Ex-Yankee manager Torre helps Magic of Michael Foundation

July 6, 2015 at 10:00a.m.

POLAND

For baseball managers, players and umpires, Independence Day is just another date on the 162-game schedule.

So when someone involved with Major League Baseball since 1960 gets the chance to spend the holiday with family, it says something when he chooses to donate time to a worthy cause.

Instead of spending family time at the lake this weekend, Hall of Fame manager Joe Torre came to the Mahoning Valley to help The Magic of Michael Foundation kick off its initial charity fundraiser.

Torre, who won four World Series when he managed the New York Yankees from 1996-2007, spent Sunday at The Lake Club, meeting fans on the golf course and then serving as guest of honor at the dinner auction attended by approximately 500.

“I had a ball today,” the 1971 National League Most Valuable Player said. “All I did was go around and try to putt, but I hung out with sponsors of this first event, really cool individuals.”

“It was fun and it just means so much because it’s a cause that should glean a lot of attention,” Torre said. “If my being here helps to sell a foursome or whatever, that’s the least anybody could do for such an event and for such a cause.”

The Magic of Michael Foundation honors the memory of Michael Hirschbeck, the son of Major League Baseball umpire John and Denise Hirschbeck of Poland. In April 2014, Michael died from adrenoleukodystrophy, a rare neurogenetic brain disease for which there is no cure. Michael’s older brother John also died of the disease in 1993.

During spring training, John Hirschbeck invited Torre, now MLB’s executive vice president of baseball operations, to participate.

“It was just an easy call for me,” said Torre, explaining that his wife, Ali, more than understood his being away this holiday. “In our sport, the 4th of July was never one of our holidays because we always played. The only holidays I think we had were Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“It’s a holiday weekend and I know my family is at the lake, but trust me, they are having a good time and they know were I am and for what reason. What John and his family have gone through is probably a parent’s worst nightmare.”

Hirschbeck, who umpired Friday’s and Saturday’s Giants-Nationals games in Washington, D.C., flew home Saturday night.

“It was an 11:05 [a.m.] game so it worked out great,” said Hirschbeck of Saturday’s game. “I was home by 8:30. I would have gotten in a car and driven through the night if I had to.”

Air travel wasn’t a problem.

“The airport was dead, nobody in Reagan [National Airport],” Hirschbeck said. “I was shocked — it was easy.”

Hirschbeck said Torre’s presence “means the world to me and Denise, Erin, Megan and our families that are here. I am very, very honored that he would think of me and my family and, of course, Michael’s memory, to be here with us.”

In 1999 and 2000, the Hirschbecks had golf outings to raise money for ALD research. Hirschbeck is aware of how hard his family has been working to create this event.

“It was a lot of work,” said the umpire whose MLB career began in 1983. “This time around, we wanted to give back to Youngstown, to Northeast Ohio and help communities and especially families with younger children with disabilities, put the money back into the community to help out anyway we can.”

The Foundation’s mission is “to provide hope to families enduring the curveballs of life.”

The highlight of the evening was the “fireside chat” that Cleveland Indians broadcaster Tom Hamilton conducted with Torre and Hirschbeck.

“I played for 16-17 years, I managed for close to 30,” Torre said. “And if you had told me at some point back in my old days that part of my responsibility would be to the umpires, I’d have [razzberry sound].”

Two autographed Torre jerseys were auctioned off for $4,000 apiece. Hirschbeck’s uniform that he wore during the 2013 World Series went for $11,200.

Torre said he was impressed with meeting so many giving people.

“Not that they were giving me any putts,” Torre said.

Hamilton said Torre’s 1998 team was the best he’s seen. Torre said the core of the Yankees teams from the late ‘90s “was a close-knit group. They never got tired of winning. Those guys never stopped to admire what they had accomplished.”

The fundraiser concludes today with a golf scramble.

“I love the people you are,” said Hirschbeck, a Connecticut native who has lived here for 30 years. “I love being a part of you.”