Bat Boy: Coming of Age with the New York Yankees

by Matthew McGough

Most of us have dreamed of sitting in the dugout with our favorite baseball team, and at sixteen Matt McGough was no different. A few months after sending a blind application letter to George Steinbrenner, on Opening Day 1992 Matt found himself walking into the legendary Yankee clubhouse. There, amid the chaos and excitement, he was greeted by none other than his idol Don Mattingly — who promptly played a prank on him.Thus began two years of adventures and misadventures, from being set up on a date by the bullpen to playing blackjack on the team plane to studying for an exam at 3 am in Yankee Stadium. Through these often hilarious experiences, and especially through his friendships with the ballplayers, Matt learned priceless lessons about honor, responsibility, and the importance of believing in oneself. A magical tale of what happens to a young man when his fondest dream comes true, Bat Boy wonderfully evokes that twilight time just before adulthood, ripe with possibility, foolishness, and hard-won knowledge.

Genres: Sports, Baseball, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, New York, Audiobook

273 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Matthew McGough was born in New York. He is the author of “Bat Boy: Coming of Age with the New York Yankees” and has also worked as a screenwriter for LAW & ORDER. He lives in Los Angeles with his family.

Reviews

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1991, 16 year old Matthew McGough took a long shot and wrote 15 letters to George Steinbrenner and other members of the New York Yankees management.  It paid off big when the following spring, he was sitting in the dugout at Yankee Stadium as it's newest batboy.  McGough's memoir is filled with all the exciting memories that most boys only dream of - and also shares many stories that helped to shape him into the man he is today.

There's so much to love about this book.  It's interesting, funny and a great coming of age story.  I highly recommend it! 4 1/2 stars.

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

This week I finally figured out what book to read for my AVID class this year... The Moth, 50 short stories that are from the NPR podcast The Moth. As I'm going through the stories that I have read before in the book and that I've listened to on the podcast I come across the story titled: My first day with the Yankees. I read the story, looked for and watched the YouTube video of Matt McGowan telling the story for the Moth, then on the car ride home told my Dad the story over the phone. Under his bio I found the tile of this book which is a continuation of this short story that I really liked. This book was a good coming of age novel and had a really neat insiders view of MLB (specifically inside the clubhouse). This was an enjoyable read even though I don't like the Yankees.

[Brendan]

personally i ended up enjoying this book very much and would definitely recommend it to anyone that has interest in the Yankees or baseball overall. At first i didn't really enjoy this book to much but it turned out to get a lot better as the book went on.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned about this book listening to The Moth Radio Hour where the author told the story of how he became a bat boy. It's a fun story. Baseball fans, especially Yankees fans, will enjoy McGough's tales of his two years living his dream working for the NY Yankees.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My husband and I had the pleasure of meeting Matt McGough through a rather set of random circumstances. A faculty at CSS had heard of "Bat Boy" and wanted to pursue hosting McGough on our campus for a reading and information session. After a few months of planning, he arrived in Duluth in March, 2010. In addition to attending the event, we got to know him a lot more through showing him around campus, driving around the city and speaking of its history, taking him out to dinner, and talking about his two passions: baseball and writing. Honestly, it was like kismet: my spouse lives baseball and I live (sometimes) in the literary world--a match made in occupational heaven.

A native (upstate) New Yorker, someone whom I expected to be upper crust, cerebral and rather unapproachable, Matt defied my expectations in every way. Yes, he spoke very aptly about these different worlds he lives in (which is now LA) but Matt is warm, enthusiastic and approachable. The storyteller in him, who spent an adolescent summer in the Yankees dugout, related to the storytellers, name droppers, instant replayers and statisticians that resides in every baseball lover.

Up until recently, Matt was a writer for "Law and Order" and in a very subtle manner, I was able to probe gently into the jobs of a Hollywood-based world (both he and his wife are in the "business"). But more than that was a genuine invitation to come out to LA and share in the experience of a Dodgers game. After all, it may not be the original Yankee Stadium, but the grandeur and nostalgia of Dodger Field can evoke the same kind of response in any baseball lover.

[Malachi Jiles]

Bat Boy by Matthew McGough is as Biography & Autobiography. Bat Boy is an biography about a sixteen year old boy, who is in high school and likes the sport baseball. He heard of a season job for bat boy. He signed up and was chosen, and faced the challenges of adding more task to a list. He was the bat boy for the Yankees for a time period of 2 years.

The novel's book cover was an okay selection to draw attention, but would only grab people who already like it. The book captures the hard work of joining a group or getting a job. The book kept a new event on the table, from Matthew getting the job to the crazy tasks of being a bat boy. The book did a good job of showing the work and drive needed to be an adult and to keep up with society.

The book is a biography so if you can't handle reading those i wouldn't recommend the book. The book is a great thing to read to understand what is at stake when adding things to your schedule. The book is fun and helped past time. If you are a baseball fan then I recommend you reading it. Bat Boy is great and I wish to read more about baseball.

[711sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batboy by Matthew McGough was a well written autobiography of Matt McGough who was a New York Yankees bat boy for the 19993 and 19994 seasons. Batboy tells about Matt's experiences as a Yankee bat boy in detail. It also talks about Matt's experiences after being a bat boy too.
I found Batboy very interesting because Matt, unlike most batboys, wasn't related to celebrities or very wealthy people, all that he did to be bat boy was write a letter to the New York Yankees and George Stienbrenner saying why he should be a bat boy. I also thought that Batboy was very interesting because it told the reader (me) a lot about what the environment within the Yankee's clubhouse and dugout.
I think the lessons that Matt learned and the qualities that he gained during his time as a bat boy helped him throughout his life. This is because Matt said that he thinks that working as a bat boy helped him become the person that he is now and was the best experience of his life.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my dream job. To sit in the dugout alongside the greatest players in the world. To warm up the right fielder before every inning. To catch fly balls in the outfield before every game. To stay in Yankee stadium all night!!
This is the life of the New York Yankee's bat boy. Matthew McGough was lucky enough to spend two full years as bat boy for the New York Yankees. His story is incredible to hear. From the inside trading of player's merchandise, to making friends with the some of the greatest players to have ever lived. This book recounts an experience that is now only available to the sons, and close friends of management, and players. Since I am neither, this brought me the closest that I will most likely be to my child hood dream.

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine sitting in the New York Yankees dugout with Don Mattingly! Well, this was the job of Matthew McGough doing errands for the team and many other jobs for the players and living his dream as the Yankees bat boy. When he describes being in Yankee stadium atmosphere you will feel like you are there too. The most inspiring part of this book is when Matthew was looking out from the bleachers of right field, and imagined himself being a bat boy for the New York Yankees.His dream came true when he wrote a letter to the Yankees owner George Steinbrenner hoping for the job and he got it! After reading this book I myself wanted to become a bat boy for the Yankees. If you are a huge Yankee fan and have a love for the game of baseball, this book is for you.

[Shin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful wonderful book. I picked this book on a whim at a used bookstore. The subject matter seemed simple and I felt a little silly buying the book, but once I started reading it, I finished it in a few hours. Loved the subject matter, loved the stories, and it was funnier and more poignant than I could have imagined. I am sure there were more clubhouse stories that could not be included, but nevertheless it was great. The Daytona Beach story literally had me laughing out loud. This is the best book I have read in a few years.

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've just started this quick read. It's not a literary masterpiece, but that's not why I'm reading it. It's a glimpse into the background and the hallowed sanctuary that is Yankee Stadium as told by a teenager, thrilled at the perks of consorting with famed athletes and legends. It's wistful and hilarious.

[Wayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was enthralled with the clubhouse stories the author told about the Yankees of the early 90s and I made a connection to author right away as a Yankees fan. However I did not relate to many of his coming of age stories that did not directly involve a Yankee player or Yankee Stadium. If you are a fan of the Yankees of the early 90's then you will be ammused by the quick read.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Mcgough's book is a good read about a high school student from the NYC suburbs who talks himself into an interview and eventually a job as a bat boy for the New York Yankees. Clubhouse antics and player values are highlighted. Even this passionate Red Sox fan found much to enjoy in this well written book.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a great fan of baseball, it's my own misfortune to be a woman, and therefore doomed to be an outsider looking in on a man's sport. Any opportunity to peak behind the scenes is treasured and this story does not disappoint. The author takes us into the dugout, to spring training, onto the field and into the clubhouse. The story is wonderfully told, engaging, and poignant. Highly recommend.

[Max Stoudemire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good book and i enjoyed it very much! Matt put in a lot of hard work to be the bat boy of the New York Yankees. He had to sleep at the stadium sometimes and would have to go to school from Yankee stadium. In his 2 years as Yankee bat boy he had a lot of fun and was fortunate enough to be aloud to go on the 9 game road trip with the team. All in all great book!

[Ted · Rating 5 out of 5]

First learned about this book when I heard the author tell one of the stories on The Moth storytelling podcast which was amazing. The book opens with the same story about his first day as a bat boy being hilariously but gently hazed by Mattingly and others and it keeps going strong from there. Great for any baseball fan and think the storytelling holds up for the non fan too.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're a baseball fan, this is a great behind the scene look at baseball, as seen by a teen-aged batboy in the early 90s with the Yankees. I'm a Yankee fan, so it was especially interesting to find out which players were nice and who weren't.

[chris]

A very good read. I greatly enjoyed the inside look into my favorite player Don Mattingly and am excited to learn that my interactions with him are the norm for him. This is a dream job for anyone who grew up a Yankee fan.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't imagine any of my friends enjoying this but as a long time fan of baseball and a sometime fan of the NY Yankees, a thoroughly enjoyed this 'behind the scenes' tale from a young man who was bat boy to the Yankees in the early 1990s.

[Nolan R · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book. This gave an interesting point of view from inside the club house. He learned many life lessons from inside and outside of the stadium. He even lost a lot of money from a "business" deal. The deal went wrong and he and a friend were out a good chunk of money.

[JoAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in one night. The only thing I can say is that I'm highly jealous of the author!!!!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this book, and it was a great time to read it considering it had firsthand accounts of George Steinbrenner and Bob Sheppard. The Boss gives the author a scholarship for college.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, fun to read about the Yankees behind the scenes. A couple of things were disappointing to see, from a fan perspective.

[Bob Derner]

great book

[Frank Taranto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Matthew McGough's story of his two years as a Yankee batboy. I liked the insight into life inside the clubhouse. I also enjoyed his honesty about himself.

[Ethan Maldonado · Rating 5 out of 5]

this Is My Favorite Book Of All time.

This Book can inspire many teenagers from all over the world to work
hard for what you really want it life and keep doing what your doing
until you get it.

[Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, light reading and a must read for Yankee fans!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good summer reading. Light but interesting description of life behind the scenes in an MLB clubhouse

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific book. Any baseball fan would enjoy the stories McGough tells. Everything you thought about being a batboy and more.

[Robin Barbera · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Yankee fan must read!