Lynn7
04-03-2004, 08:49 AM
DJs apologize for Mattingly prank
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) Two disc jockeys apologized for an April Fool's prank that scared family members of New York Yankees hitting coach Don Mattingly.
Don Mattingly played third base for the Yankees, and is now their hitting coach.
By Kathy Willens, AP
When Mattingly's two younger sons arrived at school Thursday morning, concerned classmates told them that WSTO morning show hosts Brad Booker and Diane Douglas were extending their on-air thoughts and prayers to the Mattingly family.
The broadcast made the youngsters assume something bad had happened to their father, who was in Japan for the Yankees' series with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
"Later in the morning, we planned on stating that he had nicked himself shaving and we were concerned for him," Booker said on the Evansville station's Web site.
But Mattingly's family members — including 12-year-old Jordon and 16-year-old Preston — weren't in on the joke.
"It upset the youngest boy," Mattingly's father-in-law, Dennis Sexton, told Evansville television station WEHT. "He kind of shed some tears because he was worried about his mom, dad and brother."
The radio station posted a public apology on its Web site.
"Unfortunately, we did not realize the impact our statements would have on Don's friends and family members," Booker said.
Sexton said he "kind of panicked" because he knew his daughter and son-in-law were on their way home from Japan. Sexton said Mattingly's sons reached the former Yankees first baseman by phone Thursday afternoon.
Mattingly's oldest son, Taylor, was also in Japan. Taylor was drafted by the Yankees last summer.
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Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) Two disc jockeys apologized for an April Fool's prank that scared family members of New York Yankees hitting coach Don Mattingly.
Don Mattingly played third base for the Yankees, and is now their hitting coach.
By Kathy Willens, AP
When Mattingly's two younger sons arrived at school Thursday morning, concerned classmates told them that WSTO morning show hosts Brad Booker and Diane Douglas were extending their on-air thoughts and prayers to the Mattingly family.
The broadcast made the youngsters assume something bad had happened to their father, who was in Japan for the Yankees' series with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
"Later in the morning, we planned on stating that he had nicked himself shaving and we were concerned for him," Booker said on the Evansville station's Web site.
But Mattingly's family members — including 12-year-old Jordon and 16-year-old Preston — weren't in on the joke.
"It upset the youngest boy," Mattingly's father-in-law, Dennis Sexton, told Evansville television station WEHT. "He kind of shed some tears because he was worried about his mom, dad and brother."
The radio station posted a public apology on its Web site.
"Unfortunately, we did not realize the impact our statements would have on Don's friends and family members," Booker said.
Sexton said he "kind of panicked" because he knew his daughter and son-in-law were on their way home from Japan. Sexton said Mattingly's sons reached the former Yankees first baseman by phone Thursday afternoon.
Mattingly's oldest son, Taylor, was also in Japan. Taylor was drafted by the Yankees last summer.
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Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.