Baseball profile: Johnny Damon—Boston Red Sox - Interview

Baseball Digest, July, 2003 by Rick Sorci

FULL NAME: Johnny David Damon

AGE, HT., WT.: 29, 6-2, 190

Born: November 5, 1973 in Fort Riley, Kansas

HOME: Overland Park, Kansas

STATUS/FAMILY: Married with two children (twins)

NICKNAME: JD

LIFE OUTSIDE BASEBALL: It's very family-orientated, spending time with my wife, kids and parents. I also do a little bit of fishing.

SPORTS HERO WHEN I WAS YOUNG: Cal Ripken for the way he played the game and his durability.

PEOPLE WHO INFLUENCED ME THE MOST:. I would have to say my high school baseball coach in Orlando, Florida, Dan Allie, just because he told me how good I was and he helped get scouts to watch me. He opened up my eyes to the way baseball should be played. He's the reason why I hustle all the time and give 100 percent on the field at all times.

BEST ADVICE ANYONE EVER GAVE ME: To have fun playing baseball. If you're not having fun, you don't need to be out there.

PLAYERS, PAST OR PRESENT, I'D PAY TO WATCH PLAY: Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson and Cal Ripken.

HOBBIES: I like to fish.

TYPE OF CAR: Porsche

FAVORITE ACTOR/ACTRESS: Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts

FAVORITE MOVIE: Next Friday

FAVORITE TV SHOW: That '70s Show

FAVORITE MUSIC: Alternative Rock

FAVORITE FOOD: My wife's cooking

FAVORITE BALLPARK: Jacobs Field in Cleveland

PLAYER I LEARNED THE MOST FROM: Dean Palmer. He's always been professional when he's at the field and always competes regardless of the score.

THE TRUE SIGN OF SUCCESS: If you can see a smile on a person's face you can tell a lot about their life.

THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTE A BASEBALL PLAYER NEEDS: You gotta have a lot of head.

FAVORITE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM OUTSIDE OF BASEBALL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

CHARACTERISTIC I ADMIRE MOST IN A PERSON: Attitude. I think attitude speaks volumes. Whenever I meet someone, I say, "This is the kind of person I like or the type of person I wouldn't want to be."

BEST TIME OF MY LIFE/WHY? I think right now because I'm playing the game that I love and I have a great family.

IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT BASEBALL IT WOULD BE: I'd have a few more Sunday double-headers so we have a couple more off days during the season.

IF NOT A BASEBALL PLAYER I WOULD HAVE BEEN: Possibley a football player. I was gifted with a lot of speed, and whenever I played as a kid, I was pretty good.

BEHIND MY BACK THEY SAY: I think they say they can't believe I'm an awesome guy. When they play against me, they know that I'm quiet, but when they play on a team with me, I think they say here's a great teammate.

TOUGHEST PITCHER I'VE FACED: Tom Gordon

LIFE AFTER BASEBALL: I'm going to be busy, running car pools and giving my wife some time off.

MY BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: I haven't had that many at this point. Everything's been pretty good.

MY MOST EMBARRASSING BASEBALL EXPERIENCE: I'd say it happens whenever I drop a fly ball. It happens. At Yankee Stadium with Oakland in 2001, I got a flyball near the fence and dropped it and it cost us the game.

MY MOST MEMORABLE GAME: It came in 2000 against the Cubs. I went 5-for-6, and tied the major league record with four doubles and made a great catch off Henry Rodriguez.