Tonight I was lucky enough to attend an interview with one of my childhood idols and baseball legend, Shawn Green. When he walked into the room, the crowd of anxious baseball fans grew silent. I was lucky I was in the first few rows as the microphones died during the introductions.
The interview began with the interviewer asking how Green originally got into baseball. Green laughed and told a story about how he and his dad built a batting cage on the side of his house and how he would take batting practice every day. The discussion then moved to his college days. Green faced a dilemma as he was recruited by Stanford University and legendary coach Mark Marquess as well as being drafted straight out of high school by the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball. Despite Mark Marquess’ incredible effort to keep him on the team, many Stanford players, after hearing Green’s potential signing bonus, encouraged him to play for the Blue Jays. Despite signing with the Blue Jays, Green still attended classes at Stanford whenever he could sneak them in over the off-season. Green described how he was afraid of “trying to make the big leagues for five or six years and then not having anything to fall back on if it didn’t work out.”
Despite his astounding fourteen year career, Shawn Green’s first stint in the MLB did not result favorably. With a professional batting average of .097, Shawn was happier to be sent back down to the Syracuse Chiefs, Toronto’s AAA affiliate, than he was to be called up to the majors. In Syracuse, Green played for the toughest manager he ever had and despite not enjoying it at the time, Shawn credits much of his success to developing his swing in Syracuse. The next time he was called up to the majors he was ready as he stayed there for fourteen years. Green had many illustrious years in the MLB playing for the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and the Arizona Diamondbacks. During those years he thrived winning the Golden Glove and Silver Slugger. He had a game where he hit 49 home-runs and even hit four home-runs in a single game.
Green’s career was not without struggle however. He reflected on many nights staring at the ceiling of his hotel room being “Zero for Fifteen and having to face Randy Johnson the next day.” His slumps often got so bad he once visited a guru named Mr. High who aided Green in regaining his swing.
Shawn Green also spoke about being a Jew in professional sports. Although he never felt like the “Token Jew,” being a Jewish athlete was a part of his identity. Despite not being religious, he always tried to play in a town with a large Jewish population (Toronto, Los Angeles, and New York). He was often invited to Barmitzvahs and he even attended a few. The MLB playoffs fall on the Jewish High Holy-Days, resulting in Green calling MLB commissioner, also a Jew, Bud Selig, and requesting that his team’s schedule be played around the Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah. Today, Green both plays for and manages Israel’s national baseball team.
Green’s fondest memory of playing professional baseball occurred during an away game at Seattle. During batting practice, Green started a game of catch with a young Seattle Mariners fan when another kid came down with a glove wanting to get in on the action. More and more people with gloves eventually joined in on the game until Green was playing catch with an entire section, then an entire half, and not before long, Shawn Green was playing catch with the entire stadium. Green reflects, “It was so cool, I actually tried challenging myself by seeing how far I could throw the ball and hit a fan with a glove.”
It is always an amazing experience when somebody gets to meet their idol and their idol is just as nice as the person hoped he would be. He answered every question honestly even when it was about touchy subjects like steroids and being one win away from a World Series Championship. He had amazing stories to tell ranging from going to the occasional random barmitzvah, Greg Maddox tipping his pitches, seven different languages on the Dodgers’ bus one year, and Jose Canseco practically begging him to use steroids. Shawn Green was genuine, open, funny, and even willing to sign a baseball for my brother.