Frank Gennario lost his father to bone cancer when he was 16 years old, and more than anything else, he clings tightly to memories of their days together at Yankee Stadium.
As his son neared the same age three decades later, Frank made a decision: The ballpark bond between him and young Tony would have to be memorable -- "something a little different," Frank said.
Over the past 10 years, the Gennarios have meticulously followed their beloved Arizona Diamondbacks to every major league stadium, a quest they completed last weekend with a series at Atlanta's SunTrust Park. The plan was hatched prior to the 2007 season, and the 59-year-old father and 24-year-old son have now seen their favorite team at 35 ballparks, including the 30 current ones.
The expedition was fueled by Frank's passion for the game, which he's had since childhood. Growing up in Queens, N.Y., he played stickball on the streets, cheered tirelessly for the Mets and went to games with his dad. His first in-park memory is from 1965, as a 7-year-old at Yankee Stadium.
"I do remember my dad telling me one day," Frank recalled, "He said, 'Frankie, I want you to remember this. This is something historic. You saw Joe DiMaggio hit a home run in an Old Timers' Game.'
"I attribute a lot of my love for the game to the fact that he loved the game. He used to live and die baseball."
Frank grew up and landed in Phoenix, where he eagerly purchased season tickets when the Diamondbacks entered the majors in 1998. He has only missed two home games in the history of the franchise -- the day Tony graduated from Arizona State, and the day his 2-year-old grandson, Broxton, died from a neurological disease. Even on that devastating day, Frank's family urged him to get to the ballpark, but "there wasn't any way I was going to miss being with the family," he said.
Tony was 14 when Frank brought him to Denver for opening day in 2007, a trip that jump-started their quest.
Frank is thinking about starting all over. His 10-year-old grandson, Brody, tagged along for the recent series in Atlanta -- his first Diamondbacks road trip.
"Maybe it's time the tradition continues to the next generation," Frank said. "We'll see what the schedule looks like next year."
So, so sorry
In a scenario no one thought was possible three years ago, Pablo Sandoval rejoined the San Francisco Giants on Saturday. The veteran third baseman, who left San Francisco as a free agent on bad terms after the 2014 season, officially inked a minor-league deal with his original club.
Many thought Sandoval had burned his bridge with the Giants after he lashed out, charging the team had disrespected him during contract negotiations after the 2014 season. Sandoval inked a five-year, $95 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.
He was released by the Red Sox on Wednesday after nothing but injuries and meager numbers since the deal, leaving the Red Sox on the hook for the remaining $49.5 million owed. With few options available, Sandoval was forced to eat his words and offer an apology, which was released in conjunction with the announcement of his signing Saturday.
"I have always loved and appreciated the Giants organization, my Giants teammates and the fans of San Francisco. I have so many great memories and I want to thank the organization for giving me another chance to come back here. When I left the Giants in 2014, my comments were emotional, insensitive and misguided and I truly regret and apologize for my actions. I am committed to working hard to contributing to the success of the Giants."
SPORTS QUIZ
Who was the Arizona Diamondbacks' first manager?
ANSWER
Buck Showalter
Sports on 07/23/2017