Baseball catcher Mika Piazza talks about making it to the big leagues in his memoir "Long Shot".
No one imagined baseball catcher Mika Piazza would make it to the big leagues. However, he defied all odds, and contrary to everyone's beliefs, made it big. He made his major league debut with the Dodgers Sept. 1, 1992, and he hit his first home run just 12 days later. The sportsman talks about his experience in his memoir "Long Shot". He then speaks to NPR about his childhood, his father's encouragement and New York City.
On his father's encouragement
"My father ... really was a fanatic about baseball and really dreamed almost - sometimes more - than I did about becoming a major league player, and when I was about 11, he constructed a backyard hitting cage - a batting cage - with a machine, an automatic feeder, and so I was able to go out there many, many days in all types of weather and tirelessly hit, you know, again and again, hit curve balls, hit different types of pitches. The machine was able to do that."
On his father's childhood friend, Tommy Lasorda, taking an interest in his career and getting him to the big leagues
"I'd like to believe that my talent would have eventually carried me there, but I think being with the Dodgers in that unique position of having Tommy sort of look out for me and guide me in a way did help. Of course, I still had to put up the numbers and do the job, but Tommy was there. He worked with me many hours in spring training. ... He threw balls in the dirt and he would throw us batting practice, and we worked. I mean, to be honest with you ... I don't want to be that old guy who's like, 'Back when I played ...' but I do believe that back when I played, we worked. ... I mean, Tommy, after a game, would pull the batting cage out and we'd hit after the game, and now guys play five innings ... and they're home, they're on the golf course."
On playing in New York City
"New York, I've said many times, it's twice as good when you're winning and twice as bad when you're losing. ... A lot of players never could do it. I mean, they just couldn't deal with the media, maybe the off-field attractions, maybe just the pressure there. Some guys were happier being in some of the smaller cities.
On his July 2000 confrontation with Roger Clemens
"I got to the night game, and I'm first at bat and I took a pitch strike, which I usually do in my first at bat, and my next pitch, obviously, was right at my head and hit my helmet. And at the last second I was able to put my head down and at least not get hit in the face or the eye, which I thought was very dangerous, you know. I got into the clubhouse obviously [and] was a little woozy. I mean, I suffered a concussion and ... the doctor was a Yankees doctor and he was checking me out, and as soon as I got into the clubhouse he said, 'Well, Roger's on the phone.' ... At that time I was not in the mood to talk so I basically told him where to put the phone. I just was a little perplexed. ... I looked at him, I said, 'Well, you're here to make sure I don't have a hemorrhage or I'm not going to die or anything,' and he's worried about being a telephone operator."