Rizzuto did it right

In the musical "Damn Yankees," the dreaded Bronx Bombers are cast as a steely, unfeeling baseball machine, while the hapless Washington Senators are the boys with "miles and miles and miles of heart."

But in truth, the Yankees had as much heart as the next team. More, in fact, because the Yanks had Phil Rizzuto. The sparkplug shortstop, known as "Scooter," died Monday at age 89. And with his passing, the game — and the nation — loses one more athlete who played the game as it should be played and backed it up with personal warmth and integrity.

At 5-feet 6-inches, Rizzuto was once told as a kid he should "get a shoe shine box," that he was too tiny to make a dent in the major leagues. But Rizzuto not only made a dent in the majors, he made a dent in five all-star teams and the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown. Never much of a hitter, he led with his glove, his hustle, his intelligence and, yes, miles of heart.

Yogi Berra was once asked how the Yankees planned to deal with the "intangibles." He said, "No problem. We have guys who speak both Spanish and English." If Berra had been on his verbal game he would have said, "The intangibles Phil Rizzuto brings to the team make us a winner."

As a baseball announcer, Rizzuto brought that same exuberance and intensity to the broadcasting booth. His calls of famous moments in Yankee lore have become as immortal as the events themselves. But it was his tireless play on the ball field that drove his success as an announcer.

As a player, Rizzuto was the anti-celebrity. Where others preened and postured, he worked and hustled. He filled the cracks and pitched in to stop leaks in the team. He held things together while others tried to tug things apart. Would there were more like him in the game today.

The Yankees have retired his No. 10 and will wear that on their sleeves for the rest of the reason. It's only fitting.

The sleeve is where Rizzuto always wore his indelible heart.