for ’em.
Q: Reggie’s three home runs, Game 6, ’77 Series?
A: I didn’t realize till well after the game that it was on successive pitches. But I remember he hit that Charlie Hough pitch, just crushed it, and I went, “Oh, boy, that one’s gone,” and then I turned around and I thought, “You know, I think that’s his third home run.” And then when he took his bow, you knew that was Reggie, and everybody admired him, and it was kinda cool.
Q: The Reggie-Billy [Martin] dugout confrontation?
A: That’s a small dugout and I was always down by the water cooler at the other end. I stay out of the way. But I kinda saw this kinda weird thing happening with [Reggie] running off the field in the middle of an inning and Paul Blair going out to right, and I go: “He didn’t hurt himself …” So I kinda was heading down that way, that direction, to see if something had gone wrong with his legs or something, then all of a sudden I go, “Well, let me turn around and go back the other way,” ’cause Yogi [Berra] was getting involved, and Elston [Howard] was getting involved, and I go, “There’s a little something more going on here right now, and I think it’s a personality deal, so let me just go back to the other end.”
Q: Don Mattingly’s last game?
A: It just went by quietly just like he is — quiet, leader … with class and dignity. … [He] didn’t say a whole lot and let his stuff on the field do his speaking for him. If there ever was a real true Yankee, he’s one of ’em boy, I’ll tell you, he is.
Q: Joe DiMaggio?
A: Classiest Yankee, obvious with tremendous dignity and quiet aura about himself, and he took me under his wing when I was an intern in spring training and helping out. I was cooking the soup and doing the shoes, and stuff like that, and observing.
Q: Mickey Mantle? ¶
A: My first time in Lauderdale before I even got a job as batboy, I was at the stadium over there when they had moved to have camp there, I was nervous but I was hanging around the ballpark trying to get an autograph. And he came out, my heart was pounding in my throat and I had a piece of paper and I didn’t have a pen, and he didn’t have a pen, and we looked around for a pen, and he took the time to wait with me for a while. And then finally I fumbled and found one and he goes, “Oh, we don’t have to wait till next time, here I’ll be happy to sign for you.” He was so sweet to me.
Q: Late PA announcer Bob Sheppard?
A: Classy, dignified human being. Nicest man in the stadium. Next to Pete Sheehy.
Q: Yogi?
A: Just the most personable guy. He’d be your next door neighbor, you loved him.
Q: Bobby Murcer?
A: He took on a leadership role really, really well, and when he saw anything out of line, he would take care of it. He was very good with that.
Q: Roger Clemens?
A: Intense … fun-loving, sincere, personable with you. He treated you like an equal.
Q: Andy Pettitte?
A: Fabulous family man. … A good role model for all kids. … Not afraid to share his experience with kids, and he’s a great teacher and he really cares for people. And he’s not afraid to tell me he loves me.
Q: Dave Winfield?
A: Probably the most gifted athlete I have ever seen.
Q: Goose Gossage?
A: Great guy, fun-loving. Win, lose, draw, you name it, he was the same guy all the time. … Anybody who’s as close and a great friend to Willie Nelson is gonna be a friend of mine (smile).
Q: Phil Rizzuto?
A: What I remember most about Rizzuto is he always wore pajamas and robes. … Nothing but class.
Q: Bernie Williams?
A: Bernie’s just Bernie. Whenever he’d have an injury or he’d get clocked or something and you had to rule out concussions and things like that, you’d ask him little questions like, “Count backward from 100 by sevens ,” and he’d laugh at me and say, “I couldn’t do that if I didn’t get hit in the head!”
Q: Ron Guidry?
A: Still a very close friend. When he had to pitch that [‘78] playoff game, we kinda spooked The Boss a little bit, ’cause [Guidry] didn’t want to hear the rah-rah that day. So he hid under the [massage] table and I had him covered up and The Boss came in looking for him and we kinda told a fib. Somebody said, “I think he’s down in the bullpen, taking a little siesta down there,” and The Boss (chuckle) actually went down there looking for him and couldn’t find him.
Q: Catfish Hunter?
A: I’m moving to his home state [North Carolina], almost out of honor for him. I’m so sad that he’s not around because we’d been neighbors across the state. He would get on me all the time but he loved me, and it was so neat to have him as a friend and a player and a teammate. He did things for me, personally for my mom and dad and family, that people don’t even know about.
Q: Jorge Posada?
A: He’s always looking out for me. He’s like a big brother.
Q: Joe Girardi?
A: He cares so much about family to a point where that’s the first and last questions of the day.
Q: Who was more intense, Lou Piniella or Paul O’Neill?
A: Paul was a warrior type of guy, and Lou had, and still does, anything could set him off, and boy he’ll go after it. I’ve seen him teach hitting in the shower.
Q: Assistant trainer Steve Donohue?
A: I’m the oldest of eight children — four guys and four girls in my family — but he is my main man and brother, confidante. We’re inseparable. Inseparable emotionally, and we’ll remain that.
Q: The first time you heard the word cancer?
A: [Dr. Paul Lee] said, “Your results are back,” and we were talking on the phone, and he kept saying, “Ah, just stop by on your way home.” I just put the phone down before I went over there, and I knew something was going on because … and then I got very, very scared. I got in the car and I don’t remember driving over there. … It just seemed like everything in my body went to ice water and fell down to my feet. And I just sat there numb a good half-hour. I couldn’t talk, didn’t know where I was with anything. I reached out to Mel Stottlemyre, ’cause I knew immediately would go to Sloan-Kettering, because I think that place is very respected and the place to go. I talked to his doctor, who’s a saint of a person. My cancer’s (throat) not his specialty, I asked him to put me in touch with the guy that could help me, and he did.
Q: Spring training 2010?
A: Not being there and being home was really, really difficult. Mainly because I wasn’t where I was supposed to be, but mostly because I was really hurting, sick. … And then the phone started ringing. Everybody started calling — good friends of doctors and good friends of this guy and that guy, and they help each other out. Now, that’s what I do for other folks — you tell ’em that, “You gotta suck it up and be tough. It’s just a whole different chapter that’s never gonna end for you.” It really doesn’t. And, as much better as I think I feel, and that I do, there’s not a day that goes by still, and I’m two years out, where I eat like I should or I can. You resent it, but you’re so far ahead of where you were a year-and-a-half two years ago that … my knees hit the floor every day. And when I get out of bed. I’m praying. When I go to bed at night, I’m praying and I’m thanking the Lord that I was able to come back to work in May. I didn’t have any energy. But I had to get back here. I was only spending two or three hours here, and then I’d go home. That was tremendous medicine. The drive home was great! I mean, I was hurting, and I was weak. But I was driving myself, and … I felt so enlivened.
Q: Why was it medicine for you?
A: The first few days I’d walk in, everybody would brighten up and their eyebrows would go up, ’cause they knew, but they were being nice to me. You know, Derek: “Where you been? About time you got your butt back here!” Stuff like that. And I was just dragging, he knew. But … the acceptance, from all the guys … and the ladies that work here … the people upstairs, the secretaries, all coming to see me. I didn’t realize so many people liked me like that. ’Cause I’m a pretty …by the book guy. I don’t smile much, and I’m shy and I’m nervous. and I go about my business. All sudden here’s hundreds of people who really love you. That meant everything. When I felt like I was contributed a little bit, and then I got in the car and was driving home, it was like, “This is like old times! I’m OK. I’m gonna be all right. It’s gonna be all right.”
Q : The day you received your seventh ring (Opening Day 2010)?
A: That was hard. That’s an understatement. Joe Girardi talked me into coming to doing it, ’cause I didn’t want to. I didn’t want any attention. And I wasn’t getting around too good. But I put on the stuff — my uniform and your stuff, and it’s kinda falling off me. But I hiked it up and went out there. And they said, “Now you go down there by first base,” so I did and I turned around (voice cracks, tears well in eyes) and I turned around and … nobody else was coming out. (Pause) And Jorge’s, you know, clapping. … The guys got up … and I went, “Oh, goddamn. What do I do now?” Here I am standing out there by myself. And the fans got up. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t talk. … I just took it all in and just felt like … here’s 40-something-thousand people, they all know who you are and they care about you.
Q: Winning an eighth ring?
A: I want this group of guys to have it. Me, personally, it wouldn’t mean any more than any of the other ones. One of my friends in [NASCAR] racing is five-time champ Jimmy Johnson. He does commercials where he says, and it’s true, “There’s no feeling in the world like winning.” There isn’t. … It would be tremendous, it’d be wonderful, it would be a great way to make this new chapter go when I head south. But basically I really I want them to do well for themselves.
Q: The Yankee Way?
A: You go about everyday things, whether they’re significant things or insignificant things, with dignity, class and honor. And when Mr. Steinbrenner came on board in ’73, I don’t even know if he was even aware of it or whatever, but in spite of his demands to have excellence and success, he began immediately teaching the family way. That we were a group, we were a family, we were to look out for one another.
Q: What has it meant to be a Yankee?
A: It was far beyond expectations or any kind of dream that I’d had. I loved the game so much as a youngster and still do now. I have a passion for the game that I figured, “What kind of method would I have where I could be affiliated with the game in some form?” And working out in the clubhouse that first year in the minor leagues and they asked me back because Mr. Sheehy — Pete Sheehy, the Yankee old-time clubhouse guy, God rest his soul — showed me how to take care of things in a dignified manner and a clean manner and an organized manner. Back in those days, the trainers were the clubhouse guys.
Q: What does it mean to you to have meant so much to so many players?
A: I didn’t realize that till this year. I really didn’t put that together. The outpouring of affection has been phenomenal. I’m hearing from all kinds of people. … It means the world to me. … It’s impacting, it’s hard to describe and it’s just like another family. … It’s just a cohesive bunch of people all with one goal in mind.
Q: What do you hope Yankees players say about you years from now?
A: That I tried hard and worked hard for ’em and that I cared about ’em. And I treated most everybody the same.
Q: What drove you for 49 years?
A: Just coming to the ballpark, and being around these kind of people, and trying to help and serve and having the opportunity to do that. It was an honor and a real blessing that they kept me around, and I grew up through the minor leagues, and there was just nothing else I ever figured I’d ever want to do besides this.