It was a sad day. Yankee Hall-of-Famer Phil Rizzuto died in his sleep Monday night due to complications from pneumonia. He had been in a nursing home for more than a year in Northern Jersey. Depending on which newspaper you read, he was either 89 or 90.
Meeting him was very special to me. Two times during my time working at Colavita USA he visited our office. (He was doing a few radio spots for the company). On the first occasion I told him how his broadcasts during the seventies for the Yankees were the most memorable sounds of my childhood summers. The second time was in May 1996 when I gave him my “Ode to The Scooter.” He genuinely seemed to like it. I had copies signed for my father, my uncle, and myself. And then Phil asked me to sign the copy I gave to him. I was embarrassed to oblige but I realized he really meant it.
In those brief encounters his down-to-earth warmth made him seem like a favorite uncle or grandfather.
Rest in peace Phil Rizzuto.
An excerpt from the poem was published in a New York Times article writtten by Richard Sandomir, “Rizzuto’s Fans Post Tributes and Recount Funny Moments,” August 16, 2007.
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