Boy’s love of Yankees lives on

Cody Basso always wanted to be a New York Yankee.

His favorite player was Derek Jeter, and while his history with the team didn’t go back as far as Ruth and Gehrig, his dad told him all about Don Mattingly.

That’s because his dad was a Yankees’ fan long before Cody was born. So was his grandfather, with whom Cody sat and watched the games as a toddler. So was his great-grandfather, who listened to the Yankees on the radio from at home in Peekskill, N.Y.

“Cody loved the Yankees, it was his dream to play for the Yankees,” said his mom, Gloria. “We’re all Yankee fans in this house, being a Red Sox fan is a no-no.”

And the youngster from Winterport wasn’t just a fan. He also was a pitcher and second baseman who as a 9-year-old helped the Waldo County All-Stars reach the 2004 Little League state tournament for 9- and 10-year-olds.

Cody was primed to lead his team back to the states this summer, but on April 12 he died while en route to the hospital after collapsing during a preseason tryout in Hampden.

The family isn’t 100 percent certain of the cause of Cody’s death, but as an infant he had a heart condition.

“When he was three or four days old, he went to Boston and had surgery, and a couple of years later he had surgery to put a stent in,” said his dad, Scott.

But Cody had long since received medical clearance to play baseball, and there were no signs of ill health before the fifth-grader suffered his fatal collapse on the field of play.

“He was feeling fine, that’s what shocked us,” Gloria said.

One of his dad’s biggest regrets was never getting the chance to take Cody to Yankee Stadium, but little did Scott Basso know that in the aftermath of his son’s death a behind-the-scenes effort was being made for Cody’s Yankee dream to be realized.

Scott Basso is a 12-year veteran with the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department, where he currently serves as a sergeant. During that tenure he has worked with the Rev. Bob Carlson, a former jail administrator and now the department’s director of planning and staff development.

Carlson is also a sports fan – and a big Boston Red Sox fan.

When Carlson learned of Cody’s death and of his affinity for the Yankees he put his aversion to the Bronx Bombers aside, and without telling the Bassos called Maine native and former Yankees manager Carl “Stump” Merrill to ask a favor.

What evolved from that conversation was a “contract” from the Yankees organization made out to the Basso family.

“Captain Carlson said it was the hardest thing he had to do because it was the Yankees,” said Gloria.

Shortly before the funeral, Carlson told the Bassos that he had a surprise in store. When he told the gathering of Cody’s love of the Yankees, and presented his parents with the certificate, emotions overflowed throughout the church.

“At first we were shocked,” said Gloria, “but then we were pleased because that’s what Cody wanted. It made us very proud.”

Perhaps the most prominent passage on the certificate was a sentiment that fueled Cody’s love of the game: “Cody wanted to be a Yankee, and that he has done.”

“Cody would have loved it,” said Scott.

Cody also would have loved the grudging respect his devotion to the Yankees earned from at least one member of Red Sox Nation.

“Cody Basso is the only Yankee I’ll root for,” said Carlson.

Ernie Clark may be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or eclark@bangordailynews.net