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• Voice Male
Thank You!
Publisher Says “Thank You!”
The Men’s Resource Center for Change, publisher
of Voice Male, receives community support
from near and far. Hundreds of people
have shared our inspiration and commitment,
andcontributedtheirtime,services,andmoney
toward a vision of personal and social transformation.
As our programs and services continue
to grow in size and scope, we see that the size
and scope of our community support also
expand. We are filled with deep gratitude at
the outpouring of support. We hope the followingacknowledgmentscommunicateasenseof
being part of a growing community of support.
Thank you.
Donated Space
Network Chiropractic, Greenfield
Northampton Council on Aging
Fathers & Family Network Presenter
Christopher Newman,
YWCA Visitation Centers
Grants
The Kapler Foundation, Los Angeles
In-Kind Donations
Henion Bakery, Amherst
Office/Voice Male Volunteers
Susan Craig, Christopher Klunk,
Joe Leslie, Bob and Jesse Mazer,
Russ Pirkot, Gary Stone
Facilitator Training
Michael Burke, Michael Dover, Carl Erikson,
Jerry Levinsky, Gábor Lukács, Bob Mazer,
Tom Schuyt, Gary Stone
As always, we extend our gratitude to the MRC
BoardofDirectorsfortheongoingguidanceand
support they give to this organization and all
who are a part of it. We are also grateful to our
volunteers who support us in so many ways.
Double Play continued from page 9
Was that modeling in any way a plus for you
as a pro athlete?
As I grew up in the sports world, it made
it easier. In the beginning it was very difficult
for me, playing baseball in the minor
leagues and then in the majors. Baseball
taught me how to have a thick skin. In my
house I was taught to have a thin skin. I’m
really grateful to baseball for teaching me to
have a thick skin. I want my kids to have
thick skin. I remember getting really bent
out of shape about stuff at home…that was
fine in my house. As an adult, I’m grateful
that baseball—it’s such a failure sport. In
the clubhouse, you have a constant barrage
of ridicule and banter that includes
tearing each other down on a regular basis.
As crazy as it sounds, it’s been really good
for me personally. It’s the real world, it’s the
way things work. If you’re too sensitive it
affects you. I want my child to be able to
handle what goes on.
When you hear racist or sexist stuff in the
clubhouse, what do you do?
When you hear something racist or sexist
you might say, not in an aggressive way, but
a light way, “That was the worst possible
word you could use in my house growing
up.” It would be self-destructive to be confrontational.
Internally, you have people
brought up in different ways. There’s not
a public forum with an open conversation
about it. You may talk about it with guys
who are sympathetic, or not. Generally
speaking, baseball is a melting pot of races
and financial backgrounds and upbringing,
some people who have never been around
somebody from a large city, only guys just
like them. People handle it in different
ways—like the swearing in the clubhouse
or [lyrics] on the radio. Some guys don’t
want their son hearing it, they only want
Christian music; others say if you don’t like
it, take your son out of here.
Baseball players like former Sox outfielder Wil
Cordero, José Canseco, Milton Bradley, and
othershavebeenchargedwithdomesticassault
and battery. How is that kind of issue seen
frominsidetheclubhouse?Whataboutnow,if
ithappenedwithoneofyourteammates?You
havesomeauthoritybecauseofLisaandwhat
happened to her. What would you say?
Certainly, in my mind [domestic abuse]
is unacceptable. How I would address
that with a particular player is a completely
different story. The right thing
to do isn’t always to say something to
the person about it. The person has to
be ready to talk about it, ready to listen.
If I didn’t think somebody was ready
to listen I would never approach him.
I wouldn’t understand how that would
be my place to do that. But their respect
level would drop immediately from other
players. We kind of police ourselves.
When somebody does something that’s
not just embarrassing to the club but to
themselves, you lose respect, and that’s
the worst thing you can possibly lose in
our clubhouse. Without that, you don’t
have a platform, you don’t have the
respect.
You know about New York Yankees manager
Joe Torre establishing the Safe at
Home Foundation, also aimed at addressing
domestic violence. Are you interested in
working together with him?
I’m so jealous that he has that name! I
think it’s great—you talk about a guy
with a platform and power, it probably
doesn’t get much bigger than he has.
He’s so respected in baseball and in New
York, and it’s amazing and wonderful and
we’re all very proud of what he’s doing.
Do I see an opportunity for a collaboration?
I would love that. He’s a busy guy,
and [our foundation is] not completely
off the ground. At some point in the
future I would love to find a way to put
it together and work with him.
What is your vision for the foundation in the
next seven to eight years?
I’d like [the foundation] to be in shelters
all over the country. I want to be making
an impact improving women’s shelters,
improving relationship skills for women
and children, including boys and young
men, in shelters, everywhere. We’re starting
in a small area of Los Angeles County
and with the shelter in Massachusetts.
We have the Internet, we have our website,
but I’d like to branch out all over
the country. I’m playing baseball all the
time, so my mom is hopefully going to
share my vision, and we’ll see how much
money we raise. VM
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