by Mike Piazza
and Mike’s teen years, 33, 36
and the opposition, 119
retirement of, 144, 147, 153, 180
and Vince, 8–9, 10, 40, 44, 50, 68, 146
Latin American winter leagues, 317
LaValliere, Mike, 89
Law, Ty, 288
Lawton, Matt, 247
Lazzeri, Tony, 317
Leary, Tim, 130
Led Zeppelin, 29, 282
Lee, Bruce, 113
Lee, Travis, 262
Legion ball, 45
Leiter, Al:
and contracts, 199, 268
and friendship, 187, 190, 217, 303, 305
and Mets, 186, 187, 199, 211, 233, 248, 256, 270, 305–6
and Mike’s attitude, 112–13, 190, 309, 346
as pitcher, 187–88, 206, 207, 209, 210, 212, 215, 221, 223, 231, 233, 234, 240, 249, 293, 298
and Valentine, 258, 268, 270–71
and World Series, 233, 234, 240
Leiter, Mark, 138, 175
Lemieux, Mario, 342
Lester, Jon, 333
Letterman, David, 118, 262
Leyland, Jim, 183, 185
Liberatore, Eddie, 21–22, 35, 46, 48–50
Liddi, Alex, 339
Lieberthal, Mike, 315–16, 323
Ligtenberg, Kerry, 222
Lima, Jose, 194
Little League baseball, 11–12, 15–17
Liverziana, Claudio, 317
Lockhart, Keith, 214
Lo Duca, Paul, 310, 315
Lofton, Kenny, 322
Lombardi, Ernie, 138, 317
Looper, Braden, 2, 290, 293, 307, 327
Lopez, Javy, 153, 247, 280, 281
Los Angeles, Mike’s enjoyment of, 114–16
Los Angeles Dodgers:
Catcher Olympics, 61–62
and contracts, 125–27, 143, 146–47, 154–55, 173–75
in Dominican Republic, 56–58
and Fox, 166–68, 171, 176, 181, 182, 208
global roster of, 136, 160–61
and leadership, 159–61, 164–65
and loyalty, 126, 152, 170
Mike as batboy for, 19–20, 41, 59, 136, 316
Mike drafted by, 49–50, 51–53, 72
Mike traded by, 175–82, 183–84, 208
pitchers vs. hitters in, 147–49, 160
sale of, 153–54, 155, 166–68, 171, 182
soul of, 143, 179
team chemistry, 160, 169
and Triple Crown, 295
in Vero Beach, see Vero Beach
Los Angeles Raiders, 105
Lott, Billy, 72, 74
Lowe, Derek, 227
Lowell, Mike, 328
Lozano, Dan, 77, 97–98, 101, 117, 216, 253
and contracts, 99, 125–26, 127, 155, 166–68, 171, 174, 195–96, 197–99, 316, 325, 333, 334
and endorsement deals, 136
and European trip, 273
and karaoke, 322–23
and media rumors, 260–61, 286
and Mike’s retirement, 314, 315, 335, 345
and trade to Marlins, 176, 177, 179
and trade to Mets, 185, 186, 189, 195
Ludy, Dick, 36
Lund, Ed, 75, 78
Lupica, Mike, 301
Lurie, Bob, 92
Luzinski, Greg, 13, 38, 309
Luzinski, Ryan, 125, 126
Lynch, Dave, 81
Lyons, Ed, 84
Madden, Bill, 187
Maddux, Greg, 109, 253
and Braves, 209, 214
as pitcher, 136, 141, 153, 209, 212, 214, 222–23, 235, 284
Madoff, Bernie, 345
Madonna, 132
Maestri, Alex, 339
Magnante, Mike, 175
Mahomes, Pat, 206, 214, 215, 231
Mainieri, Demie “Doc,” 45, 46, 48, 66, 294
Mainieri, Paul, 46, 48, 294
Major League Baseball Players Association, 285–86
Malone, Kevin, 181, 209
Manhattan Beach, condo in, 104–7, 115, 131, 134, 182, 196, 346
Mantei, Matt, 212
Mantle, Mickey, 240
Manuel, Charlie, 315, 316
Manwaring, Kirt, 123
Marabell, Scott, 66
Marchi, Max, 280
Maris, Roger, 159, 250
Marosek, Vic, 15
Marquis, Jason, 246
Married with Children (TV), 132
Marsh, Randy, 206
Marshall, Mike, 20, 22
Martin, Russell, 298, 334
Martinez, Pedro, 57–58, 253
and Dodgers, 58, 74, 149, 307
fire and fury of, 306–7
and hit batters, 191–92, 227, 306, 307
income of, 171, 198
and media, 192, 275, 277–78, 307
and Mets, 306, 309, 323–24
as pitcher, 57, 74, 111, 149, 223, 227, 309, 323–24
and Ramon, 58, 149
Martinez, Ramon, 57, 98, 136
and Dodgers, 111, 149, 151, 307
and hit batters, 110–11
and media, 147, 179
and Pedro, 58, 149
as pitcher, 101, 109, 110–11, 129, 134, 137, 139, 147, 151, 152, 162, 164, 227, 306
Martinez, Tino, 235
Matlack, Jon, 345
Matsui, Kaz, 218, 290
Matthews, Wallace, 237, 259–60, 261
Mauer, Joe, 165
Mays, Willie, 240
McAnulty, Paul, 320
McCarver, Tim, 14, 162, 346
McCourt, Frank, 182, 345
McCourt, Jamie, 182
McDowell, Jack, 155
McDowell, Roger, 94, 109, 117
McElroy, Chuck, 194
McEnroe, John, 202
McEwing, Joe, 223, 276
McGlinchy, Kevin, 214
McGraw, Tug, 186
McGriff, Fred, 112, 153
McGwire, Mark, 130, 251
and batting records, 156, 159, 250
and contracts, 162–63
and drugs/steroids issue, 156, 157, 158–59, 204, 250
as hitter, 156, 158–59, 163, 183, 184, 250
nonprofit foundation of, 162
McKernan, Pat, 86, 88
McKnight, Bob, 115
McNamara, Julianne, 177
McNamee, Brian, 226
McPeak, Holly, 131
McQueen, Steve, 25
McRae, Brian, 204
Meat Loaf, 231
Mendoza, Ramiro, 207
Mercker, Kent, 184
Meredith, Cla, 321, 322
Mesones, Monica, 198
Messina, Gene, 5
Metallica, 29, 76, 322
Metal Skool, 322
Mexicali Aguilas (Eagles), 79–82
Mexican Winter League, 79–82, 307
Miami, University of, 42–44
Miami-Dade North, 45–48
Miami Hurricanes, 40
Mientkiewicz, Doug, 306, 309
Mike Piazza Honda, 273, 335, 342
Miller, Lemmie, 20
Millwood, Kevin, 212, 215
Minaya, Omar, 302, 306, 314, 345
Minnelli, Liza, 246, 247
Minor, Ryan, 185
Mitchell Report, 286–87
Mizuno bats, 120
Molina, Yadier, 279
Molitor, Paul, 319
Mondesi, Raul, 115, 143, 152, 161
and contract, 167
and Dodgers, 74, 129, 162, 295
and drugs/steroids issue, 158
as hitter, 162, 163, 164, 295
as Rookie of the Year, 129, 142
Monster Pak, 157, 203
Montalvo, Rafael, 133
Moody Blues, 26
Mora, Melvin, 212, 214, 216
Morales, Jose, 20
Morgan, Joe, 112, 129, 166, 295
Morrissey, Jim, 76
Morrow, Chris, 60
Mota, Guillermo, 257, 275–78, 307, 311, 330
Mota, Manny, 19
Mulholland, Terry, 214, 222<
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Mulligan, Blackjack, 26
Mungo, Van Lingle, 3
Murdoch, Rupert, 166, 173
Murphy, Bob, 31
Murphy, Dale, 58
Murray, Eddie, 58, 162, 163
Murray, Jim, 140, 148, 179
Musial, Stan, 337
Nagy, Charles, 145
Namath, Joe, 313
Nas (rapper), 328
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), 130–31
Nattle, Butch, 17
Nattle, John John, 31
Nattle, Tony, 31, 37
Natural, The (movie), 17
Neagle, Denny, 152, 240
Nelms, Jim, 9
Nelson, Jeff, 237
Nelson, Lindsey, 31
Newhan, Ross, 109, 160, 162
News Corporation, 166, 182
Newson, Warren (“the Deacon”), 79
New York:
as exhausting venue, 314, 322
socializing in, 227–28
New York Giants (former), 233
New York Mets, 185–99, 200–216, 241–48, 249–50, 255–71, 283, 305–7, 309–14
endgame with Piazza, 300–302, 310–14, 344
and fans, 202, 205, 210, 212–13, 227, 246, 248, 297, 301, 312, 314, 323–24, 336, 344
final game at Shea (2008), 342–43
and Hall of Fame, 343
and media, 201–3, 204, 209, 211, 229, 230, 237, 239, 250, 259, 260–64, 268–70, 271, 281, 286–87, 296, 300–301, 302, 305, 306, 307, 313, 345
QuesTec system, 281
sale of, 264, 265, 268, 302
and September 11 attacks, 244–48, 249, 254, 255, 342, 344
and Subway Series, 207–8, 209, 224, 300
team chemistry, 217–18, 269, 271, 307–8
as Team Tabloid, 255–57, 265
and Triple Crown, 295
and World Series, 232, 233–40, 297, 342, 343
New York Yankees, 206–7, 259
Subway World Series (former), 233
and World Series, 232, 233–40, 250
Ng, Kim, 334
Nicklaus, Jack, 133
Niemann, Randy, 205
Nightengale, Bob, 133, 145, 156–57, 159
Nixon, Otis, 162, 216, 252
Nixon, Trot, 300
Nokes, Matt, 120
Nomo, Hideo “the Tornado,” 177, 218
and Dodgers, 133–34, 140, 153
and friendship, 133, 143
as pitcher, 135–36, 142, 148, 150, 151, 153, 160, 165, 291
as Rookie of the Year, 133, 142
Nomura, Don, 136
Oakland, media in, 331–32
Oakland A’s, 325, 326–30, 332–33
Offerman, Jose, 135
Oh, Sadaharu, 73
Oingo Boingo, 76
Ojeda, Bob, 91, 94
Olerud, John, 188, 208, 218
and friendship, 213–14, 216
as hitter, 202, 206, 211, 215
and Mets, 205, 212, 213–14, 215, 295
Oliver, Darren, 194
O’Malley, Peter, 68, 83
and Dodgers, 63, 133, 143, 147, 161, 166–68
and Dodgers sale, 153–54, 166–68, 182
and Giants sale, 92
and Mike’s contract, 167, 170, 171
O’Malley, Walter, 143
O’Neill, Paul, 240
Ordonez, Rey, 220, 256
Ortiz, Hector, 63
Orza, Gene, 286
Osteen, Claude, 59
Osuna, Antonio, 163, 256
O’Toole, Teri, 134, 176, 191
Ott, Mel, 337
Padilla, Vicente, 309
Palmer, Jim, 136
Panerati, Luca, 339
Park, Chan Ho, 148
and Dodgers, 125, 133, 136, 160–61
as hitter, 143
as pitcher, 143, 151, 160, 163, 165, 175, 243
Parker, Dave, 12
Parks, Derek, 96
Parrish, Lance, 101, 294
Patterson, Corey, 258
Payton, Jay, 227, 230, 232, 237, 240, 244
Peavy, Jake, 318, 322, 324
Pena, Alejandro, 20
Pena, Tony, 280
Pendleton, Terry, 152
Pentagon, September 11 attack on, 244
Penthouse, 195–96
Perez, Carlos, 181, 194
Perez, Eddie, 212, 215, 216
Perez, Timo, 231, 234, 240
Perez, Tony, 295
Perry, Joe, 290
Peters, Rex, 77
Pettitte, Andy, 233, 240
Pfeiffer, Michelle, 105
Phillips, Jason, 281, 293, 301, 306
Phillips, Steve:
and Clemens, 239
and contracts, 197
and Dodgers, 209
and Mets, 185, 187, 188, 189, 197, 205, 255, 256, 260, 265, 283, 302
and Mike at first base, 281
and Valentine, 269, 270
Philo, Alan, 28
Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, 23–24, 25, 316, 345
Phoenixville High School, 33–39, 124
Piazza, Alicia (Mike’s wife), see Rickter, Alicia
Piazza, Danny (brother), 5, 6, 18, 23, 25, 41
Piazza, Mike:
and age, 241, 264, 273, 278–79, 283, 284, 288, 293, 298–99, 305, 309, 310–11, 314, 318, 319, 325, 332
and agents, 77, 97–98; see also Lozano, Dan agility and speed drills, 288
attitude of, 42, 51, 65–67, 69, 71, 73, 87, 102, 109–10, 112–14, 120, 127, 141, 147–48, 151–52, 165–66, 169–70, 174, 179, 184, 190–91, 193, 224, 228–29, 248, 269–70, 275–78, 281, 292, 304, 306, 307–9, 311–13, 314, 318, 330, 332, 334, 339, 346, 347
and auto dealership, 273, 335, 342
awards and honors to, 123, 127, 145, 152, 255, 269, 345–46
and baseball draft, 35–39, 48–50, 51, 53, 72, 174
and baserunning, 129
batting statistics of, 349
birth of, 6, 9
as catcher, 47, 48–49, 53, 55, 59–60, 61, 63, 78, 278–81, 291, 293, 294–96, 306, 328
catcher’s ERA of, 267, 279, 280, 294–95
childhood of, 3–4, 6, 18, 23–24, 25
and the Church, 67, 116, 195–96, 261, 273–74, 303, 335, 340–41
and clubhouse leadership, 159–61, 162, 165, 169, 211, 237, 295, 305, 312
in commercials, 6, 11, 120, 136, 202
conspiracies against, 307–8, 311
and contracts, 54, 124–27, 143, 146–47, 154–55, 166–72, 173–75, 180, 189, 191, 194, 195, 197–99, 208, 300, 301, 305, 343, 346–47
diet of, 157
and distractions, 138, 172, 190, 228, 246, 249–50, 264, 265, 268, 291, 304, 334
as Dodgers batboy, 19–20, 41, 59, 136, 316
drafted by Dodgers, 49–50, 51–53, 72
endgame with the Mets, 300–302, 310–14, 344
eyesight of, 319–20
facial hair of, 120, 229–30
and fame, 75, 115, 270, 313
family background of, 5–6, 24–25
and fans, 104, 109, 110, 115–17, 121–22, 145, 170, 173, 175, 178, 179, 186, 188, 189–90, 193, 194, 202, 205, 208, 209, 297, 301, 312, 314, 322, 323–24, 329–31, 344
and fear, 298–99, 323
at first base, 64, 75, 77, 220–21, 241–42, 281, 285, 289–90, 291, 293, 296, 298–99, 300, 301–2, 323
and free agency, 155, 166–67, 170, 175, 180–81, 185, 189, 191, 193, 315
and gay rumors in media, 260–64
and golf, 27–28, 132–33, 334, 342
and Hall of Fame, 316, 337, 339, 343–44
and hand grippers, 14–15, 76–77, 326
in Hardball Times, 84–85, 88–89, 279–80, 295–96
and his parents, see Piazza, Veronica; Piazza, Vince
income of, 99, 285, 300, 309, 329
injuries to, 102–3, 134–35, 138, 140, 142, 146–47, 150, 192–93, 204–5, 209, 210–12, 214, 215, 219–20, 221, 224–26, 227, 238, 256, 258, 259, 267, 278–79, 282–83, 284, 289, 29
1, 296, 297–98, 299, 305, 307, 310, 319, 328–30, 343
loss of virginity, 67–68
and music, 28–30, 76, 204, 211, 322–23, 327–28
and MVP, 135, 140–41, 145, 146, 150, 151–52, 162, 163, 165–66, 169, 174, 230, 237, 343
and pitchers, 111–12, 127–28, 147–50, 222–23, 256, 267, 270, 280, 282, 294
records set or tied by, 1, 2, 120, 121, 125, 165, 250, 267, 278, 279, 282, 284, 291–93, 294–96
reputation of, 101–2, 116, 279
and retirement, 314, 315–16, 318–19, 334–36, 343, 345–46
in right field, 80
Rookie of the Year, 123, 142, 343
as slugger, 19, 21, 33, 38, 41, 48, 52, 70, 77, 82, 90, 101, 103–4, 111, 120, 121, 140, 149–50, 152–53, 156, 164, 166, 170, 194–95, 208, 210, 216, 227, 231, 232, 247–48, 269, 270, 281–82, 290–91, 293, 294, 295–96, 312, 318, 319, 325, 327, 333, 337, 349
and social life, 30, 107–8, 114–19, 217, 227–28, 278
and steroids rumors, 156–59, 203–4, 251, 338
teen years of, 20–23, 25–28, 33–39, 41–48
and throwing, 148, 159, 219–20, 241, 264, 279–80, 294, 298, 320, 329
traded to Marlins, 175–82, 183–84, 208
traded to Mets, 186–88, 195
wedding of, 303–5
weight training, 44–45, 56, 73, 124, 131, 157, 288
in World Series, 232, 233–40, 297, 343
as wrestling fan, 25–26
Piazza, Nicoletta (Mike/Alicia’s daughter), 326, 334
Piazza, Paulina (Mike/Alicia’s daughter), 341
Piazza, Rosario “Russell” (grandfather), 4–5, 6, 317
Piazza, Tommy (brother), 40, 298, 345
Piazza, Tony (brother), 124, 303, 345
Piazza, Veronica “Roni” Horenci (mother), 9, 25, 27, 30, 37
influence of, 61, 67, 116, 196
and Mike’s career, 145
and Mike’s social life, 118, 228
scrapbooks of, 18
Piazza, Vince (brother), 41, 262, 333, 345
birth of, 9
childhood of, 3, 4, 12, 18, 26
Piazza, Vince (father):
and agents, 98
and auto dealerships, 8–10, 273
and baseball, 12, 255, 306
bid to buy the Giants, 88, 91–94, 161
connections of, 21–22, 46–48, 345
discipline from, 25–26
early years of, 6–10, 159
family background of, 5–6
and final game at Shea, 342–43
and his father, 5, 6, 7
and injuries, 283
and Lasorda, 8–9, 10, 40, 44, 50, 68, 146
and Marlins, 184–85
marriage of, 9
and media, 316
and Mike’s career, 40, 46–48, 51, 55, 63–65, 77–78, 81, 86, 90, 117, 145, 168, 196–97, 199, 261, 296, 308, 315, 316, 335, 337, 338, 343
and Mike’s childhood, 3, 23–24, 25
and Mike’s social life, 30, 117, 118, 228, 278
and Mike’s teen years, 28, 33, 37, 38, 39, 41
and Mike’s training, 7, 11–12, 14, 15, 17–18, 28, 31, 41, 42, 44, 76, 157, 174, 220, 309, 316
