Yankees honor head trainer Monahan

The man who has served generations of Yankees greats got his just due.

In appreciation of his 49 years of service, the Yankees showered head trainer Gene Monahan with elaborate gifts and a surprise visit from his two daughters and his fiancee during Sunday's Old-Timers' Day celebration at Yankee Stadium.

To Monahan's surprise, the Yankees unveiled one gift after another, including the famous frieze from his old Yankee Stadium locker, two seats from the old ballpark, a painting of the old Yankee Stadium, a riding lawnmower, a trip to Las Vegas for a Garth Brooks concert, a trip to a NASCAR race and a 15-day tour of Italy for four.

But the Yankees fulfilled his dreams when a fully loaded purple 2012 Harley-Davidson Edition Ford F-150 -- with a yellow Labrador retriever in the passenger seat -- emerged from an opening in the outfield fence. Monahan, who will move to North Carolina after this season, said during his May retirement announcement that he longed to own a truck and a puppy.

"Right now, I'm just numb and quivering and I can't feel my feet, if you want to know the truth," a shell-shocked Monahan said a short time later.

"It's hard to react. I live a humble life. Simple, humble and I'm not into that kind of stuff. I'll take some deep breaths tonight, think about it and try to figure out a way to adequately thank everybody."

For decades, Monahan has tended to some of the greatest players in the game, treating every Yankee with the utmost care. And Sunday, "the Yankees organization just really took care of Geno like we should," Joe Girardi said.

"We've all been itching for this day for Geno because we knew that he'd be completely surprised," Girardi said. "He said he lost it when his daughters came out. Didn't really hear everything he received, so he's going to have to go through a checklist.

"Geno has meant so much to so many of us in different ways, whether it's keeping us on the field, whether it's been lightening a mood during difficult times. When I need a laugh, I go to Geno."

Said Jorge Posada: "He means a lot to us, Geno, he really does. It's the only way we can say thanks. He's the first one here, the last one to leave. He does everything for us. Gets us on the field when we hurt. That's the least we can do for him."

"I'm a truly blessed person," said Monahan, who was diagnosed with cancer of the throat and tonsils after the 2009 season. "I've had some rocky roads the last year and a half, and it's been a great 49 years. Mostly up, seldom down. Even when you're down, you have the next day. That's what's so great about our sport."

Monahan, who was born in 1945, said he didn't hesitate to accept Hal Steinbrenner's invitation to throw the ceremonial first pitch Sunday.

"I had to practice a little bit because I didn't want to disappoint the guys," he said. "I'm not going to come back to the dugout after throwing out the first ball and then they say, 'Boy. Two-hopped him. Couldn't you have thrown it a little farther?' "

Monahan had little trouble finding the plate, though. After Mariano Rivera escorted him to the first-base line, Monahan threw a perfect strike to Posada, whom he requested as his personal catcher.