Former NY governor Cuomo dies at 82, played in Minors

Mario Cuomo, the former governor of New York and an avid baseball fan, passed away on Thursday at the age of 82.

Cuomo was also a ballplayer, seeing time in 81 games with the Class-D Minor League Brunswick Pirates during the 1952 season.

A 20-year-old center fielder with the club, Cuomo hit .244 with a total of 62 hits, including one home run and 10 doubles.

Cuomo served as governor of New York from 1983 to 1994 and became known nationally for his ability to share his story of humble beginnings as a son of Italian immigrants.

While Cuomo dreamed of one day playing in the Majors, he knew it was a near impossible feat.

"I've gotten some things done [in my life]," Cuomo told MLB.com in 2007. "But I never thought of myself as a Major Leaguer, or good enough to be one. The first good player I watched as a kid was Joe DiMaggio, and that was like ballet. Since then, I played sandlot and college ball and came to understand how difficult it can be.

"Then you get some madman in the Minors throwing the ball 100 miles an hour and not knowing where it's going to wind up. And on one occasion it wound up in the back of my head. So, it didn't occur to me to ever be that good [in baseball]. God had other plans for me."