All My Children Daily Recaps

Reggie arrives in time for the second half of the show and explains the game went into overtime. Erica is just glad he’s here, and Reggie grins as he asks where else her #1 fan would be? He kisses her cheek and wishes her the best of luck. Erica says he’s going to love this next segment, and hurries back onstage at her cue.

Erica tells the audience that New York is defined not only by its culture, but also by its sports, where every game, every inning, can mean a new beginning. The remote continues with Erica at Yankee Stadium, meeting one of the newest Yankee pitchers, Al Leiter. She explains she thought he would be a fabulous guest for her first show, and he agrees he pitched his first major league game here at Yankee Stadium; being on her show today brings it full circle, a new beginning. Al gives her a lesson in pitching, and confirms that he throws at about 88mph. He gives her an autographed ball, and Erica kisses his cheek as she thanks him—it was so much fun!

Erica’s next interview is with another sports aficionado, former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, whose charitable involvement is legendary. Mayor Dinkins tells her about his favorite thing, the New York Junior Tennis League, which provides free tennis instruction for 170,000 kids in a single year, and his real interest is literally millions of youngsters over time, nationwide, who simply become better citizens through tennis, learning sportsmanship and self-confidence.

From the tennis court, Erica goes to the basketball court, with all-time great New York Knick Allan Houston and his adorable son, also Allan. Swimming in an oversized #20 jersey, Erica recalls Allan saying he learned to walk on a basketball court. Allan agrees his dad coached college basketball at the University of Louisville; now, he can pass along what his father taught him, not just basketball, but lessons of life. That’s why The Allan Houston Foundation hosts a father-son basketball retreat every summer, where fathers and sons come together to participate in sports and life skills. They’ve had a couple of kids really say it had changed their lives, so it’s a blessing. He thanks Erica for having him on her show.

As the remote for “New Beginnings” continues, Erica declares she’s on her way to interview Tiki Barber of the New York Giants, his wife, Ginny, and their two small children. When she remarks on his beautiful trophy case and glamorous apartment, Tiki gives the credit to his beaming wife. He tells her about his fulfilling work with The Children’s Miracle Network, and the annual golf tournament that raises money for the worthy cause. Erica calls his life and beautiful family perfect for “New Beginnings”.

Erica tells her audience how she met up with a small roadblock on her location shoot, and took it on New York-style! She relates how she left her agenda in a cab, and was able to call 3-1-1, the number set up in the city to track a lost item. While they worked on it from the information she gave them, Erica was off to meet with former New York City Mayor Ed Koch. Mayor Koch shows her the newest part of the city, the outstanding Battery Park City, just a stone’s throw from Wall Street, which is the oldest part of the city. He speaks of Chinatown and Little Italy, the cultural diversity in a city where Mass is said every morning in 23 different languages. People come from all over the world to make it here and, in the words of Frank Sinatra, “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.” They look over at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and Mayor Koch shares how fortunate he feels to live in this great city.

Erica’s next stop on location is the Mount Sinai Medical Center, where she interviews Dr. Michael Silverstein at the nursery, and they look at all the newborns, the new beginnings. Erica calls this career a new beginning, also, for the doctor, now in his second career as an OB/GYN. The doctor agrees he was a high school teacher for ten years before he went to medical school, and it’s an enormous thrill delivering babies, very gratifying. Erica meets a new mother and her newborn daughter, calling that a true new beginning. She later tells the doctor she’s heard he has three new beginnings of his own, and that there’s some ballroom dancing going on in his house. Dr. Silverstein agrees the two younger ones are in an elementary school program where they learn ballroom dancing. Sometime this fall, they’re going to teach their mom and dad as well. Erica loves that, a doctor who dances!

In the park, Erica meets up with a woman and her children, and tells them the whole country is loving watching them dance in “Mad Hot Ballroom”. She’s excited they’re on her show, and says she’s never danced the Merengue.

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