"I was 14, selling newspapers near the Polo Grounds with 24 cents in my pocket, when a couple of tough kids came at me. I put up my dukes, and two Giants coaches saw me handling myself pretty good. They complimented me and asked if I could catch. I lied -- I said I could. They gave me a mitt and told me to help their pitchers in practice. After a couple of hours, they handed me $5, as much as I made in a month hustling newspapers. That did it."