O'Neill, Paul 1963-

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O'Neill, Paul 1963-
(Paul Andrew O'Neill)

PERSONAL:

Born February 25, 1963, in Columbus, OH; son of Chick (a professional baseball player) O'Neill; married; wife's name Nevalee; children: Andrew, Aaron, Alexandra. Education: Otterbein College, B.S.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Cincinnati, OH. Agent—Mel Berger, William Morris Agency, Inc., 1325 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019.

CAREER:

Professional baseball player, 1981-2001; signed with Cincinnati Reds organization, 1981, played first season in Billings, MT; player for Cincinnati Reds, 1985-92, and New York Yankees, 1993-2001. Appeared in six World Series, including four consecutive World Series, 1998-2001; appeared in five All-Star Games. YES Network, New York, NY, pre- and post-game studio analyst, 2002—. Donor and spokesperson for children's charities.

MEMBER:

World Series Champions.

AWARDS, HONORS:

National League All-Star Team, 1991; American League All-Star Team, 1994-97; American League batting champion, 1994.

WRITINGS:

(With Burton Rocks) Me and My Dad: A Baseball Memoir, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2003.

SIDELIGHTS:

Paul O'Neill enjoyed a long and successful career playing professional baseball for the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Yankees. He made the All-Star team five times and played in six World Series, winning five of them. When he retired in 2001 he was considered one of the most popular and wellliked New York Yankees of the mid-to-late-1990s, a time when the team was a dominant force in the American League.

O'Neill looks at his career as a third-generation professional ballplayer in Me and My Dad: A Baseball Memoir, written with Burton Rocks. O'Neill's grandfather played baseball in Billings, Montana, in 1909, and his father, Chick, pitched in the California Leagues after serving in World War II. It is perhaps not surprising, then, that Paul, the youngest of six children, grew up playing baseball and hockey, with his father's coaching and encouragement. Me and My Dad recounts Paul O'Neill's formative years in Columbus, Ohio, and his ascent through the professional ranks to the Cincinnati Reds in 1985. Most touchingly, O'Neill remembers his father's dedication to his sons and to the game of baseball. Chick O'Neill passed away right before the last game of the 1999 World Series.

In an era when baseball memoirs have been noted for their scathing comments on teammates, the media, and the front office, Me and My Dad offers a brighter view of the game, the Yankees, and the fans. Booklist correspondent GraceAnne A. DeCandido commended O'Neill for his "very personal point of view." A Publishers Weekly critic found the book a "sentimental memoir" and an "autobiography … more about relationships than events." A Kirkus Reviews contributor concluded that readers "will enjoy getting a peek into the life and quirks of this media-shy player."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, May 1, 2003, GraceAnne A. DeCandido, review of Me and My Dad: A Baseball Memoir, p. 1565.

Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2003, review of Me and My Dad, pp. 522-523.

Library Journal, May 15, 2003, Morey Berger, "Of Dads and Diamonds," p. 96.

New York Times Book Review, May 25, 2003, Andrea Cooper, review of Me and My Dad, p. 18. Publishers Weekly, April 21, 2003, review of Me and My Dad, p. 53.