Don Mattingly

DON MATTINGLY was a great hitter for the Yankees.  Sadly, he retired before he could get a World Series ring as a player. He should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame, but isn’t yet, and maybe won’t be, but…

I was shooting a Nike commercial with Ken Griffey Jr. in Yankee Stadium during the infamous baseball strike.  The idea was for Griffey to chase a fly ball hit by Mattingly cross country.  We hired several so-called minor league players as extras in the shot, including a pitcher.  All the pitcher had to do was get the ball across the plate so that Mattingly could make contact.  The pitcher’s first pitch hit Mattingly.

I freaked at the pitcher but Mattingly said it didn’t hurt.