New York Yankees 2024 Season: Reigniting Confidant Memories

Congratulations to the New York Yankees for clinching the ALDS last night to advance to the American League Championship Series, with the winner heading to the 2024 World Series.

Every Yankee game, especially playoffs, ignites memories of my years as confidant to members of two world championship teams from the 1970s - 1980s.

It is still a privilege to remain in contact, notably just this morning with my friend for 42 years, Bucky Dent, a world champion with two teams, and MVP for the 1978 World Series.

Related: 

New York Yankee Confidant and Little League Memories / Excerpt:

Major League Baseball (MLB) has lessons of discipline, teamwork, and perseverance for the upcoming Olympics, and for all who enjoy sports.

Since baseball has always been my favorite sport, I often used lessons from it not only during coaching, but in many of my presentations on leadership.

As a child, love for the game was expressed through card collecting.  The real fans always knew statistics, the lineup of one’s favorite team by heart, and articulating it with each batter at every whiffle ball, stickball, or Little League game.

Baseball became significantly more serious to me after the tragic death of Yankee catcher Thurman

Munson.

Soon thereafter, I found myself involved with MLB on a much more profound level - confidant to the New York Yankee baseball players, and to many players throughout MLB.

In particular, I will always be grateful to legendary former New York Yankee shortstop Bucky Dent. His appreciation for my work with poor youth as a Salesian of Don Bosco opened the door for me to work with New York Yankee players.  

Bucky's leadership was exemplary not only as a world-class player, but as a person of character. His respect by his teammates, and those in the Yankee organization led me to serve as a confidant the team, and collaborating with them on my first book.

During one summer in particular, I was working at a camp at St. Thomas the Apostle Church on 118th Street in Harlem in 1982 as a youth counselor. In the evenings, I took the subway to Yankee Stadium to work with the players, as well as to collaborate with them on my book, On the Eighth Day God Created the Yankees.

The experience with inner city kids during the day and with the great names of baseball in the evening, gave me an unforgettable perspective. I was working with the very poor and the very rich, extreme sides of the economic spectrum, all in the course of the same day.

The lesson from this experience remains with me to this day, money, fame, and prestige do not define the person. It is character – a good heart, appreciating life, and fostering good will toward others – that is paramount in life.

Final Reflections

Yankee pinstripes do not determine a person’s greatness, but the stripes of thoughtfulness, respect, civility, truthfulness, kindness, and charity toward others.

This is what is important in the game of life, and living a life of character is greater than any World Series Championship. 

Many Yankees learned that lesson in the summer of 1979 after the death of their beloved captain.  

It is a lesson each of us must live as life is short, and every day we must strive to live a life of character, and to do something to help others.

About Vincent

Vincent J. Bove is a national speaker and author. 

He authored eighteen cover stories for The Chief of Police, and a total of 325 articles for numerous publications. 

His most recent books are Reawakening America and Listen to Their Cries.

Bove is recipient of the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award, and former confidant for players from two world champion New York Yankee teams.

He developed “Leadership Principles: Crisis Planning, Community Partnerships, Violence Prevention” keynotes to safeguard New York City at sites including:

·         Museums hosted by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

·         Corporations hosted by The New York Stock Exchange

·         Hospitals hosted by Rockefeller University

·         Properties hosted by The Union Club of New York

·         Universities hosted by Columbia University, the New York Athletic Club and Fordham University.

Bove has conducted extensive leadership presentations for the FBI, the United States Military Academy, law enforcement, educators, security professionals, and students nationwide. www.vincentbove.com

“We must all serve as catalysts to protect our workplaces, schools, communities, public spaces, and houses of worship.  Public safety demands leadership, vigilance, and collaboration.  Security demands comprehensive enhancements, on-going training, effective response to warning signs, and building bridges with law enforcement, private security, and every member of the community.”  Vincent J Bove

Photos:

1. Vincent J. Bove with Bucky Dent, April 19, 1982, Columbus, Ohio exhibition game. (Reawakening America LLC)

2. New York Yankee collage, includes photos from Yankee Stadium, the New Orleans Superbowl, and the Columbus Clippers Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, circa early 1980's. Also included is cover of my first of four books, And On the Eighth Day God Created the Yankees, copyright 1981 with all proceeds for poor youth in various Salesian of Don Bosco apostolates.

 
3. Vincent J. Bove with youth of Saint Thomas the Apostle Church, Harlem, New York City.  Summer camp 1982. (Reawakening America LLC)