(Fifth-grader Gregory Ackerman from Ms. Kintermeister's class at Harbor Hill School loves baseball and all that it involves. The owners of Ultimate Sports Zone asked him if he wanted to interview Jim Leyritz, a former New York Yankee. Gregory has written for his classroom paper and is a budding sports reporter. Printed below is what followed.)

Interview With Jim Leyritz

By Gregory Ackerman

I had the opportunity to interview former New York Yankee Jim Leyritz on Nov. 20 at the Ultimate Sports Zone in Greenvale. He was very friendly and polite. Here is the transcript of that interview.

Gregory Ackerman: Why did you choose number 13?

Jim Leyritz: I chose number 13 because in 1992 Wade Boggs came over and he wanted number 12 which I wore at the time, and 13 was the next lowest number they had.

GA: Was your favorite position in baseball: first base or catcher or something else?

JL: I think catcher was my favorite, because I was always doing something in the game. I was always involved.

GA: Mine too. What was the game situation when you hit your famous home run in the 1996 World Series and what were you thinking when you came to bat?

JL: I wasn't thinking too much because I never faced Mark Wohlers before, but I heard he threw 100 miles per hour. So I was kind of nervous, but it was one of those things that I went up there and did the best I could do and I hit the home run. The situation in the game was that we were down 6-3 and the 3-run homer tied it up.

GA: When did you decide to become a professional baseball player?

JL: After my junior year of high school, I started to think that I had the opportunity to go to college first and then once I got to college I knew that I had a chance to play pro ball and was signed in my junior year.

GA: What was your favorite team to play for?

JL: The New York Yankees, of course.

GA: Who was the toughest pitcher you faced in the major leagues?

JL: Randy Johnson, he was by far the toughest one ever.

GA: Where is your hometown? Is that where you grew up?

JL: I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. I grew up with the Reds. They were my favorite team, and that is where my family is still today.

GA: Do you have any pets?

JL: No. I just moved into my house and I need to get settled.

GA: How did it feel to play against the Yankees in the 1998 World Series with the San Diego Padres?

JL: It was pretty weird because I had just finished playing in 1996 with them and there I was back in the World Series facing them. It was very strange especially facing a guy like Andy Pettite who I had caught my entire career. It was pretty strange.

GA: What do you do now that you are retired from baseball?

JL: Now I do TV and radio for MLB.com, which is an Internet-based radio and TV station. And it's a good thing because I can stay around the game and still watch the players play.

GA: Would you like to be a manager in baseball?

JL: I think that eventually I'll go back into coaching and eventually manage.

GA: Who were you rooting for, if anybody, in the World Series this year?

JL: Well, of course I was rooting for the Yankees. I always root for them because I'm a Yankee, but it was nice to see the Red Sox win and I think it was good for baseball.