SECTION: SPORTS; Page A61

LENGTH: 500 words

HEADLINE: TUESDAY SPECIAL / BETTER SEAT FOR YOUNG CREATURE

BYLINE: By Kelly Whiteside. STAFF WRITER 


BODY:
For two years Luis (Luigi) Castillo sat in the rightfield bleachers at almost every game at Yankee Stadium with a raucous group of fans that proudly calls itself the Bleacher Creatures. As his fellow creatures heckled opposing outfielders, Luigi dreamed of being a batboy.

Tina Lewis, the so-called "Queen of the Bleachers," suggested that he send a letter to Sonny Hight, the Yankees director of stadium operations. After Luigi applied for the job, Hight told him he had to get his grades up to be considered for the position. "He worked harder and harder in school and he told his father, 'You're going to see me on TV, you watch, " said Luigi's mother, Milagros Reyes. Luigi did just that, and after his chemistry teacher at Wings Academy in the Bronx sent Hight a letter about his improvement, Luigi got the job this season. "It's a storybook type of tale," Hight said.

Perhaps no kid needed this opportunity more than Luigi, 16, whose father, Luis, learned he had colon cancer early this summer. As his mother said, "Luigi feels sad and it's hard, but having this job keeps him happy."

Watching his son on TV is uplifting for Luis as well. "He is a big-time Yankee fan and he sits in front of the TV wearing a Yankee hat, eating his cornflakes and looking for me on TV," Luigi said.

Now, battling the side effects of chemotherapy, Luis can no longer stay awake for night games. "He hasn't been able to make it to a game, but if the Yankees make it to the World Series, he hopes to be there," Luigi said.

If so, at the start of the game Luis will hear the Bleacher Creatures in Section 39 chant each Yankee fielder's name until the player turns around and acknowledges them with a wave. After they go through the lineup, they chant "Loo-eee-gee (clap, clap) Loo-eee-gee (clap, clap)" until Luigi flashes a discreet wave.

"A batboy must be pretty famous if the fans in the bleachers chant his name," Derek Jeter said.

Added Luigi, "It's funny being down here with them chanting my name, instead of being in the stands chanting Derek Jeter's name."

Luigi further endeared himself to the Bleacher Creatures during the Mets-Yankees series earlier this season when he opted not to work the game at Shea because he didn't want to set foot in enemy territory. He has become a fan favorite beyond the bleachers as well. Perhaps because his uniform hangs off his skinny body like wet laundry on a clothesline. Perhaps because he appears to be having the time of his life.

Before a recent game, Luigi made a trip to the parking lot to fetch some bags out of a player's car. As he walked out of the players entrance, fans stood behind metal barricades and screamed, "Loo-eee-gee." He waved back cheerfully, acknowledging his admirers. Such is the life of the most famous batboy on the most famous baseball team in America.

"He's their good-luck charm," the Queen of the Bleachers said later between heckles. "Look at the year the Yankees are having with Luigi as their batboy."

GRAPHIC: Photo by Moises Saman-Luigi Castillo of the Bronx wrote a letter, got his grades up and become a Yankees batboy. Now his Bleacher Creature friends chant his name, too.

LOAD-DATE: September 22, 1998PRO SPORTS. BASEBALL. LUIGI CATILLO. YANKEES. BATBOY. OCCUPATIONS. PROFILE.  SPORTS (90%); BASEBALL & SOFTBALL (90%); CANCER (66%); COLORECTAL CANCER (66%); DISEASES & DISORDERS (66%); DRUG INTERACTIONS & SIDE EFFECTS (52%);