One-on-One
The Greatest Yankees of Color, George Steinbrenner/Joe Torre
Season 2025 Episode 2803 | 25m 50sVideo has Closed Captions
The Greatest Yankees of Color, George Steinbrenner/Joe Torre
"The WNET Group President & CEO joins Steve to remember some of the most significant African American, Hispanic, and Asian Yankees and their impact on the game. Then, Steve and Neal discuss the legacies of Yankee owner, George Steinbrenner, and Yankee manager, and Joe Torre. Guest: Joe Torre, Former Manager of the New York Yankees"
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One-on-One is a local public television program presented by NJ PBS
One-on-One
The Greatest Yankees of Color, George Steinbrenner/Joe Torre
Season 2025 Episode 2803 | 25m 50sVideo has Closed Captions
"The WNET Group President & CEO joins Steve to remember some of the most significant African American, Hispanic, and Asian Yankees and their impact on the game. Then, Steve and Neal discuss the legacies of Yankee owner, George Steinbrenner, and Yankee manager, and Joe Torre. Guest: Joe Torre, Former Manager of the New York Yankees"
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- This is One-On-One.
- I'm an equal American just like you are.
- The way we change Presidents in this country is by voting.
- A quartet is already a jawn, it’s just The New Jawn.
- January 6th was not some sort of violent, crazy outlier.
- I don't care how good you are or how good you think you are, there is always something to learn.
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- (slowly) Start talking right now.
- That's a good question, high five.
(upbeat music) - Hi everyone.
Steve Adubato with the President and Chief Executive Officer of the WNET Group, Neal Shapiro.
Yes, we're wearing our Yankee best.
That's an Aaron Judge jersey, right?
- That's right.
- And this is Mickey Mantle.
You have the newer version.
It's slimmer fit too.
It looks better on you than it does on me.
My old school, I think this was worn by Babe Ruth.
(Neal and Steve laugh) The hat's changed over the years.
But Neal, today, on Yankee week, night number three of five, we feature the greatest African American and the greatest Hispanic, and the most significant Asian players for the Yankees.
Let's start with the greatest African American players.
- Elston Howard broke the color line for the Yankees.
Talk about Ellie Howard.
- You know, and I remember, at one point Mantle joked, you know, "We'd waited so long to get this guy," right, and he was too, he was wisely faster.
He was a catcher, but he was an incredibly great hitter.
- ( Narrator ) But Brooklyn joy fades quickly in the bottom of the second when Elston Howard swings away.
Howard lashes a screaming line drive that sails into the left field seats.
- (Crowd Cheers) - And the MVP bridged the last part of the great Yankee years.
And then through the decline, when the Yankees started to fall apart in '65, '66, '67.
Beloved, came back and was a coach for the Yankees.
And in the famous confrontation between Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson at Fenway Park, it's Elston Howard who pushes them apart.
Ellie was a good, great go between, especially for Billy Martin who's a fiery guy, and other players in the clubhouse because Ellie was so respected.
- And also, Neal and I have talked a lot about relationships.
Elston Howard was brought up to take over Yogi Berra's job.
Yogi Berra and Lindsey Berra, his granddaughter, talked about this.
They were close.
Yogi Berra was great to Elston Howard.
Hey, how about Willie Randolph?
Not just a great player, but a great coach.
Second baseman, Willie Randolph.
Go, number two.
- A quiet Yankee, but an incredibly good Yankee.
And even in the World Series, I said, you know, if you could keep Randolph off the bases, you could slow down the Yankee machine.
He got on a lot.
He was always dependable.
He was great in the double play.
And when the Yankees had tri-captains, he was one of them.
- He sure was.
With Ron Guidry, I think 1978, Neal.
- And Nettles, I think.
That's right.
- Yeah, good stuff.
And by the way, when I said number two, it's just second of three, not number two, because the only number two is Derek Jeter.
And we're doing a special on captains.
I believe that's our last night of "One-on-one" with Yankee Week.
That is Thurman Munson and the great Derek Jeter.
Hey, can we talk about number three, the greatest, one of the greatest African American, and greatest players, Reggie Jackson.
- They named a candy bar after him.
You know, Reggie came with a bit of controversy.
He said, "I'm the straw that the stirs the drink."
Players didn't like him in the beginning, but he was a great, big time Yankee.
He stepped up in clutch situations.
He eventually earned all their respect.
And when Thurman Munson actually passes away, Reggie's one of the guys who goes to the funeral.
So, and Reggie, I think, has continued to be a great spokesman for African American players, talking about what a difficult job they had.
And how he really rose to the challenge of playing in New York.
- Yeah, and if you wanna learn more about the Yankees, our website will be featuring a whole range of material that we're not gonna be able to show for time.
But check that out.
Let's move to the greatest Hispanic Yankee players.
And I know there's debates about this.
- How about this?
Alex Rodriguez.
Little controversy, 2009.
- He also comes with some controversy.
You know, he moves to third base, 'cause Jeter's the shortstop.
When they were young, A-Rod said they were great friends.
Jeter was held off a little bit.
They eventually played together, had great respect for each other, and the Yankees won the World Series because of that.
Alex has owned up to his abuse of drugs.
Without it, who knows how great he would, he might've set the home run record.
I mean, he was a five tool player.
- Finally, Bernie Williams.
- Bernie Williams comes up as a very young guy, spotted by the Yankees when he was young.
Comes up and in fact, he's terrorized by a guy named Mel Hall because Mel was a very mean guy.
And Bernie was this young, very easygoing center fielder.
He grew up to be one of the best Yankee center fielders ever.
An incredible switch hitter, power from both sides of the plate.
And also had a calmness about him, that no matter what, he was able to go with the flow and still respond in big pressure situations.
- And I know, Neal, and I'm not doing enough service to all the other great players we're missing, but two significant Asian players.
Who was Matsui and why does Matsui matter?
Godzilla.
- Godzilla, you know, that's his nickname.
He was dominated in Japan.
And it was a question, when you bring over great hitters in Japan, the pitching is good.
How good will he be?
He was great from the moment, the moment he stepped out.
I think he had a grand slam his first Yankee game.
He was MVP in the World Series and he was beloved by his players.
I'm told, in fact, his English wasn't great.
But when they got in big pressure situations, they would have him address the team and he would say, "Let's beat the Red Sox."
Though he said it in a little more blustery way.
- Yeah.
And finally, Masahiro Tanaka.
- Once again, a pitcher who came, ready to pitch and was a consistent winner throughout his time in the Yankees.
Had a bunch of pitches, was always calm.
And once again, beloved by his teammates.
- Again, we know there are so many folks we're missing.
We're gonna take a break on Yankee week, but when Neal and I come back, we'll be talking about this highly controversial but important figure in Yankee history, George Steinbrenner.
Bill Madden wrote this great book about him.
And also check out an interview I did a few years back with the great Yankee manager, Joe Torre.
For Neal and myself, this is Yankee Week on "One-on-one," night three.
Stay with us, we'll be right back.
- [Narrator] To watch more One on One with Steve Adubato find us online and follow us on Social media.
- Yankee week continues here on "One-on-one."
Steve Adubato with Neal Shapiro.
Neal, give us real quick, this is the Bill Madden book on Steinbrenner.
The boss matters because?
- You know what, nobody is perfect.
He had big flaws and big successes.
But his successes, I think, overwhelm any of the flaws he might have.
He believed in winning.
He transformed the Yankees.
He hired great people and (indistinct).
- And fired some managers just a little bit, Neal?
- Hired and fired, hired and even Billy Martin was hired and fired five times.
- That has not the, I'm gonna say this.
Steinbrenner had a leadership style.
I think I know Neal's leadership style a little bit.
It's not the same.
Lemme just say that.
And while Steinbrenner was a winner, let's just be super candid, there was a lot of roadkill, okay, along the way.
And so, let's transition.
One of the managers and this we're gonna lead to an interview I did that was lucky enough to do an interview with Joe Torre about 10 years back, maybe more.
How the heck did Torre survive Steinbrenner?
Was it winning?
- Well, I think winning helped.
I think winning helped a lot.
I think the players really loved him.
And I think after all the turmoil that was in the Yankee clubhouse, Torre really brought a professionalism and it's gonna be okay.
And I think they needed that.
And I think that then, he'd managed a long time, but with the Yankees, it was the perfect place for him to be.
- But Neal, this interview that we did with Joe Torre talks a lot about the Safe at Home Foundation regarding dealing with domestic violence, which he experienced as a kid.
He saw his mother being abused by his father.
Why is that important too, Neal?
- Because I think there are a couple different approaches about how you manage people.
There's the Billy Martin get in people's face and criticize them, right?
And there's the Joe Torre quiet, I'm gonna encourage you, when you make a mistake, I'm gonna tell you about it in private.
And I would argue in the long run that Joe Torre's style works much better.
- Neal's got it right.
This is the interview we did with Joe Torre.
It's at a charity golf outing I was fortunate enough to host a few years back and what an honor to interview the great Joe Torre.
Check it out and then Neal and I will be on the back end teeing up tomorrow night on Yankee Week.
Check it out, Joe Torre.
who is no stranger to everyone watching right now.
Joe Torre is not only a Hall of Famer, not only the former manager of the Yankees, just a few World Series, and also the cofounder of the Joe Torre Safe At Home Foundation, and one of the recipients of the two charities that this great golf event is a part of, right?
- Yes, Steve, and I just feel so blessed to, you know, not only be recognized as far as our charity, Safe at Home, is concerned, but to be connected with CohnReznick for a number of years.
You know, it's a class outfit, I guess the way we'd say it in the clubhouse.
You do it the right way, and people trust you, and trust is something you have to earn, and that's why I'm here, and that's why I've enjoyed our relationship.
- Yeah, you've represented the firm, you've been a spokesperson for the firm, and you pick those who you represent very carefully.
Let me ask you, the Safe At Home Foundation, started what year?
- It started in '02, 2002, and when my wife and I came to New York in '96, Ally asked me, "What charity do you wanna get involved in?"
And I, you know, I said, "How about domestic violence?"
'Cause I had just gone through a seminar with Ally right before our daughter was born in December of '95, and discovered a lot of my feelings that I never talked about, insecurity, nervousness, a lot of the stuff I went through school with, I realized I wasn't born with those traits, that it was sort of created by what was going on in my home.
And I knew my dad was abusive to my mom, I mean- - You knew?
- I knew that.
I mean, I was like, he was a New York City policeman, and I was eight or nine years old when I was in the dining room, and my sister, who was protecting my mom, 'cause a battle started in the kitchen and poured out into the dining room, and my dad went for his revolver in the drawer, 'cause my sister sort of had, she didn't sort of had, she had a knife in her hand to protect my mom.
And I'm sort of on the, I was on the corner of the table, and he said, "Put the knife down, put the knife down, put the knife down," and I went over and took it outta my sister's hand and put it on the table, and then he closed the drawer where the revolver was.
So I witnessed all that.
I never actually saw him hit my mom, but I saw the results of his doing that, so you know, I realized that this is what's caused sort of my, you know, as I say, when I was in high school, a little insecurity, didn't have a lot of confidence in my ability.
I didn't even go out for the high school baseball team in my freshman year, 'cause I didn't think I was good enough.
So once I connected the dots, I figured I wanted to scream it from the rooftops that this is what caused it, and see if I can help some of the other kids who were my age at the time I, you know, really felt sort of insignificant.
- And created the Safe At Home Foundation.
- We created the Safe At Home Foundation, and it took us a little time, 'cause we had to talk about what we wanted to do.
You know, did we want to be care providers?
Well, you know, our talking, and I really give my older daughter, Christina, and my wife Ally, the credit for really landing on the educational piece.
Because if you're gonna end the cycle of domestic violence, you really have to do it through education.
- And that is the goal, ending the cycle.
- Yeah, ending the cycle and saving lives.
And you know, I think initially when we started our foundation and I was calling around for support from different people when we were talking about putting a fundraiser together, they said, "Oh, it's a woman's issue."
And I didn't think enough people related to how many young people get caught up in that and get affected by it, even if they're, and me, I was never physically, you know, abused, but there were scars of fear that, I mean, they continue to be with me today, but now I understand it, so you deal with it a little bit better.
- By the way, we're at Liberty National Golf.
This is an extraordinary facility here in Jersey City.
You look outside here, the Statue of Liberty is just around the corner here.
It's an extraordinary place, and the folks at CohnReznick have allowed us to be here and interview Joe.
Joe, when we talk about the Safe At Home Foundation, Margaret's Place?
- Margaret's Place, yes.
- Margaret's Place, describe what that is, Margaret, your mom's name?
- Mm-hmm.
- These women, their children, they have a place to be safe, talk about it.
- Well, my mom was always there for me.
I'm the youngest of five children, and you know, when I got home from school, she was there.
She was always there, I mean, I relied on her.
I don't think she ever took a vacation, you know?
You know, she had five children.
We used to kid about my brother Frank- - Also a ball player.
- Who was a baseball player before I became a ball player.
- This is, one of your sisters, I know is a nun?
- Is a nun.
- Is a nun, right?
- Sister Marguerite.
- Right.
- And so what we used to say that Frank was her favorite, and my mom used to say, "I five fingers, and if you cut off any one of them, it's gonna hurt the same," and that sort of resonated with me.
And so, you know, we named the safe rooms in schools for these young people after my mom, Margaret's Place.
It's a safe place for them to go.
We have a master's level counselor, so if kids like I did, I never wanted to talk about anything, and a big reason for that, Steve, is the fact that I thought I was the only one that was going through this.
I knew there was nobody else in the neighborhood, you know, when you close the door of their homes that anything was going on, because that's what I was thinking as a youngster.
And you know, of course you've come to find out differently when you get a little older and you sort of understand what's going, you know, the environment.
So, you know, we put master's level counselor in each room, and they're there if the person, the youngster wants to talk or if he or she wants to just read a book or play a game.
But more importantly is there are other young people in the room, and they realize they're not alone and it's not their fault.
And those are the two messages that we give at Margaret's Place.
You know, plus we give them tools to deal with what's going on in their life, 'cause you can't solve what's going on in their life.
You just wanna, you know, give them the self-esteem back that they really deserve at that age to know they're gonna come out on the other end of this thing.
- Joe I'm curious about something, given your extraordinary career and your position in baseball, not just as a great player and manager and someone who's garnered great respect, how often is or does it happen that some of your colleagues in sports come and talk to you about this issue?
- Well, you know, I think you talk to them.
I think more importantly now you can sort of all of a sudden recognize some of the behavior.
I've had players who have sort of, you know, retreated into themselves, which is what I did, 'cause I used to just, I don't wanna talk about it.
I'm embarrassed by it the way I am.
So I can talk to players, and again, it's not like I know what you're going through, it's just that a sense that you make them understand that you care a great deal about them.
And you know, like people in my line of work when I was managing, you know, players are not gonna like, you know, some of the decisions I make, and they're gonna, you know, respond and react to it.
And it got me to the point, Steve, of what made them say it, you know?
Well, why did they say that instead of what they said?
- Right.
- So I think it was a little better for me to understand my players and be able to sort of break through some of the facade or the shell they put around themselves to keep you from getting there, you know?
But yeah, it made a big difference in my life when all of a sudden I, you know, wanted to talk about this thing because I just felt there was a whole lot of it going on.
- One of the things, in the limited time we have, and again, we really appreciate you taking the time to talk to us, and there's- - [Joe] It's too important not to, Steve.
- We appreciate it, and there are countless people waiting to talk to Joe at this great CohnReznick outing that happens every year.
This is the 25th anniversary of this charity outing that CohnReznick has, raising money for the Safe At Home Foundation and the Special Operations, the Warriors Foundation.
If you go to Yankee Stadium, those of us who are big Yankee fans, you see the sign for the Special Ops, the Warriors Foundation raises money for the children of special operations, these brave men and women who have been lost in war and efforts fighting for our country.
Those are the two charities that are being helped today.
But Joe, my final question to you is about leadership.
I did the same thing with you last year, but I talked to you about leadership because I'm fascinated by one of your books that talks about leadership.
I asked you last year about this, I'm gonna do it again.
The number one leadership, I asked you last year, lesson you've learned, the number one leadership challenge that you have faced is?
- Well, the challenge is to, you know, first off, and I probably go a long way to get to the point you wanted to make, you know, every time I saw these books on the shelf, these shelves, these business books so to speak, or leadership books, you felt like somebody was born with something extraordinary, that you couldn't get there, that they're gonna tell you, "I did this and I did that."
My biggest challenge in writing "Ground Rules for Winners" was it's in everybody.
- [Steve] Leadership?
- Just the understanding of leadership and what makes people follow.
You know, what do I do?
What I do is you lead by example.
You lead by example.
You just don't say, "Hey, I'm the manager, you know, get on line, let's go."
You understand that, I know especially in this world of technology, that there is a human relationship that has to exist.
You have to look in somebody's eyes.
You have to be brave enough to deliver bad news.
You know, you can't just say to one of my coaches, you know, "Go tell him he's not playing," or, you know, "Go tell him to go upstairs and see the general manager.
He's gonna get released."
- Or send a text message.
(chuckles) - Yeah, yeah.
I just, you know, I have a teenage daughter, and I emphasize how important it is to, you know, to have this face-to-face contact because it doesn't take any kind of bravery to send a text message, 'cause you don't have to see the response or see how much you're hurting somebody.
So, you know, to me it's lead by example, and make it understandable.
You know, I've got 25 players on my team, and not everybody can hit 30 home runs, not everybody can win 20 ball games as a pitcher, but everybody can do the best they can.
And it's my job to put that person in a position where they'll succeed, and that's what I have to recognize, and the only way you do that is to know your people.
- Yeah.
- And I, you know, leadership, again, you're just trying to, you know, put people in a position where they can succeed.
And I tell my players, "At some point during the course of this year, and we play 162 in baseball, you're gonna be put in a position where you're gonna help this club win a ball game."
- [Steve] Yeah.
- "And it may be something that isn't written about or talked about, but your teammates will know."
And to me, you know, you know, it's nice to get recognition, but you're really playing for the respect of that guy in the locker next to you.
- And baseball may be a metaphor for every profession.
- [Joe] I think so.
- Yeah.
Joe, you honor us, and we thank you, and public broadcasting and everyone else watching us on digital, as you said platforms, and we wanna thank the folks at CohnReznick for allowing us to be with you.
We appreciate everything you do, and particularly with the Safe At Home Foundation with Ally, your wife.
- Well, it's a pleasure and an honor to be here because of the work you do, and thank you for letting people know the work we do.
So, Neal, class act.
A real class act, Joe Torre, right?
- The best.
And by the way, big supporter of public television.
- He is a big supporter.
His wife, Ali, as well.
The Safe At Home Foundation.
Hey Neal, can we do this?
Let's tee up tomorrow night.
We're gonna be talking about my jersey says Mickey Mantle on the back.
An interview with Jane Leavy, "The Last Boy," Mickey Mantle story.
And also a book about Joe DiMaggio.
Why should people watch Yankee Night, Yankee Week, tomorrow night on "One-on-one" about Mickey and Joe D?
- You know, the two people who maybe were transformative, the people who actually changed people's lives, like I wanna like them, the symbol the whole generation.
Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle.
- Two Yankee greats, number five, Joe D, number seven, Mickey Mantle.
We continue night four of five great nights of Yankee Week on "One-on-one" for Neal Shapiro, myself, and all the people who love the Yankees.
Check you out tomorrow night.
Go Yankees.
- [Narrator] One-On-One with Steve Adubato is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.
Funding has been provided by Kean University.
NJM Insurance Group.
New Jersey Sharing Network.
The Turrell Fund, a foundation serving children.
Wells Fargo.
Holy Name.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
EJI, Excellence in Medicine Awards.
And by Community FoodBank of New Jersey.
Promotional support provided by New Jersey Globe.
And by BestofNJ.com.
- [Narrator] To watch more One on One with Steve Adubato find us online and follow us on Social media.
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