In Tampa, the legendary Fred McGriff found himself chuckling at a nostalgic nod to his past. Before taking the helm as the Braves’ manager for a Spring Breakout game against the Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field, McGriff was reminded of his iconic Tom Emanski commercials.
As McGriff approached the plate to exchange lineup cards, Aaron Bossi, the manager for the Yankees’ High-A Hudson Valley team, revealed a playful surprise. Bossi unbuttoned his jersey to show off a T-shirt emblazoned with “Back to Back to Back” and an image of McGriff from those memorable commercials that many fans still recall.
McGriff, with a grin, quipped, “We’ve got to beat them bad now,” setting the tone for Atlanta’s eventual 8-3 victory.
The “Back-to-Back-to-Back” slogan harks back to the commercials’ claim of being the instructional video behind a national championship-winning AAU team. For those who remember, McGriff’s endorsement was unforgettable: “This is the instructional video that gets results!”
Aaron Bossi shared his admiration, saying, “Fred McGriff is just such a down-to-earth guy. We all grew up watching him on TV - a pure hitter and ballplayer. It’s going to be really cool to go out there and shake his hand for the plate meeting.”