My Second Dad

During my early teenage years my father had to work many long hours just to keep our home and our family going. I didn’t get to see him very much.
From the time I was around 12 until I was 16 or 17 I was blessed with the friendship of a man who quite often treated me like I was his own son. I always considered him my second “Dad.”

His name was Joe. He was about 5 years younger than my dad and for some reason or another took to being my friend when I really needed an adult male role model. Our two families had been neighbors and friends ever since I was 7 years old. I used to go to their house and visit with Joe and his wife, Judy, all the time. I played with their son who was 8 years younger than me. Their son is still one of my best friends to this day.

There are so many things that Joe did to be a friend to me that I can’t really explain or take time to mention in this short post. He took me to watch him play softball, took me out for lunch, and mostly just let me hang around with him. Perhaps the most significant thing he ever did for me was share something that was always near and dear to his heart. It remains part of my life today.

Joe loved the New York Yankees. He grew up in the 50’s & 60’s when the Yankee dynasty was in full swing. He talked about watching them win the World Series nearly every year when he was young. His eyes would light up and a smile would come on his face when he reminisced with stories about Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Phil Rizzuto, Billy Martin and many others.

I didn’t really become baseball fan until I was about 10 or 11. Because of the influence of another neighbor I was a Phillies fan. Joe was always trying to get me to like the Yankees. Watching, talking about and following the Yankees was a bonding element in our relationship.

At the end of September 1973 he took me to see the last game played at the original Yankee Stadium. I say “original” because after the game the stadium underwent a 2 year refurbishing project.

I was totally oblivious to the historic significance of the event. As a matter of fact at the end of the game I couldn’t understand why people were tearing the place apart. They were taking signs and pieces of the stadium and carrying them off. I didn’t know why. Now I do and I regret not taking something myself but I didn’t realize.

But ironically neither the game nor being present for the historic occasion had any lasting effect on me. What changed my life as a baseball fan was a small 10 inch diameter record album that was given to everyone as a souvenir as they entered the stadium that day. On the record was an audio history of Yankee Stadium narrated by the voice of the Yankees, Mel Allen. It highlighted all the great Yankee and sports moments that happened there as well as the historic ones like a visit from the Pope.

I listened to that record over and over during that winter and early spring. It really made it sound like the Yankees were something special. By the time the next baseball season started I was a Yankees fan. I have been ever since; for nearly 35 years. It’s a legacy handed down to me by my friend Joe.

As I said Joe did a whole lot more for me in my life than just introduce me to the Yankees. He helped a kid who didn’t fell like he had many friends in the world know he had at least one adult, other than his parents that he could count on.

Starting in 1976 Joe spent several years attending the same church I did. He even served as part of the leadership. Most importantly he became a Christian during that time.

Sadly in the early 80’s Joe made some bad decisions in his life. He moved away from his family and eventually got divorced. After that I saw him from time to time over the years but my relationship with him was never the same.

Joe died in 2005 after a 5 year battle with cancer. One of my biggest regrets was that I never got to tell him how much his friendship meant to me during my teenage years and how much I loved him for it.

Yesterday would have been his birthday. He would have been 67 years old. That was one thing that was special in our friendship. We had back to back birthdays. As I sat and remembered the friendship and guidance he gave me I thought that perhaps remembering him in my blog was the least I could do. I will always be grateful for being blessed with having Joe in my life.