Gene Monahan
{{for|the American artist|Gene Ritchie Monahan}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
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Eugene Monahan{{cite web |title=Past Award Winners: A–M: W.W. Patty Distinguished Alumni Award: Distinguished Alumni Awards: Alumni & Giving: School of Public Health: Indiana University Bloomington |url=https://publichealth.indiana.edu/alumni/distinguished-alumni-awards/patty-distinguished-award/a-m.html |website=School of Public Health |publisher=Indiana University |access-date=7 February 2024 |language=en}} (born October 24, 1945{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/mlb/columns/story?columnist=oconnor_ian&id=5082208|title=Ailing Monahan positive about prognosis|date=April 13, 2010|work=ESPN News|access-date=June 26, 2010|first=Ian|last=O'Connor}}) is the former head athletic trainer for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. He spent 38 years with the Yankees organization and from 1973 until 2011 and was part of their training staff. During his tenure Monahan cared for the players on seven World Series teams, 11 pennant winning teams and 19 postseason teams.
Since 2011, he has served as a consultant for NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports as part of the team's pit crew staff, having cared for the pit crews on the 2013 Sprint Cup and 2014 second division (now Xfinity) teams under the Hendrick auspices.
Early life
Monahan grew up in South Florida{{cite news |last1=James |first1=Brandon |title=Meet athletic trainer Gene Monahan in this week's #MorningsWith |url=https://www.hendrickmotorsports.com/news/articles/90224/meet-athletic-trainer-gene-monahan-in-this-weeks-morningswith |access-date=7 February 2024 |work=www.hendrickmotorsports.com |publisher=Hendrick Motorsports |date=May 16, 2018}} the oldest of eight children. Monahan graduated from Indiana University in 1969 with a bachelor's degree in physical education.{{Cite web|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/yankees/2011-09-08-Trainer-Gene-Monahan-retires_n.htm|title = Longtime Yankees trainer Gene Monahan retires|work=USA Today|first=Stephen|last=Borelli|date=September 8, 2011}}
Career
Monahan's connection to the Yankees began when was hired as a batboy in 1962. For ten years, he worked as an athletic trainer and clubhouse attendant in the minor leagues. In 1973, after George Steinbrenner purchased the team, he was hired as an athletic trainer. For the better part of the next 39 seasons, Monahan was entrusted to care for and tend to the injuries of players from Reggie Jackson to Derek Jeter. During his time with the team, they won seven World Series Championships, (1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009).
Later years and retirement
After the 2009 season, Monahan was diagnosed with throat cancer,{{Cite web|url=http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/07/yankees-pay-tribute-to-monahan/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0|title=Yankees Pay Tribute to Monahan|date=7 October 2011}} which doctors now believe originated in his tonsils.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/48th-season-new-york-yankees-gene-monahan-faces-lonely-battle-article-1.446666|title=In 48th season with New York Yankees, Gene Monahan faces lonely battle|website=New York Daily News |date=9 May 2010}} He had surgery in January 2010, and underwent radiation therapy for several months, which forced him to miss his first spring training in 48 years. He was present, however, for an emotional World Series ring Ceremony on Opening Day, April 13, 2010. At the conclusion of the 2010 season Monahan and longtime assistant Steve Donohue were named the best athletic trainers in MLB by the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainer Society.{{cite news|url=http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101215&content_id=16326762&vkey=news_nyy&c_id=nyy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219034810/http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101215&content_id=16326762&vkey=news_nyy&c_id=nyy|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 19, 2010|title=Yankees trainers honored as best in baseball|date=December 15, 2010|work=mlb.com|access-date=December 15, 2010|first=Alden|last=Gonzalez}} On May 11, 2011, the Yankees announced that Monahan would retire following the 2011 season,{{cite news|url=http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110511&content_id=18936116&vkey=news_nyy&c_id=nyy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514003823/http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110511&content_id=18936116&vkey=news_nyy&c_id=nyy|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 14, 2011|title=Trainer Monahan to retire at season's end: Longest-tenured member of Yankees joined team in 1962|date=May 11, 2011|work=mlb.com|access-date=May 11, 2011|first=Bryan|last=Hoch}} and on June 26, 2011, the team honored him at their annual Old-Timers' Day.{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/blog/new-york/yankees/post/_/id/18706/a-day-for-gene-monahan | title=a-day-for-gene-monahan| date=26 June 2011}}
Monahan is one of only three members of the Yankee organization to serve the entire length of George Steinbrenner's ownership,{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2010/04/14/2010-04-14_for_you_gene.html|title=As New York Yankees trainer Gene Monahan battles cancer, Bombers bestow him with World Series ring|date=April 13, 2010|work=New York Daily News|access-date=June 26, 2010|first=Bill|last=Madden|authorlink=Bill Madden (sportswriter)}} but over the years he has often joked he was probably "fired" by The Boss on more occasions than all the Yankee managers combined.
Hendrick Motorsports
After retiring from the Yankees, Monahan moved from his home in Hackensack, New Jersey to Mooresville, North Carolina, where he now works as a consultant for Hendrick Motorsports. Monahan serves as an athletic trainer for Hendrick's pit crew members, most of which come from an athletic background.{{cite news|last=Bernstein|first=Vic|title=A Yankees Lifer in Nascar Land|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/20/sports/autoracing/ex-yankees-trainer-gene-monahan-works-with-nascar-team.html?pagewanted=all|access-date=August 28, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=August 19, 2012}}
Awards
In 2011, he was inducted into the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame.[http://www.irishbaseballhall.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48:bios-of-the-inductees&catid=37:about-the-hall&Itemid=54 Bios Of The Inductees] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140504204904/http://www.irishbaseballhall.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48%3Abios-of-the-inductees&catid=37%3Aabout-the-hall&Itemid=54 |date=2014-05-04 }}. Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame website. Retrieved 2014-02-23.
He has appeared at every Old-Timers' Day since his retirement as of 2024.
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{New York Yankees}}
{{Hendrick Motorsports}}
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Category:Major League Baseball trainers
Category:New York Yankees personnel
Category:Indiana University Bloomington alumni