NELSON MANDELA AND POPE JOHN PAUL II

I have been working in the sports and entertainment, facilities and events management industry since March 1987. I have managed several venues and been involved in numerous events:

• Major League Baseball, including the 1987 World Series
• National Football League
• College Football
• Concerts
• 1994 FIFA Men’s World Cup
• Super Bowls
• Miami F1 Grand Prix
• New York City Marathons
• International Cricket Council T20 Men’s World Cup

But there are two significant events that I was involved with that I don’t discuss often, and they are Nelson Mandela’s first public appearance in the United States, which was at Yankee Stadium on June 21, 1990, and Pope John Paul II’s Mass at Giants Stadium on October 5, 1995.

Mr. Mandela’s visit to the United States was history-making. I was the Director of Stadium Operations at Yankee Stadium when it was announced that he would attend a welcome ceremony at the Stadium. I was informed on a Tuesday that he would be visiting the Stadium two days later. During the week of June 18, 1990, the Stadium was being converted for the first-ever rock concert in the history of Yankee Stadium, featuring Billy Joel on the 22nd and 23rd. Yankee Stadium was selected for the Mandela welcoming ceremony because it had a stage that was still under construction, which would be used to host the event. Wow!

I preach that Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance (6 Ps), but two days’ notice does not give one enough time to plan properly. This event would not be ticketed, so crowd management became more important than ever. There were many moving parts, as the Secret Service was involved due to Mr. Mandela’s status. The ceremony went exceptionally well, and it was an honor to see the outpouring of support for Mr. Mandela. The Billy Joel concerts were a hit as well. That was a week that I will never forget. On a side note, I left the New York Yankees on July 8, 1990, to become the Director of Operations at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Stadium hosted two Billy Joel concerts on August 18 and 19, 1990. I received a very nice jacket from the Billy Joel organization, which features the Yankee Stadium logo over the left breast, along with the dates of the concerts, and the Giants Stadium logo with the dates of the concerts over the right breast. I still wear the jacket after 35 years.

The Pope John Paul II Mass was a different story. There was plenty of time to prepare, but the Archdiocese of Newark, which was in charge of the event, lacked experience in planning and producing such a large-scale event. Therefore, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which owned Giants Stadium, became the event planner and production manager. I was very involved in the event.

On the night before the Mass, Ron VanDeVeen, Assistant Director of Stadium Operation and now the President/CEO of MetLife Stadium, and I were standing on the field to make sure we didn’t miss anything. I was standing behind one of the two sections of seats, looking at the altar, and I didn’t think the sightlines were at the centerline of the altar. Ron and I began adjusting both sections of seats to make sure they were perfect.

The Mass went well. The only challenge was that it hadn’t rained in New Jersey in about two months, and of course, it rained throughout the Mass. The Pope commented on the altar before the Mass that “he heard that people in New Jersey were praying for rain, and now your prayers have been answered.”

The Pope’s mass was the second largest attended event (estimated 83,000) at Giants Stadium, later surpassed by a U2 concert (84,472) in 2009. One of the biggest challenges was getting people home after the Mass. Many of the attendees traveled on yellow school buses, and after the Mass, they were unable to find their respective buses since they had not taken note of the parking lot where the buses were parked. There were no cell phones in 1995, and it was an all-night adventure getting people to the appropriate bus. Lesson learned, but who would have planned for that?

Another side note. In 1986, I was stationed onboard the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) as the Communications Officer. The ship was in port in Naples, Italy, the week before Christmas. I was able to visit the Vatican with many of my shipmates, and I had the chance to meet the Pope briefly. Following the Mass at Giants Stadium, I had the opportunity to meet the Pope once again. Not many people get to meet the Pope in their lifetime, and I was fortunate to have had two opportunities. The Pope didn’t remember me, which I found surprising… Only kidding!

I wish you and your families a safe and enjoyable summer.

Posted June 17, 2025