On the premier of Unmanning the Game TV, host and creator Shana Renee sat down with Amber Sabathia to talk about the concept of being a ‘baseball wife’, her busy schedule, feminism, and being a mom. Amber and her husband CC Sabathia are living the dream. They are high school sweethearts, have four children together, and run the PitCCh In foundation among other things.
So how does she do it all? Amber admitted that she has to answer this question a lot, but that the answer is simple: it makes her happy. “The day I’m not happy I’ll quit” she added. It helps that “doing it all” is all she and CC really know. “We’ve known each other for so long; we’ve grown up in it together.”
The businesswoman and philanthropist is nothing short of a busy-mommy but noted that she is curious to see how the dynamic will change when CC retires. Until then, they have a system that works for them. Amber is certainly more than a ‘baseball wife’ and is open about the fact that she is not just standing behind CC, but beside him too. They are partners in ever aspect of life, including PitCCh In. “I always say I have four children, but [PitCCh In] is my fifth.”
Amber recently decided to push herself a little further by returning to school to complete a certificate in fundraising and philanthropy at NYU. “I needed to educate myself.” Amber explained that it is important to her to teach by example. Taking this notion the extra mile (literally) she also decided to train and compete in a fundraising marathon, which she considers to be one of the most difficult things she has ever done.
Not being a runner meant that a lot of hard work and effort went into accomplishing the goal, and although her daughter laughed at first, by the end she was so proud of her mommy. “The one time I was the athlete in the house, [CC] was there for me.”
Aside from PitCCh In and other charitable work, Amber is also an entrepreneur and fashion designer. Feeling as though something was missing from the world of MLB, Amber decided to add some color by starting a fashion line for girls. Heavily inspired by her own children, Amber is pleased to see that 60% of her sales are young girls. “I’m a bit of a feminist. I’m big on girl power,” she said.
This of course led to a praising of Mo’Ne Davis, the 13-year-old baseball legend. This supermom even had to admit that she feels a little sorry for her daughters’ future husbands because she is raising two very strong girls. As busy as she is, Amber eagerly said that she would drop it all tomorrow because ultimately, “the most important thing for me is being a mom.”
Currently, you can read more stories and advice form Amber on her blog, Mom-to-Mom. Ready to move beyond blogs, Amber is also considering writing a book on her experiences, although with her eldest only 11, she said she has a long way to go. Photo: All Sports Everything
