This past weekend, I had the great pleasure of attending the B.E.S.T. Scholarship groups Celebrity Meet and Greet on Sunday night, and the golf tournament on Monday, for the second year in a row. I am a huge baseball fan and was really in my glory getting to hang with all the players, take pictures and get autographs. In the past two years there have been close to 60 different players that I had the opportunity to meet.Guys which included a Hall of Famer, a pitcher who threw a no hitter, 15 year veterans, and guys who barely got a cup of coffee in the game. But the biggest thrill I got didn’t really include any of those guys. People who know me are probably thinking, well duh, your biggest thrill came from meeting someone on the Mets…and usually you would be right. But not this time. And you wanna know the biggest shocker, this guy was even a Yankee. Now people who know me are thinking, but Scott, you hate the Yankees. You are a National League guy through and through, and like most people out there, if you root for the Mets, you hate the Yankees. But let me explain…
The greatest honor I got was to meet a former player named Frank Tepedino. Im sure, even some of the most hardcore baseball fans are thinking to themselves right now….Who? Im sure there are even a lot of “hardcore” Yankee fans out there who have never even heard of Mr. Tepedino, so let me do some introductions. I’ll just give a cursory run through. Mr. Tepedino’s story is best told in the book Before the Glory by Billy Staples and Rich Herschlag, but I’ll try to do him at least some justice. Mr. Tepedino debuted for the Yankees in 1967 and was in uniform with the team to witness Mickey Mantle’s 500th home run. Eventually, he made his way over to the Braves and again witnessed history having to do with some guy named Aaron, and another guy named Ruth and something about home runs. If you don’t know that story, shame on you, but anyway, google it, I guess.
Eventually like all dreams, Mr. Tepedino’s baseball career came to an end and he joined the family business, a.k.a. the New York Fire Patrol. I believe, including Mr. Tepedino, 5 members of his family were involved in the Fire Patrol. By now you are probably saying to yourself, OK Scott, I get it, he was a pro baseball player and all around nice guy, why was it such an honor for you to meet him? Well, as everyone remembers, September 11th came along, and Mr. Tepedino and his family were still involved with the Fire Patrol…luckily enough, they were all off that day, but like the heroes they are, when most people were fleeing New York City, they went the opposite way. As I sit here and tear up while I type this, I won’t get into to many details, and like I said before the details can be found in the book Before the Glory.
Upon meeting Mr. Tepedino for the first time, I felt myself standing a little straighter, smiling a little more, and feeling a great sense of pride in myself, my country and the man standing in front of me. I couldn’t even imagine going through what he went through, and doing what he did, but I am greatful for all the men and women like him, and aspire to do even 10% of what he did for his family, friends and country. I hope everyone takes a second, minute, hour or day to selflessly do something for others, remember, they say those who forget are doomed to repeat. Thank a service member, donate your time to a worthy cause, just do something to make our society a better place. When I met Mr. Tepedino for the first time, I looked him straight in the eye, stood straighter, gave him a hearty handshake. I said “Mr. Tepedino, as a baseball fan, it is very nice to meet you,” and with a lump in my throat and a tear in the back of my eye, I continued, “but as an American…Thank you!”
I hope he remembers that, because I know I will never forget that moment, it was the least I could do….
mrmet17 
Mr. Tepe is an amazing man n like most amazing men – he wants no fanfare or attention about the events of 9/11. In his mind he was just doing – what he was supposed to be doing. In the middle of the chaos, he made sure all manhole covers within his reach were cleared n swept for hours unend, he kept them clear cuz of the possibility, one of his firefighter brothers, got underground and made his way back to safety. I am proud of Scott for how he told his personal story and even prouder of Frank – he is the definition of being a class act.
Billy Staples – Before the Glory
PS – Scott doesn’t just attend our fundraising event. him n his wife do more than their share of helping out…….and they do all of this and support the cause, wjile equally paying for their $80 ticket (each) with any whining – that couple is equally a class act.