Don Mattingly/WNYW Interview on Yogi Berra Day 07/18/99

Prior to the start of the ceremonies on Yogi Berra Day, Don Mattingly sat down with WNYW/FOX 5's Suzan Waldman for a short interview that was broadcast on the FOX 5 Network's coverage of the game.

Bobby Murcer: Right now there's a lot of friends and teammates here and it's the old captain of the New York Yankees, Don Mattingly! So, Suzan, take it away!

Suzan: I'm gonna tell him that you just called him the "old" captain. I'm not sure that he likes to say....

Don: It's Gotta be Murcer, right? (laughs)

Suzan: "It's Gotta be Murcer" is right! (laughs) And, of course, I am with the 'cap' as the guys like to call him inside! Bernie Williams cleaning out the locker 'cuz Don Mattingly was gonna be back in the building today! This is an incredible day! Did you ever think this was gonna happen?

Don: I thought Yogi at one point was coming back. I was so happy to see opening day and all that come about. It's just this is where Yogi belongs. Those years that he was gone, you know, it just wasn't right. Yogi needed to be here.

Suzan: Talk about your favorite Yogi moments, you were a young player when he was there. I know Dale (Berra, Yogi's son) told me that you cried when he got fired...talk about your realtionship with Yogi.

Don: Well Yogi with me started, kinda like, in Nashville. The year of, I think one of the player's strikes, 1981 was that. Yogi came down and spent time with us down in Nashville and he was just around. But, I guess my favorite thought about Yogi was the way he treated me. And he treated everyone the same way. No matter if I went 4 for 4 or 0 for 4, you'd see Yogi in the lobby it was, "How you doing kid?" And he made you feel comfortable when the game was over, you know it was over. And he had a respect for you at that point and I learned a lot about treating people the way you treat people from Yogi. And he's just a great man.

Suzan: And there are an awful lot of people out there, Don Mattingly, that wanna know what you're doing now? How's Kim? How are the boys? What is it that you're doing now?

Don: Everybody's great! Playing a lot of baseball these days with the boys. This is kinda tournament time at home, kids are playing everywhere...real busy with the farm...still trying to raise the babies (horses) and staying busy.

Suzan: Ya miss it?

Don: Yeah, I miss being around the ballpark. There's an excitement about being around. But, I did the right thing...couldn't handle the travel anymore, so I'm in the right spot!

Suzan: Thanks a lot Donnie! Go find Bernie, he's looking for ya!

Don: Okay...thanks!

Copyright 1999 WNYW FOX 5.

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1999, Joseph Riccitelli, Jr.