August 3, 2017: TONIGHT ON METROFOCUS

> TONIGHT ON 'METROFOCUS,' PRESIDENT TRUMP THROWS HIS SUPPORT BEHIND A CONTROVERSIAL IMMIGRATION PROPOSAL.

WHILE HERE AT HOME, CRACKING DOWN ON GANG THE VIOLENCE AND FIXING CRUMBLING INFRASTRUCTURE ARE A KEY FOCUS.

CONGRESSMAN LEE ZELDIN IS HERE TO SHARE HIS VIEW FROM CAPITOL HILL.

> 40 YEARS AGO, SERIAL KILLER SON OF SAM TAUNTED POLICE.

NOW ONE OF HIS WOULD-BE VICTIMS TAKES US BACK TO THAT TIME.

> BABE RUTH, A BOY FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE, AND A PROMISED HOME RUN BY THE BAMBINO THAT TURNED INTO THREE.

WE'LL TAKE TO THAT FATEFUL DAY.

> AND REMEMBERING ACTOR/PLAYWRIGHT SAM SHEPHERD.

ALL THAT AND MORE AS 'METROFOCUS' STARTS NOW.

Announcer: THIS IS 'METROFOCUS,' WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY --

> PRESIDENT TRUMP'S RECENT VISIT TO LONG ISLAND CONTINUES TO MAKE NATIONAL HEADLINES.

THE PRESIDENT WAS IN SUFFOLK COUNTY LAST FRIDAY TO DISCUSS EFFORTS TO COMBAT THE VIOLENT MS-13 GANG WHICH LOCAL POLICE SAY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 17 MURDERS OVER THE LAST 18 MONTH.

THE PRESIDENT VOWED TO WIPE OUT THE GANG BUT ALSO RAISED A LOT OF EYEBROWS WITH THE COMMENTS IN WHICH HE APPEARED TO BE ENDORSING THE ROUGH TREATMENT OF SUSPECTS.

AND WHEN YOU SEE THESE THUGS BEING THROWN INTO THE BACK OF A PADDYWAGON, YOU JUST SEE THEM THROWN IN, ROUGH, I SAID, PLEASE DON'T BE TOO NICE.

THE WHITE HOUSE CALLED THOSE COMMENTS A JOKE.

THE ACTING HEAD OF THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION, CHUCK ROSENBERG, REBUKED THE PRESIDENT IN A LETTER TO HIS STAFF, SAYING THE REMARKS CONDONED POLICE MISCONDUCT.

THE CONTROVERSY IS THREATENING TO OVERSHADOW THE PRESIDENT'S IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT THE RISE OF GANG THE VIOLENCE ESPECIALLY IN LONG ISLAND, WHERE MS-13 IS VERY MUCH A FRIGHTENING REALITY.

JOINING ME IS REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN LEE ZELDIN WHO REPRESENTS PARTS OF SUFFOLK COUNTY.

CONGRESSMAN, THANKS FOR BEING ON THE SHOW.

THANK YOU, GOOD TO BE ON.

LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S IMMIGRATION PROPOSAL THAT WAS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY, AN IMMIGRATION PROPOSAL THAT HAS A LOT OF CONTROVERSY BECAUSE IT WOULD CUT LEGAL IMMIGRATION IN THIS COUNTRY IN HALF OVER TEN YEARS.

IT WOULD SHIFT THE PRIORITY TO MERIT, IN OTHER WORDS PEOPLE WOULD BE ALLOWED INTO THIS COUNTRY IF THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE, TO SUMMARIZE IT, AND LESS BECAUSE OF FAMILY CONNECTION.

WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THAT PROPOSAL AND HOW LIKELY DO YOU THINK IT IS THAT CONGRESS WOULD SUPPORT IT?

IT DIDN'T USED TO BE SO CONTROVERSIAL.

THIS IS A PROPOSAL THAT WHEN PRESIDENT CLINTON WAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE WITH LIBERAL DEMOCRAT SUPPORT, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT HAD MOMENTUM BACK THEN, 20-PLUS YEARS AGO.

AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PERMANENT GREEN CARD STATUS.

THIS ISN'T ADDRESSING THE NEEDED REFORMS AND CONVERSATION THAT HAVE TO BE HAD AS IT RELATES TO THE H2-A PROGRAM OR THE H2-B PROGRAM.

HERE IN LONG ISLAND, WE HAVE FARMERS, THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH CHALLENGES WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO GET APPROVAL FOR SEASONAL LABOR, AND GETTING INTO THE SEASON BEFORE THEY FINALLY GET THE APPROVAL THEY NEED AND MONEY GETS LOST.

AS FAR AS THE IMMIGRATION SYSTEM GOES, THERE IS A BIGGER PICTURE CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO BE HAD.

THIS IS PART OF IT.

PART OF THE CONVERSATION IS ABOUT BORDER SECURITY, PART OF IT IS WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT PEOPLE HERE ALREADY.

AS FAR AS THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSAL, I AGREE WE CAN ABSOLUTELY BE INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO OUR COUNTRY AND CONTRIBUTING AS POSITIVELY AS POSSIBLE, WHO COME TO OUR COUNTRY AND ARE LOOKING MORE AS A BURDEN AND NOT WORKING HARD, WHICH IS CERTAINLY NOT THE WAY TO ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM BY ANY MEANS.

CONGRESSMAN, QUICKLY, DO YOU THINK IT HAS THE SUPPORT IN THE HOUSE?

DEMOCRATS SAY THEY'RE AGAINST IT, SOME REPUBLICANS SAY THEY'RE AGAINST IT.

DOES IT HAVE A CHANCE OF PASSING?

I BELIEVE IT DOES.

I WOULD LIKE TO READ THE PROPOSAL IN DETAIL.

THIS WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WAS MADE YESTERDAY.

I'M AWARE OF SENATOR COTTON, SENATOR PURDUE'S EFFORTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS IN PARTICULAR.

BUT IN ORDER TO BUILD SUPPORT, THE FIRST STEP IS TO BE ABLE TO READ THE PROPOSAL IN DETAIL.

THIS IS A PROPOSAL BEING FORMULATED IN THE OTHER CHAMBER AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN FOCUSED ON IT ENOUGH.

NOW WITH THE PRESIDENT WEIGHING IN, IT'S SOMETHING ALL MEMBERS AUGUST GETTING FAMILIAR WITH.

LET'S TURN TO LONG ISLAND AND THE MS-13 GANGS AND THE PRESIDENT'S VISITED.

YOU ACCOMPANIED THE PRESIDENT IN LONG ISLAND, IT WAS BY MOST ACCOUNTS A SUCCESSFUL MEETING, BUT THEN THE PRESIDENT MADE THAT COMMENT IMPLYING THAT COPS SHOULD BE ROUGH WITH SUSPECTS.

WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THOSE COMMENTS, FIRST OF ALL, AND DO YOU THINK IT OVERSHADOWED THE IMPORTANT MESSAGE THAT HE HAD ABOUT MS-13?

JUST THE NATURE OF THE QUESTION, THE FACT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COMMENT AS OPPOSED TO THE REST OF THE STATEMENTS, THE ANSWER WOULD HAVE TO BE YES.

AS FAR AS THE STATEMENT ITSELF, THE PRESIDENT WAS -- OBVIOUSLY HE WAS MAKING A REMARK WITH REGARDS TO BRUTAL MS-13 KILLERS WHO ARE -- THEY'RE NOT USING GUNS, THEY'RE USING MATCHETTE MATCHETTES, MURDERING MY CONSTITUENTS, TEARING APART FAMILIES.

HE MADE THE COMMENT, 'DON'T BE TOO NICE TO THEM,' WHICH HAS BEEN TAKEN TO ALL SORTS OF NEW LEVELS AND BEEN INTERPRETED IN THE WORST POSSIBLE WAY.

WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION HAS BEEN GUILTY OF BEING POLITICALLY INCORRECT.

THIS IS CERTAINLY ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHERE HE MADE A COMMENT THAT WAS TAKEN IN ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

IT WAS OBVIOUS, BEING IN THE ROOM AND LISTENING TO HIM, THAT HIS FOCUS WAS ON MS-13.

HE WAS TALKING ABOUT VERY BRUTAL MS-13 KILLERS AND SAYING, DON'T BE TOO NICE ON THEM.

CONGRESSMAN --

YOU CAN HAVE A DEBATE, YOU CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ON THAT.

BUT THE CONTEXT HAS BEEN TAKEN IN ALL SORTS OF NEW DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS THAN THE WAY HE MEANT IT.

CONGRESSMAN, SOME FOLKS ARE SAYING THAT THE PRESIDENT'S FOCUS AND LET'S SAY WAR AGAINST MS-13 WILL ACTUALLY HELP MS-13 IN THE LONG RUN BECAUSE BY TARGETING UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, THE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE THE PRIMARY VICTIMS OF MS-13 WILL BE HESITANT TO TALK ABOUT MS-13 AND THEIR CRIMES.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND?

THE PRESIDENT IS TARGETING MS-13.

AND THIS IS -- THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY COMPONENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE COMPONENT, THE INTERNATIONAL ASPECT OF IT, THE POLICIES OF THE UNACCOMPANIED IMMIGRANT MINORS WHO HAVE COME ACROSS OUR SOUTHERN BORDER, MANY OF THEM HELD AT GUNPOINT, HAVING TO SMUGGLE DRUGS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN BORDER IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE TRIP.

ONCE THEY GET TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BORDER, THEY ARE GIVEN MANDATORY COURT APPEARANCES THAT THEY NEVER SHOW UP AT.

THE ENTIRE PROCESS, FROM THE TIME THE PARENTS TURN THEIR KIDS OVER TO THE COYOTE, THOSE KIDS ARE BEING SET UP TO FAIL.

FROM THAT AT SOME POINT, WORKING WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT, MULTIPLE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.

YOU'RE TARGETING MS-13, YOU HAVE TO HOLD THEM RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE CRIMES THAT ARE BEING COMMITTED, AND YOU HAVE TO ERADICATE THEM.

SO CONFRONTING IT HEAD-ON, AND BRINGING ALL THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO THAT EFFORT IS SOMETHING THAT I STRONGLY SUPPORT AND I PRAISE.

AND IT NEEDS TO GET DONE OR MS-13 IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.

CONGRESSMAN, LESS THAN 30 SECONDS, I HAVE TO ASK YOU ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, I KNOW IT'S AN ISSUE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU.

THE PRESIDENT IN THE PAST HAS PROPOSED A $1 TRILLION INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT OR PROGRAM.

LOOKING AT THE DIRE SITUATION IN OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AS WELL AS OUR ROADS AND BRIDGES, WOULD YOU AND THE REPUBLICANS BE WILLING TO INVEST $1 TRILLION TO FIX THIS COUNTRY'S INFRASTRUCTURE?

$1 TRILLION IS THE NUMBER BEING DISCUSSED BOTH BY PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE.

THERE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON HOW TO GET THERE.

BUT A $1 TRILLION PACKAGE IS THE GOAL.

THE PROPOSAL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE IS $1 TRILLION OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

ON OUR SIDE OF THE AISLE, THE PRESIDENT PROPOSED THAT PARTIALLY PAID BY TAXPAYER DOLLARS, PARTIALLY PAID FOR WITH TAX CREDITS AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO UNLEASH PRIVATE CAPITAL THROUGH PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.

THE OVERALL GOAL IS $1 TRILLION.

WE JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO GET THERE.

CONGRESSMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

THANK YOU.

> 40 YEARS AGO, NEW YORKERS WERE ON THE EDGE OF PANIC AS THE SERIAL KILLER SON OF SAM RAN RAMPANT THROUGH THE CITY.

INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY IS FEATURING A TWO-HOUR SPECIAL, 'SON OF SAM: THE HUNT FOR A KILLER,' WHICH FOLLOWS THE VICTIMS AND DETECTIVES IN THIS HISTORIC CASE, ON INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY.

HERE IS A LOOK.

EVERYTHING CHANGED THAT NIGHT.

IN FACT SO MUCH CHANGED THAT I WASN'T EVEN AWARE OF HALF OF CHANGES.

THERE WERE SO MANY THINGS THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO DO.

NOT DRIVE A CAR EVER AGAIN, NOT PLAY SPORTS EVER AGAIN.

I COULD NEVER FORGIVE HIM FOR WHAT HE'S DONE.

THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A HORRENDOUS TIME FOR ALL OF US.

AND IT LEAVES AN IMPACT.

SOMETHING YOU DON'T FORGET.

DO I WANT TO FORGET IT?

I'M NOT SURE.

DO I WANT TO PUT IT BEHIND ME?

NOT SURE.

BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.

ONE OF THE VICTIMS WHO SURVIVED A .44 CALIBER BULLET TO THE HEAD FROM THE SON OF SAM WAS CARL DENARO, HE JOINS US NOW.

THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.

MY PLEASURE.

BACK IN OCTOBER OF 1976, YOU WERE A SELF DESCRIBED LONG HAIRED HIPPIE, POT SMOKING ON OCCASION, MAYBE MORE THAN ON OCCASION.

GIVE US A SUMMARY OF WHAT HAPPENED THE NIGHT OF THE ATTACK.

HOW DID YOU END UP BEING ATTACKED?

I WAS HANGING OUT IN THE LOCAL BAR, DEPOT GRILL.

A REAL NEIGHBORHOOD KIND OF LIKE A 'CHEERS' KIND OF PLACE, EVERYONE KNEW EACH OTHER.

WHEN I WALKED IN THAT NIGHT, A BUNCH OF GIRLS THAT I KNEW WERE ALSO THERE, INCLUDING ROSEMARY KENAN.

WE TALKED FOR A LITTLE BIT AND DECIDED TO LEAVE.

WE GOT IN A CAR AND DROVE AIMLESSLY, WITH NO PARTICULAR PLACE TO GO.

BUT GOING TOWARDS A PARK THAT WE HUNG OUT IN DURING THE DAY.

IN QUEENS?

IN QUEENS, FLUSHING.

WE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, AND SHE PULLED INTO A SPOT ABOUT 20 FEET, YOU KNOW, FROM THE CURB, FROM THE CORNER OF 33rd AVENUE AND 159th STREET.

THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, IT SEEMED LIKE THE CAR EXPLODED.

GLASS SHARDS WERE ON MY ARMS, MY HANDS.

I HAD BLOOD.

AT THE TIME I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD A HEAD WOUND.

BUT I KNEW WE WERE IN TROUBLE.

SO THE ATTACK ON YOU WAS REALLY THE SECOND ATTACK BY THE SON OF SAM.

SECOND ATTACK.

THE POLICE HAD NOT CONNECTED THE DOTS, THERE WAS NO HINT THERE WAS A SERIAL KILLER.

WHAT DID YOU THINK HAPPENED TO YOU AND WHAT DID THE COPS THINK HAD HAPPENED TO YOU?

I HAD NO IDEA.

I HAD NO ENEMIES, CERTAINLY NO ENEMIES THAT WOULD SHOOT ME.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS UPPER MIDDLE CLASS.

WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE SHOOTINGS.

EVEN THOUGH NEW YORK AT THE TIME WAS A PRETTY SCARY PLACE, THAT WASN'T TRUE OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO I GUESS, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT I HAD LONG HAIR AND THE FACT THAT I SMOKED POT, HUNG OUT IN THE BAR, THE DETECTIVES ASSIGNED TO MY CASE ASSUMED IT WAS A DRUG DEAL GONE WRONG.

WHEN DID YOU FIND OUT THAT IN FACT YOUR SHOOTING WAS PART OF THE SON OF SAM --

IT TOOK SIX MONTHS.

I LIVED FOR SIX MONTHS OF BASICALLY DEFENDING MYSELF AGAINST MY FAMILY AND THE COPS, THAT IT WASN'T A DRUG DEAL.

BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS MARCH 10th, THERE WERE SOME ARTICLES IN THE PAPER PRIOR TO MARCH 10th OF '77 ALLUDING TO THERE MIGHT BE A CONNECTION TO SOME SHOOTINGS.

BUT FINALLY, ON MARCH 10th, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, NYPD, HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE.

AND THAT'S WHEN YOU KNEW?

YEAH.

THEY LINKED THE FIVE SUPPOSEDLY RANDOM SHOOTINGS.

WHY DO YOU THINK YOU WERE TARGETED INSTEAD OF ROSEMARY, THE YOUNG WOMAN YOU WERE WITH?

THE BEST THEORY WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, 40 YEARS LATER, IS I WAS MISTAKEN FOR A WOMAN.

I HAD LONG HAIR.

ROSEMARY HAD RELATIVELY SHORT HAIR, SHE WAS DRIVING THE CAR.

IT KIND OF MADE SENSE.

HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN DAVID BERKOWITZ WAS ARRESTED?

MY SISTER CALLED ME, IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 2:00 IN THE MORNING WHEN I FOUND OUT.

IT WAS -- YOU KNOW, I MEAN, EVERY EMOTION YOU COULD THINK OF.

RELIEF, ELATION.

KIND OF LIKE THE PREVIOUS 13 MONTHS, PLAYED TO MY HEAD REAL QUICK.

AND, YOU KNOW, I BASICALLY SAT IN MY BED FOR TWO HOURS COLLECTING MY THOUGHTS.

I'M SURE YOU SAW HIM AS SO MANY NEW YORKERS SAW HIM AFTER HE WAS ARRESTED, WITH THAT SMIRK ON HIS FACE, WHAT THEY CALLED THE MONA LISA SMILE.

HOW DID THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?

WHAT STRUCK ME WAS THE WAY HE LOOKED.

WHEN YOU THINK OF SERIAL KILLER, IT CONNOTES LIKE A REALLY TOUGH LOOKING GUY, A HEAVY BEARD, YOU KNOW, NOT A BABY FACED, RED CHEEKED -- THAT KIND OF THREW ME FOR A LOOP.

WE SAW IN THE CLIP THAT YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THIS CHANGED YOUR LIFE.

HOW DID IT CHANGE YOUR LIFE?

HOW WOULD YOUR LIFE HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT HAD IT NOT HAPPENED?

FROM THE BEGINNING, I WAS ENLISTED IN THE AIR FORCE IN A DELAYED ENTRY PROGRAM.

I GOT SWORN IN IN AUGUST OF '76.

MY REPORT DAY WAS OCTOBER 28th.

AND I WAS SHOT ON THE 23rd.

SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, WITH THE SHOOTING, MY AIR FORCE CAREER ENDED.

AS I GOT A LITTLE BIT OLDER AND REALIZED THE IMPACT OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME, IT KIND OF CHANGED THE WAY I LOOK AT LIFE.

I'M A LOT MORE POSITIVE.

YOU KNOW, I CHERISH EVERY DAY THAT I'M ALIVE.

CARL, THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING AND SHARING YOUR STORY WITH US.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

'SON OF SAM: THE HUNT FOR A KILLER' AIRS ON DISCOVERY I.D.

AUGUST 5th.

♪♪♪

> THE BABE AND THE KID.

NEARLY A CENTURY LATER, IT'S A STORY WORTH TELLING, ONE THAT HAS TRANSCENDED THE WORLD OF SPORTS TO BECOME AN INDELIBLE PART OF OUR NATION'S HISTORY.

IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE STORY BACK DURING THE 1926 WORLD SERIES, NEW YORK YANKEES LEGEND BABE RUTH AUTOGRAPHED A BASEBALL FOR A NEW JERSEY BOY WHO WAS FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE AFTER BEING KICKED IN THE HEAD BY A HORSE.

ON THE BALL THE BABE WROTE, 'I'LL KNOCK A HOMER FOR YOU.'

IN HIS NEXT GAME, THE FOURTH GAME OF THE SERIES, RUTH HIT NOT ONE BUT THREE HOME RUNS AS HE LED THE YANKEES TO VICTORY OVER THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS THAT DAY.

THE BOY WHO RECEIVED THE BALL, JOHNNY SYLVESTER, WAS REABLE TO REPAY BABE'S GENEROSITY DECADES LATER.

THE DAY OF RECKONING HAD COME FOR BABE RUTH TO DELIVER ON HIS PROMISE.

IT WAS GAME FOUR OF THE 1926 WORLD SERIES HELD AT SPORTSMANS PARK IN ST. LOUIS.

THE YANKEES WERE DOWN IN THE SERIES TWO GAMES TO ONE.

NO ONE BUT THE BABE HIMSELF WILL EVER KNOW THE PRESSURE HE FACED THAT DAY.

HE HAD MADE A PROMISE THE DAY BEFORE.

NOW HE HAD TO MAKE GOOD ON IT.

AND JOINING ME NOW WITH MORE ON THIS STORY IS JOHNNY SYLVESTER'S GRAND-NEPHEW AND THE FILM'S DIRECTOR, ANDREW LILY.

WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

YOU HAVE OBVIOUSLY A CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP TO THIS STORY.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO IMMORTALIZE IT?

THE STORY WAS DEPICTED IN HOLLYWOOD MOVIES, BUT THEY ALWAYS EMBELLISH THINGS.

I FELT THE STORY WAS AMAZING ENOUGH AND DIDN'T NEED ANY EMBELLISHMENTS.

I WANTED TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT BETWEEN WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN BABE RUTH AND MY UNCLE, JOHNNY SYLVESTER.

I HAD MISCONCEPTIONS.

FOR EXAMPLE, I THOUGHT THAT THE BABE HAD ACTUALLY GONE TO THE HOSPITAL AND MADE THE PROMISE TO THE KID AT THE HOSPITAL BEFORE HITTING THE THREE HOME RUNS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE STORY.

WHY?

I THINK, YOU KNOW, PARTLY BECAUSE IT HAPPENED SO LONG AGO.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

AND ALSO DUE TO THE FACT THAT JOHNNY SYLVESTER WAS A VERY MODEST GUY.

HE RARELY TALKED ABOUT THIS INCIDENT.

HE WOULD SURELY BRING IT UP IF YOU ASKED ABOUT IT.

BUT JOHNNY WAS NOT THE TYPE OF GUY TO GO AROUND SAYING, OH, BABE RUTH WAS THE GUY WHO KNOCKED THE HOMERS FOR ME.

I THINK THE ONLY THREE KNOWN INTERVIEWS JOHNNY DID WAS IN THE LATE 1980s, SHORTLY BEFORE HIS DEATH, AND THANK GOODNESS HE DID THAT SO IT COULD PRESERVE AN ACTUAL AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED BACK THEN.

HE WENT ON TO LIVE TO 74 YEARS OLD, HE SURVIVED WORLD WAR II.

BUT HE WAS AT DEATH'S DOOR AFTER THE KICK IN THE HEAD BECAUSE OF AN INFECTION.

SOME PEOPLE ARGUE IT WAS BABE RUTH -- WHAT BABE RUTH DID AND THE ACCOLADES AND THE FOCUS IT BROUGHT ON JOHNNY THAT SAVED HIS LIFE.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S TRUE?

I THINK BABE RUTH PLAYED A BIG PART IN JOHNNY'S GETTING WELL.

I THINK PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE TODAY, PERHAPS WE SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

PERHAPS WE'RE A LITTLE BIT CYNICAL OF A CULTURE, LIKE OH, THAT CAN'T HAPPEN.

BECAUSE I OFTEN THINK LIKE WHAT HAPPENED HAPPEN TO THIS BOY IF THIS HAPPENED TODAY?

THE NEXT DAY HE WOULD BE ON 'GOOD MORNING AMERICA,' HE WOULD PROBABLY BE ON JIMMY KIMMEL.

PEOPLE MIGHT THINK IT WOULD BE A PUBLICITY STUNT.

YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP IN MIND, JOHNNY NEVER TRIED TO CAPITALIZE ON ANY OF THIS.

IT WAS SOMETHING HE KEPT TO HIMSELF.

BABE RUTH ONLY MENTIONED IT A FEW TIMES AS WELL.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JOHNNY AND BABE WAS VERY PERSONAL.

THEY WROTE EACH OTHER LETTERS.

JOHNNY WOULD LATER VISIT BABE RUTH AT YANKEE STADIUM.

AND AT THE HOSPITAL.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE HE WAS ABLE TO REPAY THE BABE, 20, 21 YEARS LATER.

WHAT HAPPENED?

THE STORY COMES FULL CIRCLE, AND AT THE END OF BABE'S LIFE, BABE PASSED AWAY UNFORTUNATELY VERY YOUNG, WHEN BABE WAS DYING OF CANCER, JOHNNY WENT UP TO VISIT THE BABE, ACTUALLY CLOSE BY ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE, TO LIFT HIS SPIRITS, THE YEAR BEFORE BABE PASSED AWAY IN 1948.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT, 21 YEARS LATER, BABE GETS TO SEE THE SKINNY LITTLE KID ALL GROWN UP AS A YOUNG MAN WITH HIS WIFE.

AND HE WANTED TO SHOW HOW PROUD HE WAS OF HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN LIFE.

AND I THINK HE WANTED TO REPAY THE BABE BACK.

IT'S A VERY INTERESTING DOCUMENTARY, ANDREW, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

YES, THANK YOU, RAFAEL.

> FOR THOSE WATCHING AT HOME, 'I'LL KNOCK A HOMER FOR YOU' MAKES ITS 13 PREMIER ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 4th AT 11:00 P.M.

CHECK THIRTEEN.ORG FOR OTHER AIRINGS AND AVAILABILITY.

> BEFORE WE LEAVE YOU, AN HONOR FOR A MAN WHO PROFOUNDLY SHAPED THEATER AND FILM.

ACTOR AND PLAYWRIGHT SAM SHEPHERD PASSED AWAY FROM COMPLICATIONS FROM ALS THIS WEEK AT THE AGE OF 73.

WHILE SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW HIM BEST FROM HIS WORK AS AN ACTOR, HIS ORIGINAL CALLING AND LIFELONG PASSION WAS AS A PLAYWRIGHT.

SHEPHERD GOT HIS START IN THE EAST VILLAGE THEATER SCENE OF THE 1960s AND CREATED A REMARKABLE CATALOGUE OF GROUNDBREAKING WORK.

HIS PULITZER PRIZE WINNING PLAY 'BURIED CHILD' VAULTED HIM INTO THE RANKS OF LEADING PLAYWRIGHTS.

'THEATER CLOSE-UP' WILL PRESENT A SPECIAL ENCORE PRESENTATION OF THE NEW GROUP'S 2016 ACCLAIMED REVIVAL OF THE PLAY STARRING ED HARRIS AND AMY MADIGAN, FRIDAY, AUGUST 4th, AT 9:00 P.M.

THERE ISN'T ANY CORN OUTSIDE, TILLDEN.

THERE IS NO CORN.

YOU MUST HAVE STOLEN THIS CORN OR BOUGHT IT.

HE DOESN'T HAVE A RED CENT TO HIS NAME.

SO YOU STOLE IT.

I WHY NOT STEAL IT.

YOU WERE GOING TO GET KICKED OUT OF THIS HOUSE UNLESS YOU TELL ME WHERE YOU GOT THAT CORN.

WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO TELL HIM THAT?

WHO CARES WHERE HE GOT THE CORN?

WHY DID YOU HAVE TO GO AND THREATEN HIM WITH EXPULSION?

THIS IS YOUR FAULT.

I SUPPOSE YOU THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE FUNNY, SOME JOKE TO COVER THE HOUSE IN CORN HUSKS.

WELL, YOU BETTER GET THIS CLEANED UP BEFORE BRADLEY SEES IT.

BRADLEY'S NOT GETTING IN THE FRONT DOOR.

OH, BRADLEY IS GOING TO BE VERY UPSET WHEN HE SEES THIS.

HE DOESN'T LIKE TO SEE THE HOUSE IN DISARRAY.

HE CAN'T STAND IT WHEN ONE THING IS OUT OF PLACE, THE SLIGHTEST THING.

BRADLEY DOESN'T EVEN LIVE HERE.

THIS IS HIS HOME AS MUCH AS OURS.

HE WAS BORN IN THIS HOUSE.

HE WAS BORN IN A GODDAMN HOG WALLOW.

THAT'S WHERE HE WAS BORN AND THAT'S WHERE HE BELONGS.

HE DOESN'T BELONG IN THIS HOUSE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COME OVER YOU, DODGE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IN THE WORLD HAS COME OVER YOU.

YOU'VE BECOME AN EVIL, SPITEFUL, VENGEFUL MAN.

YOU USED TO BE A GOOD MAN.

SIX OF ONE, HALF DOZEN OF ANOTHER.

YOU SIT HERE DAY AND NIGHT, FESTERING AWAY, DECOMPOSING, SMELLING UP THE HOUSE WITH YOUR PUTRID BODY, HACKING YOUR HEAD OFF 'TIL ALL HOURS OF THE WORKING, THINK ABOUT OF MEAN, EVIL, STUPID THINGS TO SAY ABOUT YOUR OWN FLESH AND BLOOD.

HE'S NOT MY FLESH AND BLOOD.

MY FLESH AND BLOOD IS OUT THERE IN THE BACKYARD.

THAT'S ENOUGH, DODGE.

THAT'S QUITE ENOUGH.

ONCE AGAIN, WE HOPE YOU JOIN US FOR THIS SPECIAL PRESENTATION IN HONOR OF SAM SHEPHERD'S LIFE AND LEGACY, FRIDAY, AUGUST 4th ON 'THEATER CLOSE-UP.'

IF YOU MISSED IT, CHECK THIRTEEN.ORG.

ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US AT 'METROFOCUS,' I'M RAFAEL PI ROMAN.

GOOD NIGHT.

Announcer: FOUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY --

Announcer: CORPORATE FUNDING FOR 'METROFOCUS' WAS PROVIDED BY MUTUAL OF AMERICA.

YOUR RETIREMENT COMPANY.

AND BY PSE&G.

SERVING CUSTOMERS, STRENGTHENING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND INVESTING IN THE FUTURE.

-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com