MLB’s Bobby Valentine Runs for Mayor of Connecticut Hometown

(Bloomberg) -- Baseball legend Bobby Valentine is running for mayor of Stamford, Connecticut, his hometown.

The former player and manager said on his campaign website that his experience leading teams has given him a record for “navigating challenging circumstances.” He also has built two businesses in Stamford, a restaurant and a sports academy, that employ hundreds of residents. He’s currently athletic director at Sacred Heart University.

“It’s been great to see Stamford grow the way it has grown over the years,” Valentine, 70, says in a three-minute campaign video posted on YouTube. “I want to lead us into that new world that Stamford will be in the future.”

Valentine was born and raised in Stamford, a city of about 130,000 halfway between New York City and New Haven, Connecticut. The only three-time All-State football player in Connecticut history, “Bobby V” was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1968. He was a Major League Baseball player for 10 seasons and then managed the Texas Rangers, the New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox.

Stamford’s current mayor, David Martin, has been in office since 2013 and is seeking a third term. Caroline Simmons, a state representative, also is running.

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