Yankees’ Dent a hit with Prospect School kids
Former New York Yankee signs autographs for kids Thursday
QUEENSBURY, N.Y. >> Bucky Dent hit one of the most famous home runs in baseball history 40 years ago this month.
His blast over Fenway Park’s Green Monster – on Oct. 2, 1978 – helped lift the Yankees to victory over the Red Sox in a special one-game playoff, en route to capturing their second straight World Championship.
On Thursday, Dent was an equally big hit with kids at the Prospect Center who came dressed in Yankee shirts and caps to meet the ‘78 World Series MVP have and him sign autographs.
“It’s so important to give back,” he said. “I enjoy meeting people and making kids happy. It’s always fun to put smiles on their faces and bring a fun day to them. I light up, too.”
The afternoon visit was a prelude to Dent’s special Thursday night appearance at a fundraiser for the Prospect Center, a nonprofit for at-risk and developmentally challenged individuals.
The facility, in Queensbury, is a division of the Albany-based Center for Disability Services.
Dent proudly wears the rings he won with the 1977 and ‘78 Yankees.
“We had characters with character,” he said. “We had guys like Sparky Lyle, (Lou) Piniella, (Thurman) Munson, Reggie (Jackson). We had a bunch of different characters who came together to win championships.”
Dent also spoke about the current Yankees team and gave his opinion of the team.
“It looks like the Yankees have that right now,” Dent said. “I like watching them play. They’re fun. It’s just fitting a couple more pieces together to get to the next level. I think they’re going to need some pitching, some starters.”
Following a 12-year playing career, Dent had a brief two-year stint as Yankee skipper during parts of the 1989 and ‘90 campaigns. That was followed
by 10 years as a coach for the Cardinals and Rangers.
For many years, he also ran a baseball school in Delray Beach, Fla., where the main playing field was a replica of Fenway Park, complete with the Green Monster.
The game has changed a great deal since Dent hit his heroic home run 40 autumns ago. Analytics have completely altered the way baseball is played, with infield shifts and a steady stream of pitching changes in each contest.
“I’m from an old school,” Dent said. “I think there’s room for analytics. When I was coaching defense, being in the right position, that’s part of it. But you can go too far with it, too. You’ve got to give players an opportunity to use their instincts and play the game.”
Dent’s home run likely wouldn’t have happened if not for a completely unplanned, unscripted turn of events.
With the Yankees trailing, 2-0, against the Red Sox in the seventh inning, he fouled a pitch off his ankle and walked toward the ondeck circle.
“Mickey Rivers came over and said, ‘Homey, you’ve got the wrong bat. That one’s cracked.’ I really wasn’t paying attention to him. I was worried more about my foot,” Dent recalled. “So I turned around to walk back to the plate and the bat-boy ran up to me and said, ‘Hey! Mickey told me you’ve got the wrong bat.’ So I just switched them out and the first pitch (Mike) Torrez threw, I hit the home run.”