In Garden City, football and lacrosse usually get all the ink and glory given how all facets of these sports seem to consistently come up on the winning end locally. But it’s the baseball program that’s contributed players to the major league ranks. Last year, former Garden City High School student Rob Finneran was signed to a contract by the Tampa Bay Rays, upon which time he promptly reported to the team’s minor league affiliate. But for as exciting as that was, it took Matt Daley, an older alum who not only broke into the bigs, but did it on one of the world’s largest stages–Yankee Stadium. In donning pinstripes, Daley took a circuitous route to get to the Bronx by way of the Colorado Rockies, who drafted him, and a significant amount of rehab caused by shoulder surgery. His callup not only found him coming into his second game with the team and being thrown into the fire at Fenway Park, but taking the mound against big names like David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia. Remarkably enough, Daley got them out as well. It’s the kind of storybook situation that’s more likely to come out of Hollywood than real life. It’ll also undoubtedly serve as inspiration for more than a few Garden City Little Leaguers.
— Dave Gil de Rubio