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Bobby Valentine Hits a Home Run With Students

Posted January 25, 2009

Former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine figuratively hit one out of the park with a dynamic performance January 20, 2009, before a packed auditorium of more than 200 people at Western New England College. From his unique vantage point as manager since 2005 of Japan's Chiba Lotte Marines, Valentine spoke on the internationalization of baseball through the popular "For the Love of the Games" speaker series sponsored by the Center for International Sport Business (CISB), with support from the Office of Alumni Relations, Diversity Task Force, and Marketing and External Affairs.

"I'm the only person in the world to manage in the Major Leagues, in the American League, in the National League, to manage in the Pacific League in Japan and I am also the only person to ever be fired in American League, the National League, and the Professional League in Japan," joked Valentine. He touched on the passion Japanese fans have for the game, the growing number of Japanese players coming to America to play, and what it takes to be a leader. "When you have a group of people, attitude filters down and it filters from the top all the way down," said Valentine. "A good team has guys in the clubhouse that speak the same language as the leader. Any good team filters down the same message form the top to all of those below. That is what chemistry is and sometimes I think leadership doesn't take enough responsibility."

Valentine went on to regale the audience with stories from his managing career, including an infamous incident where after being ejected from a Mets' game, he brazenly donned a fake mustache, dark glasses, and a change of clothes before reappearing in the dugout (for which he was suspended and fined by MLB).

Valentine was joined on stage by the three film makers - Andrew Jenks, Andrew Muscato, and Jonah Pettigrew - who produced the 2008 ESPN documentary movie that chronicled Valentine's 2007 baseball season in Japan, "The Zen of Bobby V." CISB Director Curt Hamakawa, who brought Valentine to campus, said "Bobby is a charismatic guy who gets energized around people, especially young people," and from the enthusiastic ovation and post-event mob of mostly students seeking an autograph or photo-op, it was obvious that they enjoyed basking in the moment with Bobby V.

To view more photos from Bobby Valentine's visit to campus, click here or visit the Campus Photos page.