This Week In Clarkstown – Lunch With A Hometown Baseball Hero

I recently sat down for lunch with former Clarkstown resident John Flaherty, a hometown hero who spent 14 seasons in Major League Baseball before dedicating the last 20 years to broadcasting for the YES Network, covering the Yankees. John was gracious enough to meet with me earlier this week so I could get to know him better.

Born in New York, NY on October 21, 1967, Flaherty moved to West Nyack at three months old. He attended St. Anthony’s Catholic School in Nanuet and quickly became a standout athlete in the West Nyack Little League. He recalled his dominance on the mound, saying, “My 12 year old season I was 10 and 0 with eight no hitters and I gave up six hits all year.” He credits Coach Rich Cesca as a major influence, teaching him discipline and commitment. Flaherty shared a story illustrating Cesca’s philosophy: “I will never forget – there was a birthday party that I wanted to attend, and I was going to miss practice for the party. I told [Cesca] about it and he told me no problem you can sit on the bench the next game. His big thing was if you don’t practice you don’t play. I went late to that birthday party after practice, and I played in that next game.”

Flaherty continued his success at St. Joseph’s Regional High School in Montvale, New Jersey, winning the starting job as the catcher his sophomore year and began “gaining some attention.” He went on to play at George Washington University and was drafted in the 25th round after his junior season by the Boston Red Sox. Disappointed by the late round selection, he was prepared to return to college for his senior season. However, Red Sox scout Phil Rossi was relentless, calling Flaherty’s father nightly to persuade him to have John sign. Mr. Flaherty, whose wife (John’s mother) had passed away a few months prior, agreed to let John sign on one condition: John had to promise to finish college and get his degree, as a good education was very important to his mother. John fulfilled that promise, taking classes in the offseason. When asked if his dad was proud, John said: “Yes, he was, but it also made so much sense to me. If you do something 75%, then why aren’t you going to finish it? It translates to the rest of my life, that if you are going to do something, you do it all the way.”

After Spring Training in 1992 and before reporting to the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox, John made a stop at home to spend some time with family and friends. He received a 10:30 a.m phone call informing him that the back-up catcher was hurt, and he needed to report to Yankee Stadium for Opening Day against the Yankees—a 1:15 p.m. start. Flaherty’s rushed trip to the Bronx provided a memorable anecdote: “I jumped in my car, which was a 1984 Chevrolet Cavalier Wagon with wood paneling on the side. I am driving to Yankee Stadium and I am stuck in traffic on the Deegan.” Desperate, he approached a traffic cop. “I get out of my car and go to the cop who was directing traffic and tell him I just got called up to the Red Sox and that I had to get to the stadium.” It wasn’t until Flaherty proved his identity by pulling out his catching bag that the cop stopped traffic and let him go the wrong way on a one-way street, getting to the stadium just in time. He made it onto the field just as he heard legendary PA announcer Bob Sheppard announce his name. “Two hours before I was in bed, to then be out on the field at Yankee Stadium, the whole day was surreal!” Flaherty recounted.

Flaherty’s 14-season Major League career included time with the Red Sox, Tigers, Padres, Devil Rays, and the Yankees. Along the way, he played for legendary managers like Sparky Anderson, Bruce Bochy, and Joe Torre, and alongside all-time greats such as Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Wade Boggs, Tony Gwynn, Mariano Rivera, and Derek Jeter.

After retiring, Flaherty spent the last 20 years as a Broadcaster for the YES Network, covering the Yankees. He is also proud of helping found the Rockland Boulders, now called the New York Boulders, in 2011, bringing professional baseball to Rockland County. Regarding the team, he stated: “I am very proud of it, for the main reason to give guys a shot, that really appealed to me.”

When asked what he would like to be best remembered for, Flaherty cited his children Kristen, Brian and Logan—as his greatest source of pride. Beyond being a good father, he hopes to be remembered “as a good teammate, and somebody that if they told you that they were going to do something, they did it”.

Our lunch concluded with me having an even greater appreciation for John Flaherty—not just as a great ballplayer and broadcaster, but as a genuinely good person. I know he will be successful in whatever he decides to pursue next. Thank you, John, and I wish you all the best.

Got an idea for the column or an event in Clarkstown you want me to mention? Shoot me an email at mveronesi@optimum.net. Have a great week!