Tino Martinez, former Yankee player and axed hitting coach, appeared on Fox’s “Good Day New York” Friday morning to discuss his upcoming commencement address at Fordham.
Martinez said he was nervous to deliver the 10 to 15-minute speech on Saturday morning.
When asked whether the fact that his daughter, Olivia, is graduating adds more pressure, he replied: “Maybe because her friends are wondering, ‘Why is your dad speaking here at Fordham?’ Everybody wants the presidents and actors and actresses.”
Or Sonia Sotomayor, who declined Fordham’s request to deliver the speech, but will be on campus to accept an honorary degree.
“I’m going to relay some of my experiences in baseball in another way, though,” Martinez said of his speech. “I’m thinking there may not be a lot of baseball fans there. Half will be fans, some may not be fans. I’m trying to put it in a way where they all understand what I went through.”
Martinez, who lives in Tampa, Fla., is getting a plaque in Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park. “When I got the call two months ago about it, I was totally flattered and humbled and honored,” he said. “That’s a huge, huge deal and something I’m very proud about.”
Connor Ryan
John Bonazzo
Fordham Daily 
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