Personalized 40th birthday gift

NY attorney Leslie W. Kernan talks about his lifelong love of

When Leslie W. Kernan saw Mickey Mantle hit two home runs at Yankee Stadium in 1960, he had absolutely no idea that he would someday have the opportunity to participate in the Mickey Mantle/ Whitey Ford Fantasy Baseball Camp with Mantle as one of the instructors.

In November 1992, I spent a week in Fort Lauderdale at the facilities where the Yankees used to hold spring training, Kernan explained. The fantasy camp experience was a gift from my wife for my 40th birthday. Along with Mantle and Ford, about eight other former Yankees were on staff to instruct and coach the 66 baseball fanatics in attendance.

Ironically, Kernan's wife, Pattie, had debated whether to send him for his 40th or wait for his 50th birthday. Since Mantle was Kernan's life-long favorite player, it was fortuitous that he went in 1992 - as Mantle died in 1995 and would not have been around to help celebrate Kernan's 50-year mark.

The Dream Begins

Kernan grew up in Utica and was an avid baseball player. Beyond Little League, he continued to play baseball through high school, positioned in the outfield and at third base for his high school team. Although he did not play organized baseball in college or law school, he played on the local Lawyers League for many years and continues to play on a Perinton team for 35 and over.

In addition to playing the sport, Kernan has been an avid spectator.

Not only did Mickey hit two the first time I saw him in 1960, he did it again the last time I saw him, at a game in 1968 during his last season, Kernan shared. I was at the 1977 World Series the night that Reggie Jackson hit three home runs on three consecutive pitches. And I was at Yankee Stadium in 1976 when it reopened after remodeling. Somehow I landed seats 10 rows behind home plate.

In addition to the Yankees, Kernan follows the Red Wings and has been a season ticket holder for years. When Silver Stadium was closed, Kernan's wife bought him the seats they sat in for several seasons. The seats are now part of Kernan's decor in his office at First Federal Plaza.

Fenway Park is probably my favorite place to see a game, Kernan admitted, even though he and his wife cheer for opposite teams at this site. But for my 50th birthday, my brother gave me a trip to Chicago to go to Wrigley Field.

Small world that it is, Kernan's sister went to school with Mark Lemke (born in Utica) and Kernan has had the opportunity on more than one occasion to chat with the former Atlanta Braves player.

Time Out For Education

Kernan attended Union College in Schenectady where he studied political science. A constitutional law course helped spark his interest in law, although he spent several years with a commercial bank in Albany before he embarked on his legal education.

I went through a management training program and worked as a commercial lending officer, he explained. Then I started law school in 1977, graduating in 1980.

Completing his juris doctor degree at Albany Law School of Union University, Kernan's first legal position was as a confidential law assistant with the Appellate Division, Fourth Department. From there he joined Mousaw, Vigdor, Reeves, Heilbronner and Kroll (now defunct), where he developed both litigation and business law experience for nearly nine years. After a brief tenure with Davidson, Fink, Cook & Gates, he spent over 12 years at Lacy, Katzen, Ryen and Mittleman, LLP.

By then I knew I preferred the business environment over a more adversarial practice, and have focused on financing and business transactions for most of my career. In 2004 there was a great opportunity to come back to Davidson, Fink, Cook, Kelly & Galbraith, LLP and I made the move last November.

Fantasy Camp

We played two games every day - nine innings in the morning and nine innings in the afternoon, Kernan said in describing the fantasy camp experience. And every evening there was a different activity, many involving the former Yankees telling great stories and fielding questions from the group. I think the Yankees enjoyed our company almost as much as we enjoyed theirs.

There were autograph sessions and photo opportunities throughout the week. At the end of the week, each team of camp attendees played two innings against a team made up of the former pro players.

Stan Bahnsen (1968 American League Rookie of the Year) pitched to me, Kernan shared. I hit one in the gap that was run down by Mickey Rivers. Although my hit was caught, Mickey Mantle was coaching at first and said 'you couldn't have hit it much better than that.' That certainly made up for the fact that I was out.

Kernan played shortstop at the camp where participants ranged in age from 35 to 72. Kernan was on Johnny Blanchard's team. Blanchard, a member of the Yankees' World Champion teams of 1961 and 1962, also had two of his sons there as pitchers for the camp.

In addition to the experience of fantasy camp, Kernan came home with his own Yankee uniform and a personalized bat. His photo collection includes dozens of pictures with retired professional ballplayers and camp classmates.

Kernan got together with several of his camp teammates at a reunion several years later, meeting them in New York City at Mickey Mantle's restaurant.

Home Plate

Kernan's wife Pattie is originally from East Rochester. She teaches at Trinity Montessori School. They originally met when she was working as a paralegal.

The Kernan's have three children - two in college and one at home.

Emily is the oldest and she is at SUNY Binghamton, Kernan acknowledged. Caroline is at Union College, and our son - Leslie W. Kernan III [a/k/a Nick] - is in sixth grade.

His daughters played softball and youth ball. His son is currently active in the sport.

Opening day of baseball season is like a holiday at our house, Kernan joked. My wife always gets me a small gift related to baseball.

Obviously Kernan's wife has been very indulgent of his passion. However, this past year had its trying moments since Pattie spent many years in Boston and is a committed Red Sox fan, while Kernan's life-long Yankee affiliation pitted them against each other for the 2004 American League Championship Series.

Our son tries to stay neutral on these issues, but I think he was happy for his mother's 'win' last fall, he said.

Kernan has an uncle and a couple of cousins who are also lawyers, so it is likely you may run into other Kernans at various points along I-90 from Utica to Buffalo. But none of the other Kernan lawyers are quite as infatuated with baseball as the local one.

The game gives me a lot of enjoyment, both alone and in the company of friends and family, he added.