April 20, 1912: The First Game at Fenway Park

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park, here is a look at how the Boston Globe of April 21, 1912 described the first game at Fenway, played the day previously. Of course it was a Red Sox-Yankees affair, with perhaps Boston’s best team ever winning 7-6 on a run in the 11th. (The Yankees, […]

In The Wake Of An Epic Collapse, Troubling Insights Into The Mind Of Adrian Gonzalez

Adrian Gonzalez’ comments from earlier in the week lead me to ask whether the Red Sox made a mistake in bringing him to Boston Boston Globe columnist Peter Abraham posted an interesting article on Boston.com yesterday morning on the subject of accountability. In the wake of the ballclub’s September debacle, he neatly juxtaposed the reactions […]

Is Marco Scutaro Clearly The Starting Shortstop For The Red Sox In 2011?

Red Sox shortstop Marco Scutaro There was an excellent article about Marco Scutaro in today’s Boston Globe. Columnist Nick Cafardo crafted an insightful story in which he detailed the shortstop’s health issues last season, providing a considerable amount of behind-the-scenes information that fans had not previously known. But does that mean Scutaro should be the […]

The Ultimate Seven-Game Fall Classic: Game Seven

In part one of my Ultimate Seven-Game Fall Classic series, I featured Game One of the 1988 World Series between the Oakland A’s and Los Angeles Dodgers, won by the latter on Kirk Gibson’s walk-off two-run homer off Dennis Eckersley, ironic because it was Eck who coined the phrase “walk-off piece.” Part two featured an […]

Maple Street Press Belts One Onto Lansdowne Street

My buddy Matt Aber wondered aloud in his recent review of Maple Street Press’ Phillies 2010 Annual if these are the franchise’s “Golden Days,” which made me wonder if these aren’t also the Red Sox’ “Golden Days.”  Perhaps, although it’s going to be tough to top the 16-year stretch from 1903-1918 in which they won […]

Wade Boggs and Don Mattingly as Prospects

One of the major themes of spring training, of course, is the emergence of new stars: in some cases, they’re prospects who’ve been waiting impatiently for a chance to establish themselves in the majors. A while ago I looked up reports on Wade Boggs and Don Mattingly as they were exhibiting that mood of impatience. […]

Jimmie Foxx Pitching in 1945: A Surprising Story

Back in July 1980, the Boston Globe recalled that Jimmie Foxx’s “final appearance in the majors was as a pitcher. “In 1945, when he was 37, Foxx had slipped badly and was hanging on by his fingertips with the Phillies. One day, Ben Chapman, Phils’ manager, came to Jimmie.” Chapman told Foxx, “We’re desperate. Would […]

A Question of Ownership

From 1933-1988 there was one constant in the Boston Red Sox organization—the Yawkey family.  For 55 years, the team was owned by either Tom or his wife Jean, and three generations of my family lived, breathed, cried, and bled Boston Red Sox baseball under Yawkey’s watch.  But prior to Yawkey’s purchase of the team, seven […]