LOS ANGELES, CA — Today, I want to write about Tom “Tbone” Giordano. Tom passed away on February 14, 2019, at the age of 93, with another contract stuck in his pocket to be a top advisor to the GM of the Atlanta Braves. It would have been his 72nd consecutive year in professional baseball. As Casey Stengel would say, “You can look it up.”
Tom “Tbone” Giordano. Working behind the scenes for the Atlanta Braves – Image Credit: Joe Ferrara/Latino Sports
Tom and I would spend hours, days, weeks, and months traveling all over the country and sometimes abroad, looking for players that could help our team. Even to Italy and Costa Rica, if you can believe it.
With “Tbone” scouting players – Image Credit: William Coppola/Latino Sports
But this is not just about baseball. It is about my lifetime adventure with this iconic baseball figure. Tbone’s accomplishments are well documented, yet who he was is only known by the people he came in contact with every day. He remembered names, their kids’ names, and things that were happening in their lives. I’m not just talking about baseball people and the media; it included everyone he met.
As I walked through the tunnels of various ballparks with “Mr. Tbone,” I would usually be a step or two ahead of him, and I could see someone we were approaching break out with a big smile. I knew it was 10% for me and 90% for Tbone as he was about to say hello to them. He always greeted people with a big smile and challenged them to give him a good handshake. And it had better not be a “dead fish” handshake. He would have let you know about that.
Tbone with Yankee Security in 2018. His last game at Yankee Stadium – Image Credit: William Coppola/Latino Sports
My head is full of stories he told me or things that happened to us during my incredible journey with this super scout and front office executive. When told, these stories made people laugh or stare in amazement. They reminded us of how fortunate we were to have had him in our lives.
Ron Darling, David Cone, William Coppola, “Tbone” and Cal Ripken Yankee Stadium 2014 – Image Credit: Joe Sciandra/Latino Sports
I spent many years with Tom, meeting and becoming friends with the most amazing people. Traveling to Major League stadiums, Minor League parks, spring training, workouts with prospects, instructional leagues, and on and on it went. It is something I will always cherish.
I miss my mentor and this wild ride he brought me on. Rest in peace, my friend.
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