Rich Monetti
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I am, I write.
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Yankee Fan's Book on Mickey Mantle Brings a Personal Connection to Adoring Fans
The most recent book of note on Mickey Mantle was The Last Boy by Jane Leavy, and it doesn’t pull punches about getting into the more salacious aspects of the slugger’s life. However, a real intimacy goes as far as the author’s access. “She spent one night with him,” says Italian American Author Tom Molito of Pound Ridge, NY. But the release of his new book doesn’t put “the Mick” at a distance for all those that adored him.
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Unbalanced
Somers Youth Coaching Tidbits from the 1970s
Mr. Brown Growing up, I played all the standards. Basketball, football, baseball and on occasion, I even played hockey on the pond behind my house. That said, I was delusional like everyone else. I would not only play for the Yankees but the Knicks and Giants too. Thus, I started playing organized basketball at the intermediate school and my young coach loved my scrappy defense and ability to drive to the basket. So I figured it wouldn’t be a bad idea to work on my dribbling skills. I would go down to my basement and pound the cement with the rock. I got pretty good, and there’s a decent chance my work got the attention of the man in charge. Always on hand overseeing the league and practices, Mr. Brown stressed the fundamentals, and for my purposes, suggested that the ABA was not the place to emulate the skill I was working. “They dribble up here," he instructed. "You've got to get lower to the ground.”
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Unbalanced
My Grandfather Kept us all Laughing
When I went to college in 1982, I was 6 feet tall, and light enough at 135 pounds, that my huge ears could have taken me airborne with a strong wind. My long, hooked nose was also hard to miss and looking more like an eleven year old didn't do me any favors either. I was an easy target for the guys on my floor, and the barbs came nonstop. But they had no idea, and ultimately cementing my place, I had the fifth floor exactly where I wanted them. You see, I learned from the best. In my family, survival means knowing how to roll with a slight and then apply just enough sarcasm to gain the upper hand. The source of these skills are easy to pinpoint - my grandfather, Charlie Monetti. He set the table for two centuries of Monetti laughter, and an account from my grandmother perfectly describes how all the back and forth emanated from his presence.
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Families
1985-1989 : My Athletes of the Year
Photo by Kanesue 1985 Don Mattingly Photo by Corn Farmer We heard about Steve Balboni and were pretty excited. His round gut and bald pate didn’t bother us either. The future looked bright and then the name Don Mattingly came down. The name itself sounded like that of a superstar, and sliding into right field in 1983, he kind of looked the part. His .283 batting average didn’t come without all the Balboni strikeouts either, and 1984 failed to have many of us put up a fight over the Yankees choice at first. Any pushback dissipated as Donny Baseball made the short porch and the expansive gaps his home, while the outside corner had Donny showing he could slap singles with the best of ‘em. The 1984 batting title was just the beginning, though. 38 homers and 135 RBIs took precedence over his 338 batting average, and every time he came to the plate, you had to stop what you were doing. An MVP season still had the Yankees come up short, and it became an annual thing. Dying every year with Mattingly was just too much, but at least he had a brief shinning moment in 1995 before Griffey stole what was rightfully ours.
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Unbalanced
Part II : Childhood Tidbits from Bronx Raised Celebrities
Photo by Alan Kotok Alan Alda Hawkeye Pierce was quite the lady’s man on MASH, and because of his background, maybe that was an easy transformation for the Bronx raised actor. His father Robert worked in vaudeville and burlesque so young Alan often had a seat backstage. "My earliest memories are standing in the wings watching my father singing, while the chorus girls danced half-naked. And then the chorus girls would take me up to their dressing rooms and they sort of made me their mascot," he told Martin Bashir in a 2005 20/20 interview.
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Geeks
All the Egregious sins by MLB, Shoeless Joe Should No Longer have to Say in Ain't So for the Hall of Fame
Photo by Nicolas Henderson Joe Jackson was likely involved in a plot to throw the 1919 World Series. He, along with his White Sox cohorts, had to be suspended permanently for the survival of the game. But almost a hundred years later, can we lift the ban and give him a plaque in the hall. There’s simply far more significant wrongs, and the time is right enough to finally put Joe Jackson in the hall.
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Unbalanced
Back to the Wall, The Best of Walter White Letting Science Win the Day
How many times did Walter White have his back to the wall. A lot more than we can count, but fortunately, the great Heisenberg was loaded up with enough smarts to always put out the fire. Here’s Walt's best five moments when science helped him win the day
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Geeks
1980-1984 : My Athletes of the Year
Photo by ajay_suresh 1980 : Reggie Jackson Photo by Larry Neuberger Reggie went on a rampage in 1980. Free of Billy Martin and all the controversy he instigated around Thurman Munson, Reggie had his best regular season in NY. He hit .300, swatted 41 homers and had 111 RBIs. Pre-steroids and juiced balls, the 1980 HR outburst was big time. The ultimate respect came from Earl Weaver and the Orioles. In the heat of the 1980 Pennant Race, Weaver took the bat out of Reggie’s hands and walked 44 almost every time he came up to the plate. Otherwise, my favorite moment came in a game against Toronto. After three straight balls to start the 9th, Reggie looked down to third base for the sign. He couldn’t help tip his hand and stepped out of the box in frustration at the take sign….or not. The pitcher grooved a strike and Reggie crushed the meatball for a walk off homer. Classic Reggie. Unfortunately, the post season didn’t go the Yankees’ way, and they were out in three.
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Unbalanced
Post War Life for the Monetti's
The Second World War over and no doubt left as to where Charlie wanted to be, routine played a big part in everything the Monetti patriarch did. Like many New Yorkers, Charlie and Lizzie spent their honeymoon in the Catskills, and for good measure, befriended the resort owners. So going forward, the family stayed in the owner’s home, and every October, a smaller turnout appealed to Charlie. Thus, Gramps never relented, and his annual engagement always followed suit. “He would chop wood for the fireplace and play cards all week,” said Bill.
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Families
Part II : A Few Memorable Moments that could Only Happen in Plattsburgh
Sunday Night Movie Poster From StarWars.com Did you ever wonder why the College Center purchased a glass frame to house the poster for the Sunday Night Movie. You’re looking at him. So in the fall of 1983, Star Wars was on the docket, and I decided the above poster was mine. There was an added incentive too. Star Wars must have been released the previous winter, and you can see the mislabeled preview for the Return of the Jedi. Revenge of the Jedi, so I conspired with my roommate Bart, and we figured out the college center remained open and unattended after midnight. Thus, the downtown witching hour arrived, we instinctively found each other and did a little John Belushi Animal House two step into the building. The cost clear, we pulled down the poster and deftly made for the exit. We were never so on top of our game, and proceeded to steal the Search for Spock, Octopussy and several other posters. The glass case aside, the story does not have a happy ending. For some reason I still cannot explain, I gave Bart the Star Wars poster and I took for the Bond one. All I can say : why is youth wasted on the young?
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Education
