 Happy Birthday, Donnie!
 Just a quick post to honor Donald Arthur Mattingly’s 46th birthday. Donnie Baseball was the epitome of class, hard work and professionalism. I consider myself a huge Jeter fan, but Donnie will always be the Yankee captain to me. I planned to write a long post about exactly what Don meant to me, but instead I’m just going to share one story: When I was 11, the Mets were the talk of the town. It was 1987 and I was definitely the minority Yankee fan in my suburban New Jersey neighborhood. Every night after my own game, I’d sit down to watch the Yankees with my dad. It was a ritual. Every time Donnie came up to bat, I got chills. I knew he was going to come through. In the middle of that summer, Mattingly caught fire. He hit a homerun in 8 consecutive games. Each night, my dad and I would sit down after dinner and turn on the game. I’d ask him the obvious question, “Do you think he’s going to do it again?” Every night he’d say, “Let’s watch and see.” Each night the excitement grew. Would he do it? Could he do it? Each night he delivered. On the eighth night, the Yanks were playing in Texas. Mattingly came up, and I remember thinking, “There’s no way he can do it again.” Then he did. As the ball sailed over the fence I jumped out of my seat and when it landed in the seats I was beside myself. My dad jumped up too and gave me a high-five, in that moment he was 11 years-old too, we were two kids going crazy in our living room watching history. My dad passed away a little over three years ago. Memories fade over time, and as sad as it seems, you think about those you’ve lost less and less as time goes by. I consider myself very lucky, because every time I see Don Mattingly on the Yankee bench I’m brought back to that night 20 years ago when nothing mattered but watching Donnie Baseball chase history. I remember it and I smile. Happy birthday Donnie, and thanks for the memories. Check out Don’s blog from www.donmattingly.com. Listen to audio of Mattingly’s record-breaking 6th grand slam in one season. (1987) Check out more Mattingly birthday wishes/memories from Was Watching. 
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This is a great post. It's hard for fans who didn't see Mattingly play to understand how much he meant to Yankee fans at that time (young and old).
Interesting note (well, for me, anyway): I was at the game with my brother, cousin and pop when the homer streak started -- July 8, 1987. Mattingly went deep twice, Pags also homered and Mark Salas went deep (my cousin called Salas's shot. We were in awe at his prediction).
Yep, I like to think me being there had a little something to do with it.
I worry sometimes that I won't be able to put into words exactly what it was like watching Mattingly play to my kids. (and why his middle name is Donald, if it's a boy)
When I was 10-12 years-old every Yankee fan in the league wanted to play first. Everyone had a Don Mattingly glove, or wanted one. Pay attention when they're listing major leaguers' childhood heroes the next time you watch a game, Mattingly's name comes up more than any other.
It's a shame that offensive numbers have gotten so absurd over the past two decades, because Donnie's 1985 season is really one of the most outstanding offensive seasons I've ever witnessed. The numbers were awe-inspiring, especially the RBIs.
Another thing that's really hit home over the past two decades is how lucky we were to have Mattingly begin and end his career in the Bronx. It would've crushed me if he had left in the early 90s.
You're right on all four points. Everyone wanted to be Mattingly.
I was even jealous of my one friend because he was left-handed.