YONKERS, NY — A true Bronx underdog story in all aspects of life is what Ray Negron’s “Batboy” documentary is all about. A story about determination, grit, never giving up, and passion for the New York Yankees that would never waver.
Negron, 71, a proud Puerto Rican, born in the Bronx, NY, grew up not too far from the grounds of the old sacred Yankee Stadium. In 1973, a young and not wise Negron was up to no good, graffitiing the side of the ballpark with spray paint, which is unfortunately still common practice for thousands across New York City.
Ray Negron’s newest documentary “Batboy” is a must watch for all ages as the film dives in to Ray’s journey and a ton of Yankee history along with the way – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
When Negron was soon caught and placed in a holding cell inside of the ballpark—instead of getting moved to a prison—Yankees’ owner George Steinbrenner saw something in him and decided to give him a second chance and make him the bat boy of the Yankees.
“I owe Mr. Steinbrenner everything; he was like a father figure to me, and he saved my life,” Negron told Latino Sports in an exclusive interview during a special event to premiere “Batboy” at Riverfront Library in Yonkers.
George Steinbrenner changed Ray Negron’s life forever on one decision after Ray’s unwise moves of spray painting the side of the old Yankee Stadium – Image Credit: Courtesy of Ray Negron
With the life-changing opportunity handed to him by the Boss, Negron remained facing a ton of discrimination as a young black Puerto Rican, topping an afro in the 70s, and this even came from Yankees’ employees at times. And to add more to the everyday obstacles, Negron also had the challenge of earning the trust of Yankees’ players coming from a rough background in the streets in New York.
“It was like walking into Oz, and George Steinbrenner was the Wizard,” said Negron. “To see all those uniforms and the pinstripes was unbelievable, and I was thinking what’s going on here in the clubhouse.”
Ray Negron is now a member of the International Latino Hall of Fame, the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Hall of Fame and the Ted Williams Hall of Fame for his humanitarian efforts with children around the country (Photo of Joe Girardi and Ray Negron at Yankee Stadium in 2013) – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
In his own ways, Negron quickly earned the trust of the players by forming close relationships with Billy Martin and Thurman Munson, who he also considered father figures.
The Bond between Thurman Munson & Roberto Clemente
Munson was a focal figure in this documentary, and an individual Negron still loves to this day dearly, crediting him with helping his transition go smooth as the Yankees’ batboy.
“Munson helped me a lot, and we didn’t just talk about baseball; we talked about life and he was critical in helping me find the right direction,” Negron said. “As you heard his wife say (Dianna Munson), I knew Thurman better than the players did.”
Thurman Munson and Roberto Clemente shared a special bond, playing together in Puerto Rico in the late 1960s – Image Credit: Society for American Baseball Research
There was a very unique tie in the documentary surrounding Roberto Clemente because they played winter ball together in Puerto Rico in 1969. Munson, playing because he was serving in the army the year prior, didn’t get a lot of MLB action so Puerto Rico for winter ball was his next move while Clemente, pushing Thurman even further, told him he was there to show he was the best player in the league and not just to go there to work on his hitting.
At one point, Munson would tell Negron about the importance of Roberto Clemente and that always stuck with him as Negron was also drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1975. He is honored to have gotten to wear the same uniform as “The Great One” even though Negron never made the Major Leagues.
“What I love about Roberto Clemente is that he never hid his color,” Negron said. “There was something that hurt me because of the things they would say to me, sometimes to my face. And so in essence, I was ashamed of my color.”
Later adding: “When I would hear the interviews that Roberto Clemente had made, and it always started with, I am a black Puerto Rican, that showed me a lot about the man.”
Roberto Clemente helped push Thurman Munson to play winter ball in Puerto Rico when he was making his decision and the two even played together in 1969 – Image Credit: Society for American Baseball Research
Munson tragically passed in a plane crash in the middle of the 1979 season and the team was never the same after losing their captain. As Negron put it: “That was the first time I saw the Boss cry, and Billy Martin had never been that upset in his life.”
Clemente also sadly passed away in a plane crash seven years earlier—on New Year’s Eve in 1972—while on his way from Puerto Rico to deliver supplies to people in need in Nicaragua after a devastating earthquake.
“I didn’t know Clemente, but I felt like I did know him because of Thurman,” Negron noted.
Roy White: Always Knew About Negron’s Impact But Not To This Level
Former Yankees outfielder and two-time MLB All-Star Roy White, extremely close with Munson during all of this time in pinstripes, gave his thoughts on the documentary as a whole.
“I think it was very good. There were a lot of things I didn’t even know about Ray myself that came out in there,” White commented. “He’s done a lot more than what I knew about in the community. I’ve always known he was a giving person and he’s been connected to the people in the Bronx, New York, and everything.”
White, seventh all-time in games played for the Yankees, won two World Series Championships in pinstripes in 1977 and 1978.
“It was saddening for a lot of the things that happened to him,” said White of Negron who was glad to be a part of the documentary. “He had a lot of trauma and sadness in his life. It could bring you to tears some of the stuff that was there, especially talking about Thurman because I sat next to him for 11-years.”
The dynamic of Munson, Billy Martin and Negron became more complicated between the trio when the Yankees signed Reggie Jackson to a record-setting free agent contract prior to the 1977 season.
George M. Steinbrenner made Ray Negron’s career as a Yankee batboy become a reality and soon after Ray was a key figure in many late-1970s events between Reggie Jackson, Billy Martin and Thurman Munson and later as a consultant to the Yankees – Image Credit: Courtesy of Ray Negron
“Munson loved the underdog and would help people if they were getting bullied,” Negron said. “New York loved him, and they understood each other, and that’s why he was so beloved by our city.”
Reggie Jackson: “Mr. October” Arrives On The Scene
Negron played the role of peacemaker, successfully getting Jackson and Munson to meet at a bar in Detroit in July of 1977 to hash out all of their differences and became friends, even riding in Munson’s plane together on multiple occasions.
Reggie Jackson and Ray Negron posing for a photo together back in the day – Image Credit: Courtesy of Ray Negron
This was one of the keys that pushed the Yankees forward to win the World Series in 1977 as Jackson had a performance for the ages with three home runs in the clinching game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium.
On the historic game from Mr. October, Negron said: “Well, after he hit the first home run, I went up to him. I said, ‘Reggie, why don’t you take a curtain call?’ Because it was a World Series. I said, ‘Reggie, take a curtain call.’ And Reggie said, ‘Absolutely not, I’m not taking a curtain call.’”
Jackson was still a little bitter or a little uptight with the way the fans treated him during the season. After the second home run, Negron asked Jackson to do it again, and he still declined.
“I said, ‘if you hit a third, you will take a curtain call. Right?’ And he looked at me and said, ‘You’re crazy, but I’ll do it.’”
“After he hits the third one onto the black, he comes in, and Willie Randolph is in his ear, as you see on the video and I pushed Willie Randolph away and went right to his ear and said, ‘Reggie, you promised.’ And so he said, ‘alright,’ and finally took the long-awaited curtain call.”
Negron has so many fond memories of that epic night, and still calls it one of the best nights of his life. It showed what can happen when everyone comes together to focus on one goal.
“My message to the youth is that anything is possible if you try hard enough. And to the adults, being there can save so many lives, ” Negron added. “Being a mentor can help save so many lives in this world.”
A rendering of the Yankee Captains crafted by James Fiorentino in the Old Yankee Stadium
Another athlete who was a mentor to many was Derek Jeter. Negron touches on a special story of how No. 2 broke a few rules to help a young ailing boy, who was having a hard-fought battle with cancer and spent one last moment with his hero in 2009 at Yankee Stadium.
“If you believe in God, fairytales can come true,” Negron said. “It can happen to you if you believe in God.”
Derek Jeter and Ray Negron developed a close friendship over the years of Jeter’s days on the diamond as well as during his post-playing career and remain in touch – Image Credit: Courtesy of Ray Negron
There was an added bonus in the documentary of Jeter talking about the situation with the child that wasn’t in the original premiere, but it will be added in when the “Batboy” Documentary is released to the public.
Another interesting layer to Jeter is that he was reluctant to go into a room at the Old Yankee Stadium that Lou Gehrig used to go in, when he was on the verge of dying. As it is noted in The New York Times, when Gehrig needed privacy, he would retreat to that room. His wife would wait by a side door, just up a ramp beside the old bullpen, and take him home.
Nationally acclaimed artist James Fiorentino, who is Latino Sports’ exclusive artist for our yearly American and National League LatinoMVP Awards, had crafted a rendering of Gehrig in this room, and Negron requested that Munson be added into it to have the Yankees’ captains together.
The actual rendering of the three Yankee Captains (Derek Jeter, Thurman Munson and Lou Gehrig) in the Old Yankee Stadium crafted by James Fiorentino – Image Credit: The New York Times/Yankee Stadium
Many Thank Yous and Special Guest Appearances for “Batboy”
Negron gave thanks to Creator Producer Director Bill O’Connell for his 10-year vision that put this documentary together and Chazz & Gianna Palminteri, who were his executive producers and for their incredible belief and guidance. There were also several notable celebrities in attendance for the special premiere such as Spike Lee, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, and several other notable former Yankees that spoke in the film.
Furthermore, Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz showed up to watch the documentary to support Negron and received recognition from the Mayor of Yonkers Mike Spano.
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