The Voice of New Rochelle: Mo Than I Hoped For

One of the first things I learned when I began interviewing celebrities and other public figures is that they are rarely the way they seemed when you only knew them from their media personas. 

The current atmosphere of self promotion, intense marketing and personal “brands” has far too many people of note performing in compliance with an externally manufactured version of themselves. 

Many of them even have publicists on the payroll, or PR people who manage information for the enterprise they represent. Politicians have consultants who guide them on what to say and how to act. I mean, how else could you come up with a Sarah Palin as a candidate for national office?

Sorry, I can’t help myself. 

It is fair to say that there are public figures who come across in person exactly the way they appear. Denzel Washington, of nearby Mount Vernon stock, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee come to mind. Hillary Clinton comes across as even smarter and nicer when you meet her. Who knew?

As for athletes, they are kind of tricky. On the one hand, they tend to be more humble than most. In general, they are less coached, and not as sophisticated when it comes to dealing with the media. And let’s face it; they did not achieve their celebrity status by virtue of the debate club or via some scientific discovery. They come to us more honest and less measured—unless they are Derek Jeter. If they say the wrong or selfish thing, we pick up on it right away. If they mean to say one thing, but choose their words poorly, they can unintentionally misrepresent themselves.

The other thing with sports figures is that we have worshipped them since we were kids. We bring a bias to the meeting that can work two ways. The first is that they can do no wrong and that we look past their shortcomings, even their humanity. The other is that we become disappointed when we see their blemishes up close. I remember reeling the first time I worked with four recently retired, iconic New York athletes back in my communications days. I had trouble keeping one sober, and kept fielding questions from two of the other three about ways that they might make money in retirement. One went on to be a successful broadcaster. As a group, for the most part, they were underwhelming. It is, at once, unfair and necessary to make this point.

But then there is Mariano Rivera who announced his retirement this week. Lest you think I am jaded by the above, think again. I was a mediocre pitcher in high school who, no matter how hard I tried, or no matter how long I practiced, could never rise above being a junk ball hurler. I could make the thing sink, curve, sail and hit people, all at paper airplane speed. Since I was right handed, and most right-handed batters that age had trouble with the curve, there was a spot for me. Left-handed hitters were another matter. Some balls are still orbiting earth, and some hitters are still nursing hernias from taking full bodied swings at my floaters. But, God, I loved pitching. I also love pitchers. 

So now you know. I was excited like a little kid to meet the Sandman. I admired him for all the obvious reasons. His record speaks for itself. His humility and decency seemed completely sincere. And more than anything, I admired the way he handled bad times. It is easy to forget that he issued a walk-off home run to lose a World Series. He was the same Mariano after that. His game didn’t suffer and he didn’t sulk. He just kept on winning and saving games.

In 2012, Mariano came to New Rochelle, where he has some ties, to buy the church on North Avenue. At last, I was going to meet one of the greatest pitchers who ever lived and get to ask him questions. I also was going to see for myself where he fit in on the genuineness scale. To spike up the conversation I brought a Spaldeen (Spalding) to the press conference. It seemed to me that a future hall of famer ought to know what we city kids were throwing around when we were dreaming of playing in the big leagues.  

Well, now I know. He is as decent, warm and thoughtful as advertised. He is building a church so that his wife can build a ministry and where he can work with young people. Imagine, perhaps the nicest person in sports is building a church. Somehow, a man who seems almost too good to be true has found a way to top himself. 

By the way, Mariano had heard about Spaldeens, but never saw one before. I will bring him another one in spring training next year—on North Avenue.