Former Yankees GM refuses kidney donation offers from his children

Bob Watson, the former New York Yankees general manager, says he has refused kidney donation offers from his children. (Reuters)

A former New York Yankees general manager fighting kidney failure said in an interview this week that he turned down his children's offers to donate one of their kidneys.

Bob Watson, 71, who helped construct the Yankees’ 1996 World Series winning team, told the New York Daily News that he was “ready for whatever happens now.”

“Both my kids offered to donate kidneys to me,” he told the newspaper. “And I told them both the same thing: ‘I’ve had a good life and I don’t want to take a kidney from young people who really need them and still have their whole lives ahead of them.' That would be very selfish on my part.”

Watson has battled health issues since he retired as a player in 1984, according to the paper. The former first baseman and outfielder has reportedly battled circulatory issues, hypertension and was successfully treated for prostate cancer.

"‘I’ve had a good life and I don’t want to take a kidney from young people who really need them and still have their whole lives ahead of them.'"

— Bob Watson

Watson played 21 years in the majors with the Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves and the Yankees. The Yankees’ 1996 championship made Watson the first African-American general manager to see his club win a World Series.

"Ten months ago, the doctors told me I could have two years or 12. Well now I’ve gotten to the point where every day I’m still here is a blessing,” Watson said. “I had a reputation for never giving up an at-bat, so I’m still fouling them off as long as I can.”