REVEALED: Working at si was a dream fulfilled | Rare Historical Photos

For the first 12 or so years of my life, I was convinced that one day I would be the starting catcher for the Yankees.

I was a switch-hitter, like my idol Jorge Posada, and I wore No. 7 for Mickey Mantle, the player I was almost named after. I practiced my autograph and wrote out projected stats for my eventual Hall of Fame career, as if the sheet of paper were the back of my baseball card. I wrote the script that John Sterling would read for my Yankeeography and listened to it over and over again in my head. I made up a Sterling home run call for myself. Sadly, I don’t remember it. What I do remember is my first walk-off home run, when I was playing for the 11-year-old East Fishkill All-Stars. Afterward, I wrote the date on the baseball, described the event and authenticated it with my signature. I had no doubt it would be worth something someday.