00:00Bobby, what was that like going into the Mets Hall of Fame?
00:04It was spectacular.
00:05It was, you know, that one day when you look back at it, you know, 30 people in a private
00:13club together.
00:14It's kind of cool, you know, after playing for them and coaching in the minor leagues and coaching third base
00:20and managing.
00:22You know, it was special to be there at Citi Field with Lee Mazzilli, with family, with friends, and to
00:30share another moment with so many great people who affected my life positively.
00:35How about this, Bobby?
00:37I mean, from a guy that grew up watching you in Stanford, Connecticut, the entire region, too.
00:43You know how many people were contacting me going, Bobby's at the stadium right now being inducted into the Hall
00:50of Fame.
00:50It made me feel a little bit part of that, too, Bobby, watching you go in, because that's where you
00:56really cut your chops there.
00:57It was in Stanford at Ripawam High School.
00:59And then to see you going into the Mets Hall of Fame, that was pretty great for our city.
01:06Well, I tried to mention that, that, you know, I was just lucky and blessed to have so many people
01:12in a great town of Stanford, Connecticut.
01:15So many family members, so many, you know, well-wishers and coaches and people who were givers, you know, and
01:23they taught me how to give.
01:25I think I tried to give back.
01:27And I think my entire career basically revolved around sharing what I was doing with other people who were either
01:35with me physically as teammates or fans or even remotely.
01:43Someone who was reading about it in the paper that, you know, I was an all right guy and we
01:49had a lot of great times together.
01:51You know, I'm distant related to Andy Robustelli, and I wonder what, you know, impact he had on your life,
01:59because I tell people this all the time, Bobby.
02:02When I was a little kid, Jackie Robinson used to show up to our Babe Ruth League, like, you know,
02:08awards banquets.
02:10He lived up in North Stanford.
02:11I went to school with his kids.
02:13All those people and how much of an influence they had on you growing up.
02:18Yeah, you know, I never got to meet Jackie.
02:21He was off of Cascade Road.
02:22That was a little far north for my family to drive.
02:26But, you know, Andy Robustelli, my goodness, you mentioned him.
02:31In a 12-month period, Dan, and I reflected on this when I gave my speech, from June of 67
02:41until June of 68 in my life,
02:45I had Lou Lammarello be my coach in Cape Cod.
02:49I played there as a 17-year-old, and he took me on his team.
02:52I hit 300, and that's why I was drafted number one.
02:55Then after being drafted, I had Andy Robustelli negotiate my contract because my family had no idea on how to
03:04do such things.
03:05And then as I left Stanford, the day after Bobby Kennedy was shot, I got drafted with the Dodgers, and
03:14I went to Tommy Lasorda.
03:15So in a 12-month period, I had Lammarello, Robustelli, and Lasorda all positively affect my life,
03:24and that just amplifies the fact that I was very lucky.
03:28So in a 12-month period, I was very lucky.
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