I want to thank everyone that attended Markey's memorial service last week. It is something I know he would have really appreciated. Markey touched a lot of lives and he will definitely be missed.
Markey’s All-Star Baseball Team was presented at his Memorial service on September 11, 2010. It was left unfinished. As his brother, I have decided to finish it using real baseball players. Most of the players chosen for this squad, but not all, were selected from his favorite team – the Los Angeles Dodgers. The players were carefully chosen as they represented something significant about his life and/or his attitude. General Manger: Branch Rickey*. Rickey was as unconventional in his approach to baseball as Markey was in his approach to life. Like Markey, Rickey was a champion of equality among the races. Manager: Leo Durocher*. Like Markey, Durocher was a non-conformist who often challenged authority. First Base Coach: Walter Alston*. Alston was the manager of Markey’s beloved Dodgers for 24 seasons, starting with the team in Brooklyn and moving with them to Los Angeles. Third Base Coach: Tommy Lasorda*. Managed the Dodgers for 20 years after Alston and, before that, was their long-time Third base Coach. First Base: Wes Parker. He was one of Markey’s favorite Dodger’s growing up. Second Base: Jackie Robinson*. He was the first African-American to play major League Baseball in the 20th Century. Like Rickey and Markey, Robinson was a champion for equality among the races. Shortstop: Maury Wills. Just as Markey was a crusader for change, Maury Wills was a crusader for change in the baseball management structure. He lobbied hard for the hiring of baseball’s first African-American manager. Third Base: Richie Allen. Before he became Dick Allen with the White Sox, he was Richie Allen – the Dodger Third Baseman for the majority of the 1971 Season (his only one in LA) and another of Markey’s favorite Dodgers. Like Markey, Richie Allen often marched to the beat of his own drummer. Left Field: Frank Robinson. I remember when he became a Dodger following the 1971 Season, Markey thought it was the greatest thing that could have happened and was excited about the possibility of the Dodgers winning the National League Western Division. Center Field: Curt Flood. Curt was advocate for greater rights for the players in baseball and he helped bring about Free Agency. Like Markey, Curt Flood was a lover of things artistic. Right Field: Lou Johnson. Sweet Lou was yet another of Markey’s favorite Dodgers while he was growing up. Designated Hitter: Frank Howard. The first Major League Baseball game my brother and I ever went to together saw the Washington Senators playing the California Angels. Frank Howard was playing in that game for Washington. He started his big league career, however, with the Dodgers. Because he was better known as a hitter than as a fielder, he is on the team as the DH. Pinch Hitter/Utilityman: Manny Mota. He rarely played the field and was recognized as one of baseball’s premier pinch hitters. He was still another of Markey’s favorite Dodgers. Catcher: Yogi Berra*. Dogs have always been a big part of life in the Bena household. It was a home run hit by Yogi Berra that provided the inspiration for naming the first-ever Bena family dog – and oversized Shetland Sheepdog named Homer. Starting Pitcher: Sandy Koufax*. The Brooklyn native became the stuff of legend when he moved with the team to Los Angeles in 1958 and was quite probably Markey’s all-time favorite Dodger. Relief Pitcher: Tug McGraw. Both Markey and Tug had a carefree attitude towards life and a certain zest for living. Tug McGraw was just as famous for his carefree attitude and zest for living off the field as he was for his pitching prowess on it. When asked if he liked the new artificial grass at the Houston Astrodome, he said, “I don’t know. I never smoked the stuff.”
Sweet heart, Markey, I miss you so much and am devastated by your loss. You are in my thoughts, daily. I loved you from day one. I remember those first words you said to me "what's up buttercup?". Til we are reunited I will live for you. My deepest condolences to your Mother, Sister and Brother. All my love, Ruth
I had the honor of working with Mark in the place in which he was residing at the time. I will always remember our many conversations that lasted for an hour or more majority of the time. I was so saddened to hear what had happened to him, and will always remember the last time I saw him and I asked him "where you going and are you coming back? He was suppose to come back for this was where he was staying. But he never did. We had grew so close, and instead of seeing him as a client, I saw him as a friend.
5 comments:
RIP Markey. You are missed.
I want to thank everyone that attended Markey's memorial service last week. It is something I know he would have really appreciated. Markey touched a lot of lives and he will definitely be missed.
The Markey Hayden Bena All-Star Baseball Team
Markey’s All-Star Baseball Team was presented at his Memorial service on September 11, 2010. It was left unfinished. As his brother, I have decided to finish it using real baseball players. Most of the players chosen for this squad, but not all, were selected from his favorite team – the Los Angeles Dodgers. The players were carefully chosen as they represented something significant about his life and/or his attitude.
General Manger: Branch Rickey*. Rickey was as unconventional in his approach to baseball as Markey was in his approach to life. Like Markey, Rickey was a champion of equality among the races.
Manager: Leo Durocher*. Like Markey, Durocher was a non-conformist who often challenged authority.
First Base Coach: Walter Alston*. Alston was the manager of Markey’s beloved Dodgers for 24 seasons, starting with the team in Brooklyn and moving with them to Los Angeles.
Third Base Coach: Tommy Lasorda*. Managed the Dodgers for 20 years after Alston and, before that, was their long-time Third base Coach.
First Base: Wes Parker. He was one of Markey’s favorite Dodger’s growing up.
Second Base: Jackie Robinson*. He was the first African-American to play major League Baseball in the 20th Century. Like Rickey and Markey, Robinson was a champion for equality among the races.
Shortstop: Maury Wills. Just as Markey was a crusader for change, Maury Wills was a crusader for change in the baseball management structure. He lobbied hard for the hiring of baseball’s first African-American manager.
Third Base: Richie Allen. Before he became Dick Allen with the White Sox, he was Richie Allen – the Dodger Third Baseman for the majority of the 1971 Season (his only one in LA) and another of Markey’s favorite Dodgers. Like Markey, Richie Allen often marched to the beat of his own drummer.
Left Field: Frank Robinson. I remember when he became a Dodger following the 1971 Season, Markey thought it was the greatest thing that could have happened and was excited about the possibility of the Dodgers winning the National League Western Division.
Center Field: Curt Flood. Curt was advocate for greater rights for the players in baseball and he helped bring about Free Agency. Like Markey, Curt Flood was a lover of things artistic.
Right Field: Lou Johnson. Sweet Lou was yet another of Markey’s favorite Dodgers while he was growing up.
Designated Hitter: Frank Howard. The first Major League Baseball game my brother and I ever went to together saw the Washington Senators playing the California Angels. Frank Howard was playing in that game for Washington. He started his big league career, however, with the Dodgers. Because he was better known as a hitter than as a fielder, he is on the team as the DH.
Pinch Hitter/Utilityman: Manny Mota. He rarely played the field and was recognized as one of baseball’s premier pinch hitters. He was still another of Markey’s favorite Dodgers.
Catcher: Yogi Berra*. Dogs have always been a big part of life in the Bena household. It was a home run hit by Yogi Berra that provided the inspiration for naming the first-ever Bena family dog – and oversized Shetland Sheepdog named Homer.
Starting Pitcher: Sandy Koufax*. The Brooklyn native became the stuff of legend when he moved with the team to Los Angeles in 1958 and was quite probably Markey’s all-time favorite Dodger.
Relief Pitcher: Tug McGraw. Both Markey and Tug had a carefree attitude towards life and a certain zest for living. Tug McGraw was just as famous for his carefree attitude and zest for living off the field as he was for his pitching prowess on it. When asked if he liked the new artificial grass at the Houston Astrodome, he said, “I don’t know. I never smoked the stuff.”
*- Hall-of-Famer
Sweet heart, Markey, I miss you so much and am devastated by your loss. You are in my thoughts, daily. I loved you from day one. I remember those first words you said to me "what's up buttercup?". Til we are reunited I will live for you. My deepest condolences to your Mother, Sister and Brother. All my love, Ruth
I had the honor of working with Mark in the place in which he was residing at the time. I will always remember our many conversations that lasted for an hour or more majority of the time. I was so saddened to hear what had happened to him, and will always remember the last time I saw him and I asked him "where you going and are you coming back? He was suppose to come back for this was where he was staying. But he never did. We had grew so close, and instead of seeing him as a client, I saw him as a friend.
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