'Hank's Yanks' co-founder Herman Hernandez dies

Herman Hernandez, the co-founder and general manager of the Hank Steinbrenner-sponsored "Hank's Yanks" youth baseball team, died suddenly of an apparent heart attack Thursday, according to his wife, Patti. He was 52.

Hernandez, who lived in Baldwin, and Yankees special adviser Ray Negron started "Hank's Yanks" in 2010. The 18-and-under team based at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank has graduated four players to professional baseball, including two Yankees prospects -- pitcher Leonel Vinas and third baseman Matt Durant. Negron gave them the sad news Thursday at the team's training complex in Tampa, Fla.

Yankees general partner Hank Steinbrenner Thursday called Hernandez "a good man . . . a good soul."

"This is a terrible time for 'Hank's Yanks,' " Steinbrenner said. "Herman Hernandez meant the world to our organization and to those kids and to that community. He will be so sorely missed. I will always remember that smile."

"He loved the game more than life," said Negron, who was friends with Hernandez for more than 40 years. "He had these players who had had a rough time with life and [he asked] is there any way we can help them. And so I spoke to Hank about it and that's how we started 'Hank's Yanks.'

"We were running the team like a major-league team and Herman was the general manager. His job was to go out and find the players. No matter what obstacles in life, he was always laughing. When you walked into Baseball Heaven, you could hear the laughter and you followed the laughter and you knew where 'Hank's Yanks' were playing."

Actor Richard Gere, a "Hank's Yanks" supporter, said: "Herman Hernandez was a guiding light. He will be missed dearly."

Funeral arrangements had not been finalized as of Thursday night.