NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Joe Torre is probably most known for his tenure as manager of the New York Yankees, but since leaving his post he’s not so much worried about whether batters are safe on base. Instead, he’s worried about kids being safe at school and at home.
Founded 19 years ago, the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation aims to provide healing services to youth who have been traumatized by any kind of abuse. Every year the organization holds a gala to celebrate its ongoing success and raise money to continue to provide hope, healing, and empowerment for its pupils.
In an exclusive interview with 1010 WINS, Torre revealed that the idea came from his personal experience with an abusive father. He said, “My dad, who was a New York City policeman was very abusive to my mom. There are a lot of feelings I thought I was born with, I was a nervous kid, no self-esteem - luckily I had the ability to play baseball."
"It wasn't until some counseling some years later," he said, "that I realized that the abuse my dad was bringing into the house [was the cause]. And once I found that out, I wanted to share it, because I hadn't talked about it before that."
That's how the foundation was born. Having reached 125,000 kids with 20 programs across four different states, the program’s success is beyond remarkable. Torre adds it’s “[important] we let these kids know it’s not their fault, and they’re not alone.”
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Torre’s compassion knows no bounds, as during the interview he also shared his thoughts on his successor Aaron Boone.
Commenting on his performance this past season, Torre said, “With all the analytics, I thought Boone did a good job.”
When asked if it made sense to bring Boone back despite a not-so-stellar season for the Bronx Bombers, he remarked, “His club was very inconsistent...but I had no problem with Aaron Boone staying on board. I think he’s got a lot to offer. [He and the team] just need to get more consistent.”
When asked about his former colleague Bobby Valentine’s recent bid to become the mayor of Stamford, Connecticut, Torre played coy. “I’m far from being a political person,” he insisted, clarifying that he did not plan to follow in Valentine’s footsteps.
Instead, he wants to continue his work through the foundation because that’s the best way to make a difference. He explained, “These kids, who have been stuck at home [for a year], are now back in school…[we can] help them face to face.”
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