Williams, Tetelman to play at Carnegie Hall in All-Star Encore event
Adam Unger, associate in Herrick's Corporate Department and Sports Law Group was quoted in Sports Business Journal in an article highlighting an upcoming event featuring former MLB player Bernie Williams who will play guitar alongside tenor and opera star Jonathan Tetelman at Carnegie Hall.
The event, which blends accomplished performers in music and sports, was organized by Adam. Herrick is among the proud sponsors of the event.
“I had this idea, and Bernie always blushes when I say this, but, ‘What if you could’ve gotten Mickey Mantle to play the piano for Pavarotti?” Unger said. “I just thought it would be such a powerful thing that no one’s ever done before. You’ve had sports and music (together) before, but never with performers this accomplished. I think (Bernie) is the best musician-athlete since we’ve had recordings.”
The article notes that "Unger met Williams in 1998 when he was a 13-year-old batboy in the visitors’ dugout at Jacobs Field in Cleveland. Five years later, Unger was selected by the Yankees in the 29th round of the 2003 MLB June Amateur Draft, and had a short stint in the minors."
“(Bernie and I) ran into each other a number of times over the years,” Unger said. “And when I didn’t make it to the Major Leagues, I ended up studying opera and becoming an opera singer.”
The article further notes that Adam spoke to Williams about this idea several times, and then finally pitched it to Tetelman - “How would you feel about doing a concert with Bernie Williams?” Unger asked. “And he just looked at me and was like I’m in. And here we are about a year-and-a-half later.”
“I would love to have this be something that we do several times a year,” Adam said. “I just think that it would be such a good thing for culture and the arts and for kids as well to be exposed to this kind of music through athletes.”
Read the full article in Sports Business Journal here. Access may require a subscription.