Brian Cashman loves talkin baseball, even if it is scant hours after yet another Yankees victory. Cashman was up bright and early Thursday to attend the Fairfield County Sports Commissions third annual Celebrity Breakfast at the Continental Manor in Norwalk. The Yankees, in the midst of a West Coast swing, defeated the Oakland Athletics in a game that ended just before 1 a.m. Thursday.
Cashman, who lives in Darien, was the guest speaker at the breakfast. He was joined by YES Network anchor Bob Lorenz, who lives in Westport. Cashman touched on a variety of topics during his talk and a question-and-answer session. He joined the team as a 19-year-old intern in 1986 and worked in the minor league and scouting department. It was a good opportunity for promotion, Cashman joked, noting the high turnover rate working demanding owner George Steinbrenner.
Cashman became the second youngest general manager in major league history at age 31 in 1998. During his tenure, the team has won six American League championships and four World Series titles. The team won its 27th World Series last year by defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in five games.
Never once did I think I was going to be the general manager of the Yankees. In fact, it was quite the opposite, Cashman says, noting the job demands of working under Steinbrenner. He has developed into one of the shrewdest GMs in the game, and has adapted technology and grown the team brand to become the worlds most successful sports enterprise.
The breakfast raised money for the FCSC, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting fitness awareness and personal development through sports. The all-volunteer organization donated more than $25,000 to nearly 20 different youth organizations over the past two years.
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