Where have you gone, John DiGirolamo?

John DiGirolamo sat in front of a locker that, for more than a decade, had belonged to Yankees icon Don Mattingly. (1)

The date was 2 March 1995, an otherwise nondescript Thursday. The clubhouse – frequented by legends with names like Munson and Jackson and Ford – lay in the bowels of Fort Lauderdale Stadium, spring headquarters of baseball’s most feted team. (2) 

Standing 5-foot-7 in spikes, DiGirolamo slipped into the hallowed Yankee pinstripes – the fabled interlocking NY across his heart, the number 50 on his back – and clanked his way down the tunnel. (2) (3)

The Dodgers, a similarly sacred institution, were in town to open a slate of spring training exhibition games. Upon reaching the diamond, the 24-year-old DiGirolamo conversed with Tommy Lasorda, a totemic hero of his Italian American youth. John’s father was a huge Lasorda fan, and the legendary manager signed a baseball for the kid. (1) (4) (5)

“When you’re in the big leagues, you get fringe benefits like that,” DiGirolamo, a New Jersey native, told reporters. Few could prove him wrong. (6)

Souvenir secured, DiGirolamo jogged out to centre field, that lair of Yankee luminaries bestrode by Bernie Williams and Bobby Murcer, Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio, Joe Pepitone and Earle Combs. (5)

Naturally, the footsteps of Joltin’ Joe were most alluring to DiGirolamo, a lifelong Yankee fan who learned of the team’s stellar Italian American heritage at the heel of his father, who rooted for them as the epitome of aspiration. (1) Like scores of local kids, DiGirolamo dreamed of playing centre field for the Yanks, as The Clipper once did, and now, that time had come. That fantasy had been ordained by the baseball gods.

Except, well, none of it was real. 

Not really.

Not if you squinted hard enough at the funhouse mirrors. 

Yes, men donned pinstripes, but they were faceless. And sure, ballplayers wore Dodger Blue, but they were nameless. A paltry crowd of 1,384 gathered to watch the ill-fated scrimmage – won, 11-3, by the Los Angeles stand-ins. (2) (7) Everywhere, surreality reigned. 

“It’s an honour to be out there in pinstripes,” DiGirolamo said after his ‘debut,’ etched in invisible ink. “You know something? I felt like a Yankee since the day I walked into camp. Why shouldn’t I?” (2) (5)

For starters, New York had one guy wear 0 and another wear 00. (2) Randy Kutcher, an outfielder, worked in a warehouse having washed out of the big leagues a half-decade earlier. (8) DiGirolamo himself was a construction worker and substitute teacher in Dumont, New Jersey, plucked from the semipro Metropolitan Baseball League. (5) (9) In fact, everything was a vapid simulacrum. A brazen imitation, indeed, designed to manufacture leverage amid a brutal war for baseball’s soul.

Seven months earlier, you see, the Major League Baseball Players’ Association (MLBPA) instituted a strike as its collective bargaining agreement with team owners expired and squabbles over a salary cap stymied negotiations. The 1994 season was terminated in August, taking the World Series with it, and the ugly impasse rumbled through the fall, winter and subsequent spring. At that point, with little traction, team owners tried to call the union’s bluff by hiring so-called ‘replacement players’ from the scrapheap to cosplay in big league camp, giving the impression that MLB would roll on with or without its headline stars.

DiGirolamo was one such replacement player. A career .345 hitter at William Paterson College, where he starred for the Pioneers between 1989 and 1992, DiGirolamo sparked a ninth inning rally to win the NCAA Division III championship in his senior year – a singular claim to baseball fame. (10) (11) After graduating, the hardworking outfielder tried out with several independent teams, briefly signing with one professional outfit in Minnesota, before settling into the Bergen baseball backwaters. (1)

Playing for the Moonachie Braves, DiGirolamo was named MVP of the Met League in 1994 – a .449 batting average and exemplary work ethic impressing a small cabal of devotees. Bob Klapisch, a respected New York Daily News baseball writer, played in the same league and put in a good word for DiGirolamo and several Jersey guys as Gene Michael, the Yankees’ general manager, sought recommendations to fill out his artificial roster with $5,000 signing bonuses. (3) (12)

Tim McLeary, a Michael assistant, called DiGirolamo to gauge his interest. “At the end of the phone call, Tim asked me if I had been in contact with any other teams,” DiGirolamo recalled when I reached him recently. “I responded, ‘Yes, the Pittsburgh Pirates.’ He said, ‘Ok, we will be in touch.’ Five minutes later, Tim called me back and asked if I could get down to Yankee Stadium to sign a contract. I was so excited inside, I could barely maintain my excitement on the phone, but somehow, I did and said, ‘Yes, I will be down there shortly.’ I contacted my best friend, John Sayilik, and said, ‘We got to go to Yankee Stadium.’ Truth is, I was never speaking with the Pirates and have no idea what made me say that on the spot. I wanted them to think some other team may want me in hopes that would get them to sign me.” (1)

Raised in a blue-collar family of union workers, DiGirolamo knew the value of proletariat solidarity and wrestled with the ignominy of being labelled a ‘scab’ who ‘crossed the picket line’ and undermined the players’ collective bargaining power. However, guided by his father, DiGirolamo viewed the baseball vanguard as an association rather than a union. And besides, where was the support when height-based prejudices upended his professional ambitions? For a pint-sized outfielder who worshipped the Yankees, indeed, being offered a chance to play for them was a dream come true – no matter the circumstances. It was fantasy camp on steroids, and DiGirolamo jumped at the opportunity. (1)

Dubbed a ‘circus’ by the New York Times, the Yankees’ first spring workout was tabbed for 16 February 1995. Seventy players came to camp, including minor leaguers unaffected by the strike and more than 50 ‘replacement’ mannequins. (3) In his fourth season as Yankee manager, Buck Showalter was the ringmaster tasked with marshalling a ragtag group of strangers who struggled with fundamental drills. (4) “This is going to be real ugly,” one team official told the Times. “When I see those guys out on the field with Yankee uniforms on, I’m going to throw up.” (3)

And yet, one man’s nightmare is another man’s utopia. DiGirolamo played with an infectious smile during that first workout, despite misplaying routine fly balls. Facing southpaw Nelson Perpetuo in batting practice, DiGirolamo flailed at baffling junk and broke his bat on a foul ball. When he finally poked one delivery into centre field, DiGirolamo earned a derisive Bronx cheer from the sparse crowd. Willie Randolph, an illustrious former Yankee back as a coach, intervened and told DiGirolamo to loosen up. A few pitches later, the little guy knocked a Perpetuo pitch over the wall, earning genuine applause from the fickle throng. (4)

In that ilk, DiGirolamo savoured every moment of his time in Yankee camp. “We would have intrasquad games,” DiGirolamo remembered, “and in the first game I played, I had two hits, one beating out a ground ball to second base, which I’m sure opened some eyes with my speed. I also made a big play in the outfield, which really helped me stay and get a chance with the team.” (1) 

Criticism was frequent and biting, however. “DiGirolamo has been depicted as a poor man’s Lenny Dykstra,” Jack Curry reported in the Times. “Very poor.” Meanwhile, teammates nicknamed DiGirolamo ‘Midget,’ per Curry. The plucky dirt dog was unperturbed, though, and used the diminutive stature to his advantage. (4)

“I remember after one workout, Buck said, ‘Where’s Johnny D?’ as he’s standing on the pitchers’ mound,” DiGirolamo recalled. “Remember, I’m a real short guy – 5 foot 5 on a good day. Guys started laughing and, inside, I was like, ‘Laugh all you want; this guy knows my name!’ (1)

“There was a lot of support for me, as well, though. Phil Rizzuto was quoted as saying, ‘He’s the only guy I’m rooting for,’ because of my height. That was pretty cool. I also got fan mail and had letters sent to my home in Dumont, New Jersey, having families and kids asking me if I could sign stuff for them. There were fans at the games asking if I could take photos with them, too. So, it wasn’t all negative. I do believe I became someone they could root for.” (1)

To that end, following the Dodgers opener, as the strike rumbled on, DiGirolamo was used sparingly as Showalter trialled as many guys as possible. “I think I may have had only one hit in 10 at-bats and a couple of walks,” DiGirolamo recalled. “But my mom and dad came down for a week, and that was really special to me. I have a picture of me looking into the stands, talking to my mom. It’s pretty special. I also had a lot of my closest friends come down and watch me play. That was really great to have them there and support me.” (1)

Among the most memorable vignettes, DiGirolamo hit leadoff in a 2-1 Yankee victory over the Mets. (9) In another Subway Series mime, however, John tweaked a hamstring, which led to his defeat in a fun 60-yard sprint contest arranged by Yankee coaches. Randolph picked DiGirolamo as his representative, only for the hobbled speedster to pull up lame. (1) 

Nevertheless, DiGirolamo earned plaudits for his effort and flashes of undoubted ability. In fact, one unlikely admirer was George Steinbrenner, the Yankees’ volcanic owner, who watched spring training with unprecedented zeal. “A few times, Mr Steinbrenner walked into the clubhouse or on the field, and you could feel his presence unlike anything you could imagine,” DiGirolamo said. “He was so polarising, I was so nervous to be around him. But I remember, I was playing a scrimmage game in left field and made a couple of good plays. When I came in, Dennis Sweeney, a pitcher I became close with, told me Mr Steinbrenner said, “I like this kid,’ meaning me. I was blown away.” (1) 

Overall, the Yankees went 11-18 in the ‘replacement’ portion of 1995 spring training, before Steinbrenner and his fellow owners reached a deal – sans salary cap – with the MLBPA to end the strike and bring back the established major leaguers on 2 April. (13) While some replacement players caught on with big league teams, as utility backups or mop-up relievers, most packed up and returned to real life. Barred from MLBPA membership for life, many of the so-called ‘strike-breakers’ pondered new avenues and fresh opportunities.

“After spring training, I was brought into Buck’s office, and he told me he really liked me as a player,” DiGirolamo said. “They were thinking of sending me to Tampa to play A-Ball, or sending me to Winnipeg to play centre field and get 500 at-bats so they could monitor me. I chose to come home and pursue my career in becoming a police officer.” (1) 

Indeed, rather than slog through a Yankees minor league system that included the likes of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera, DiGirolamo joined the Dumont Police Department in 1995. And while fading into baseball obscurity, he spent the next 26 years in his hometown force, retiring as a lieutenant in 2021. (14) He even joined a police union, ironically, but harbours no regrets over his forgotten foray into baseball’s capricious limelight. (12)

“I’m a very humble person, and I haven’t really spoken about this too much,” DiGirolamo admitted. “But you caught me at the right point in my life to speak about this and it’s really cool looking back now. I’m 55 and still playing in the Met League. Every year, I wonder if I can still hit, run and catch.” (1)

Inducted into the William Paterson University Sports Hall of Fame in 1999, DiGirolamo currently works as a Class Three Special Law Enforcement Officer (SLEO III) in Westwood High School, bridging the gap between school districts and local police departments. (1) (10)

DiGirolamo is happily married to Jonelle, with whom he has two children – Casey, a spark plug in high school soccer, basketball and softball; and Luca, who plays on the high school varsity baseball team. (1) Meanwhile, John’s nephew, Steven, followed in his footsteps for the Pioneers, and has since embarked on a promising career in data analytics. (15) Maybe the Yankees will call Steven one day, too, for a number-crunching role in the front office.

All these years later, in fact, John DiGirolamo still roots for the Bronx Bombers – as does his entire family. John stayed in contact with Showalter, who invited the DiGirolamos to games when Buck managed the Mets and Baltimore Orioles. On several occasions, the delegation even prowled the field during batting practice – afforded a tantalising glimpse, once again, of the game’s inner sanctum. (1)

And yet, John DiGirolamo has rarely regaled his loved ones with tales of bygone prowess. “After doing this with you, I think it’s time to show my family articles and videos from when I played,” he said, wistfully. “I have not done that.” (1)

Undoubtedly, for all the criticism levelled at the replacement players – all the snark, shade and stigma – there is plenty for John DiGirolamo to reconstruct. There is plenty for him to be proud of, too. Yes, he zigged when most zagged. And sure, there is an asterisk beside his legacy. But John DiGirolamo lived an unlikely dream. The quintessential Italian American Jersey dream. In the alphabetical list of people who ever played ball for the New York Yankees, his name – if recognised – is next to Joe DiMaggio. Nobody can erase that.

Sources

1. DiGirolamo, John. May 20, 2026.

2. Jacobson, Steve. Los Angeles Times. [Online] March 4, 1995. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-03-04-sp-38448-story.html.

3. Curry, Jack. New York Times. [Online] February 12, 1995. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1995/02/12/213195.html?pageNumber=322.

4. —. New York Times. [Online] February 22, 1995. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1995/02/22/issue.html.

5. Nightengale, Bob. Los Angeles Times. [Online] March 3, 1995. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-03-03-sp-38322-story.html#:~:text=How%20else%20could%20you%20be,starting%20center%20fielder%20that%20afternoon.

6. Nightengale, Bob and DiGiovanna, Mike. Los Angeles Times. [Online] April 2, 1995. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-04-02-sp-50149-story.html.

7. Curry, Jack. New York Times. [Online] March 3, 1995. https://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/03/sports/baseball-replacement-yankees-outclassed-by-dodgers.html.

8. Nowlin, Bill. Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). [Online] https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/randy-kutcher/.

9. Phenia Films, The MLB Archives Original Broadcasts. YouTube. [Online] November 27, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oagn1HduBww.

10. John DiGirolamo, Hall of Fame (1999). WPUPioneers.com. [Online] https://www.wpupioneers.com/honors/hall-of-fame/john-digirolamo/13#:~:text=,Conference%20Team.

11. New York Times. [Online] June 1, 1992. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1992/06/01/issue.html.

12. Klapisch, Bob. NJ.com. [Online] December 3, 2022. https://www.nj.com/yankees/2022/02/how-yankees-replacement-ball-in-95-fueled-a-dream-for-jersey-guys-including-me-klapisch.html.

13. Agalley. Maritime Pro Ball. [Online] https://maritimebaseball.wordpress.com/2020/09/05/1995-replacement-spring-training/.

14. Minutes, Regular Public Meeting, Township of Washington Council, Bergen County, New Jersey. [Online] May 2, 2022. https://fw2.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/customers/7f6a7300-a9cf-11eb-a8ea-0614187498c1/sites/7f7dd634-a9cf-11eb-9aa3-0614187498c1/files/37096120-bd23-11ed-a70f-670908aba1f1/original/file.pdf?t=1678219449.

15. 2023 Roster, Baseball. WPUPioneers.com. [Online] https://www.wpupioneers.com/sports/baseball/roster/steven-digirolamo/5462.