This is a very good article that appeared in the Mets' Official Program:
Brooks and the Mets Form an Unbeatable Team
By Bob Pacitti
Garth Brooks has already delivered the first meaningful hit of spring training for the New York Mets. The superstar country music singer and the Mets have teamed in support of the Touch ‘Em All Foundation, which raises money for children’s charities.
“The original idea was to go to spring training and give the money we made from a baseball contract to charity,” said Brooks, who spent last spring with the San Diego Padres.
But the idea took on a life of its own, and several major league players became involved after donating money based on their hits, strikeouts, stolen bases or homeruns. Suddenly the money from a one-month baseball contract paled in comparison considering the foundation raised $1.8 million in its first year.
“The secret is actually getting the guys in baseball,” Brooks said. “The whole secret is numbers; they don’t have to be big sticks.”
But there are several “big sticks” involved with Touch ‘Em All, including New York’s Robin Ventura, Al Leiter, Dennis Cook and Turk Wendell. They teamed with the likes of Greg Maddux, Kevin Brown and even Ken Griffey, Jr. in support of Touch ‘Em All.
“If Junior hits a home run, he gives up $1,000 and we triple it,” Brooks said of the foundation. “If you have a player contributing $2,000 at the end of the year, that’s $6,000 more than you had, and when you put 30 or 40 of those guys together, you have a quarter of a million dollars.”
With Garth in camp, both the foundation and the Mets benefit. Already the Mets have donated $100,000 to the fund. Manager Bobby Valentine matched the amount with a promise of funding from his eSuperstars.com charity auction website.
In return, the Mets draw daily crowds at spring training unlike any they have experienced before.
Part of the reason is the “Fan Friendly” attitude where fans can roam through the complex during daily workouts and see their baseball heroes up close. The second part of the equation is, without a doubt, Brooks.
Arriving early and staying late to sign autographs for the hordes of fans who wait for hours is part of Brooks’ daily routine. He takes time with every autograph seeker and well wisher to make the time he spends with them personal. It’s not unusual for Brooks to relieve an autograph seeker of a cell phone and talk to a shocked relative on the other end of the line.
However, on some occasions Brooks can be located in a secluded area of the park where he conducts one-on-one sessions with children from the Make-A-Wish foundation. Here, there are no television cameras, no reporters with notebooks and no lines of autograph seekers. It’s just Brooks, the child and the child’s immediate family.
“The thing with them is the same with the fans, and the last thing you want is for them to think you’re doing it for the camera,” Brooks said. “Because this means a lot to them.”
Also, it won’t be the last time you see these kids…unless they don’t make it, but what happens is, hopefully, a lot of them make great recoveries, and a year later you see how they’ve advanced.”
So Brooks wants to make sure the children experience an intimate personal visit with their hero.
His Mets teammates have gotten to know Brooks for who how is and have come to admire his tenacity on the field and patience in dealing with adoring fans for hours on end.
“Garth has brought a certain enthusiasm and energy to camp, and I think it’s contagious,” Valentine said. “And I see a lot more players signing autographs.”
As usual, Brooks deflects the compliment and in turn passes out another.
“I think that’s Bobby to tell you the truth. I think it’s from the skipper on down,” Brooks said of the camp’s enthusiasm and focus this season. “From the day you get here there’s chatter between players; there seems to be twice as many coaches-they’re really working on it.”
Coming off an appearance in the NLCS, every Met will tell you they’ve had a taste of success and believe they will return to those heights, with the words “World Series” being dropped with regularity.
“The thing I like about the Mets this year is that they all get it,” Brooks said. “Two years ago they missed the playoffs by a game. Last year they tied, so they realize from the games in Japan on, it all counts.”
Count Brooks among the motivated. He shows his spirit by going through his daily routine without pulling back on any drill.
“It’s fun. I have jumped in the fire,” Brooks said. “I’ve learned more - not because the Mets camp is better than the Padres camp - but I’ve learned because I’m infield, I’m outfield, it’s just a blast.”
His work ethic hasn’t gone unnoticed by his teammates and the way they feel about him reaches his ears through third parties.
“One of the greatest moments in camp was when I had a Make-A-Wish kid here. The family talked to other players, and they told me what those other players had said about me here in camp,” Brooks said. “And that felt good; it made me feel like I was part of the crew.”
Part of the reason for that attitude is Brooks isn’t in camp to just get a base hit off a major league pitcher for his own satisfaction and bragging rights. There’s more depth to what he’s trying to accomplish.
“Last year I was going up to just get a hit,” Brooks said of his stint with the Padres. “This year I’m going up with a plan. I’m going up to be a contributor, part of a nine-man team.”
Working diligently on his fielding, throwing and hitting, Brooks puts in extra time working on moving the runner over with a bunt or executing the hit-and-run play when the signal is flashed.
The Met with the No. 1 on his back is trying to do all the little things right, while all the big things are rapidly falling into place.
Because of the Mets pencilling Brooks into their lineup, the children are already benefiting and it can’t get much bigger than that.
Note** Garth finished Spring Training with the Mets with a 0-17 batting record, but again, he was an "amazing" hit with the fans, the "Make A Wish" kids and the players. The foundation has already raised over $8 million dollars!
