A Conversation with Peter Handrinos, Author of “The Funniest Baseball Book Ever”. August 25, 2011

During the course of our conversation Peter talks about how baseball will often connect families from generation to generation. Grandfathers to fathers, fathers to sons and on and on.

In my case the connection to baseball came to me through my mother. My mother was a rabid Yankee hater, and I, an equally rabid fan of the team. But in 1998 and 1999 she actually came around.

Those were hard teams NOT to root for with Bernie Williams in Center, Joe Girardi and Jorge Posada catching, Scotty Brosius at third–Tino Martinez, Dale Sveum, Mike Lowell, Paulie O’Neill in right (bashing everything in sight when he struck out), Curtis, Ledee, Timmy Raines and Darryl Strawberry launching those monster blasts into the night sky. On the mound: Coney, Mike Stanton, Hideki Irabu, Ramiro Mendoza, Pettitte, Nelson, Rivera along with crazy, David Wells and the Aussie, Graeme Lloyd.

They turned out to be my Mom’s last seasons. We all knew she was sick, very sick.

I’d go over to the house and we’d play gin rummy while the games were on. As we watched I’d keep asking her, “Mom, how can you not like these guys? They’re fun to watch and they seem like a good bunch of guys.” She’d mumble something about not liking the Yankees. Old feelings die hard. Then one night as we played cards and watched the game something happened–it was some play by a Yankee–whether a hit or a play in the field I don’t remember–and I heard her cheer under her breath. I just looked at her and smiled.

Click here for Peter’s Website.

Click here to listen to our conversation from August, 25, 2011.