Rest in Peace Johnny Pesky

When my family went to Winter Haven in 1980 to see the Red Sox in Spring Training, I was 7 and my brother was 8. We were collecting autographs of the players and coaches.

Johnny Pesky signed our book and gave my brother Ted a ball.

And no doubt people all over the country with roots to the Red Sox have a story like that.

Johnny Pesky was more than a former player, manager, broadcaster and coach. He was a link to the Red Sox past, both glorious and painful.

In my latest for Bleacher Report, I discuss how the franchise will never be the same again without Mr. Pesky. And no one person better personified the passion, heartbreak and redemption of the Red Sox than #6.

You can read the whole article HERE.


 

Give Pesky an at bat

Seriously. If the Sox are just going to phone in the next few games... why not have 90 year old Pesky go up there and take a cut or two?

Give the fans something to cheer about!

Who would have thought they could have topped the 2005 Ring Ceremony?

But they did!

Yeah it was great to see Bobby Orr, Bill Russell, John Havilcek, Jo Jo White and everyone else.

Yeah it makes me smile to see Johnny Pesky with another ring...
Or old friends like Dwight Evans show up.

But we've seen that already.

But revealing Bill Buckner, and having his walk all the way from the monster... to an ovation worthy of Paul Revere... and playing the music from Glory no less...

It was perfect.
And seeing Buckner, who doesn't look that different from that night in 1986, crying on the mound.

Yeah, I cried.
I'm man enough to admit it.

And I hope once and for all this puts the whole Buckner thing to sleep.
Christsake, we've won TWO World Series since then.

But also I've always used someone trying to taunt me with "Buckner" as a litmus test for someone's baseball intelligence.

If they yelled "Schraldi" I knew they did their homework.

But I've honored Billy Bucks already.


I love that after the game, the Sox got down to business.
Dice K looked great. Okajima was in good form and nice to see Manny legging out a triple.

But today was about turning the page on 2007 and Buckner.
Did you see Buckner threw a strike?

Maybe McNamara should have brought in Billy Bucks instead of Stanley.
How could it have ended worse?

Here's the clip again
It's a 4 hanky You Tube clip

In honor of Jim Dwyer...

Jim Dwyer? Why would I be honoring a part time player who only spent 2 years with the Sox?

Why not Hall of Famer Bobby Doerr for whom the Red Sox retired #1?

Or Bernie Carbo who hit the big pinch hit homer in game 6 of the 1975 World Series?

I'll tell you.

In 1980 when I was 8, my family went to Winter Haven, Florida to see the Red Sox in spring training. And my brother Ted and I were running around getting autographs left and right. We got Reid Nichols, Julio Valdez, Stan Papi, Allen Ripley, Gary Allenson and my most prized scribble was from Butch Hobson and Johnny Pesky gave my brother a ball.

So my brother and I were leaning against a wall comparing autographs. As I was listing the players I heard a voice from behind me. "Do you have mine?"

We turned around and it was Jim Dwyer. I said "No!" and thought he was so cool. Now 27 years later I think he is even cooler. I have no idea how long he was standing behind two kids counting autographs but he waited for the perfect time to chime in.

Later as an Oriole, he hit a homer in the 1983 World Series and I was cheering for him, remembering the autograph.

So despite not having a Red Sox World Series highlight, nor being a Hall of Famer nor having your number retired... you get the honor.

THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 1!