On Aug. 7, the Yankees edged the Mariners, 5-4, at Yankee Stadium, a nail-biter typical of Aaron Boone’s 2021 group.
Shortly before first pitch, however, a rather atypical event occurred across the street at Macombs Dam Park.
“It was just one of those things,” Justin Larsen explained in a telephone interview.
Larsen is a 29-year-old diesel mechanic who lives in Idaho. His last name might ring a bell; his grandfather, Don Larsen, threw the only perfect game in World Series history. That was Game 5 of the 1956 Fall Classic on Oct. 8, as Larsen pitched for the Yankees against the Dodgers at Yankee Stadium with Yogi Berra as his catcher.
Don Larsen died on Jan. 1, 2020 in Idaho, where the Larsens established a foothold en masse; Larsen lived about a half-hour from his grandfather. So when Larsen decided to visit New York with his girlfriend Shelby Hoagland, going to the Stadium for the very first time, Don Larsen’s longtime agent Andrew Levy, whose Wish You Were Here Productions represents athletes for personal appearances and operates a suite at the Stadium, suggested an activity to enhance the trip.
“Andrew asked me, ‘Have you guys done anything with your grandfather’s ashes yet?’” Larsen said. “What better way (to honor Don Larsen) than to throw some (ashes) out at the old Stadium?’”
Don Larsen had expressed a desire for some of his ashes to be spread there, and that the date would’ve been Don’s 92nd birthday made it all the more meaningful.
Justin Larsen spreading Don’s ashes on the site of the old Yankee Stadium. The Larsen FamilySo Larsen joined Levy and friends Ken Thimmel and Joe Torrisi (who would pick up Don Larsen at the airport whenever he flew into New York) at Macombs Dam Park, approximating the location of the old Stadium mound, and left a little of Don behind. Larsen had carried a portion of his grandfather’s ashes on his flight, receiving clearance from the TSA.
“It was good just to bring him back there where his big moment happened,” Larsen said. “It was kind of joyous.”
Don Larsen celebrates his perfect game with Yogi Berra APAnd if they were looking for a sign that this is what Don would have wanted, they quickly found one: As they were leaving the park to head for the Stadium, the group encountered a woman wearing a shirt with the “Perfect Game” brand. No matter that the woman hadn’t heard of Don Larsen. A sign is a sign.
“That was crazy!” Justin Larsen said.
The whole sequence of events was rather unconventional. Yet we are talking about a guy whose life became defined by one incredible day amidst an ordinary career. Who wanted to make sure that part of him stayed on the mound where he forever established his legacy.
- This week’s Pop Quiz question came from the late Jan Bottone of Wellesley, Mass.: Name the two legendary baseball players whom Al Capone (Robert De Niro) mentions during a monologue in the 1987 film “The Untouchables.”
- Rest in peace to the great Jay Greenberg, the longtime Post sports columnist who died last week at age 71. Jay and I were never teammates; rather, we were the friendliest of rivals when he wrote for The Post and I worked first at The Record and then at Newsday. In 2003, Jay happened to be in Tampa, writing columns at Yankees spring training, when we planned a beat writers’ dinner with the rookie Hideki Matsui. The Post’s Yankees beat writer George King couldn’t make it, so Jay pinch-hit for him. It proved to be a fun evening, and Matsui insisted on treating. From that night, Jay drew massive comic inspiration. Every time I saw him afterwards, and I mean EVERY time, Jay would crack the same joke, assuming the role of the entitled, ethically challenged sportswriter: “How long has it been now since that (bleepity-bleep) Matsui bought us a meal?” And every time, I would laugh uproariously. As recently as my birthday in January 2020, Jay wrote this on my Facebook page: “Let me guess. You-know-who is not taking you to dinner today. Still living off one good deed after all these years! Disgraceful. Happy birthday anyway.” I’ll miss that joke. I’ll miss Jay.
- Our Pop Quiz answer is Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth. If you have a tidbit that connects baseball with popular culture, please send it to me at kdavidoff@nypost.com.
