Impossible Dream: Red Sox Nation Begins

[dannycater]

Everyone always talks about Teddy Ballgame as larger than life. I feel that way about Yaz. This guy just ooozes respect and professionalism (and he was booed by fans for dogging it and booed even more for the perception he got Dick Williams fired). He was and is an all-time icon. Like the interview for that documentary, it's literally talking to a legend. The '75 All-Star Game. Wow, the Natural. I mean the way he walked up to the plate. His great clutch hits in 75 and his defense in LF after Rice got hurt, 78 Playoff HR off Guidry. Yaz wasn't the last of that Era of baseball, but he sure as hell is the only Sox player that I feel like I'm a little kid just listening to him or watching old highlights. He just was a God to me.

[dustcover]

I've forgotten which game it was, but I recall it was late in the season. A fellow was in traffic heading home from work one afternoon and was listening to an afternoon Sox game on his car radio. As he approached the entrance to the tunnel, the radio announcer (it may have been Ned Martin or Ken Coleman) described Yaz advancing to the plate late in the game with runners on base with the Sox behind in a close scoring game. Knowing that he'd loose radio reception in the tunnel, the fellow stopped his car right there at the entrance to the tunnel. Naturally this caused a major traffic jam with numerous cars behind him vigorously honking their horns. The fellow gets out of his car and hollers back, "Yaz is up with two men on". The word was then passed back through the long line of cars, and the honking horns quickly subsided. The guy proceeded to call out pitch by pitch which was passed back while everyone in the long line of cars patiently waited for the conclusion of Yaz's at bat.

 

I wish I could remember the result of the at bat, but it was so long ago. However, the traffic following his at bat immediately resumed through the tunnel with no recorded complaints.

[a700hitter]

Everyone always talks about Teddy Ballgame as larger than life. I feel that way about Yaz. This guy just ooozes respect and professionalism (and he was booed by fans for dogging it and booed even more for the perception he got Dick Williams fired). He was and is an all-time icon. Like the interview for that documentary, it's literally talking to a legend. The '75 All-Star Game. Wow, the Natural. I mean the way he walked up to the plate. His great clutch hits in 75 and his defense in LF after Rice got hurt, 78 Playoff HR off Guidry. Yaz wasn't the last of that Era of baseball, but he sure as hell is the only Sox player that I feel like I'm a little kid just listening to him or watching old highlights. He just was a God to me.

You couldn't throw a fastball by Yaz. It just couldn't be done. And after 1967, pitchers threw at him all the time, often up at his head. He rarely got hit as he was so quick to spin out of the way and he would get right back in a swing even more ferociously. He would spin himself into the ground from swinging so hard. Yet he didn't strike out a lot.

 

You mentioned the 1975 All Star Game. I remember it. He was sent up to PH against Tom Seaver. They didn't have a helmet for Yaz so he went up to bat with his Red Sox hat and inside protector and he blasted the first Seaver pitch for a 3 run Home Run to either tie the game of put them ahead. Instead of keeping Yaz in the game, the manager, Alvin Dark from Oakland put his play Claudell Washington in the game in LF. I think he made an error in the field or a misplay or pilled a rock on the bases, but I remember him screwing up. The AL lost and the papers the next day criticized Dark for not keeping Yaz in the game.

 

In the 1975 ALCS, Yaz was forced back to LF by Jim Rice's injury and he dominated the series defensively in LF. I can't remember a LFer ever dominating a series defensively like that.

[Spudboy]

Yaz was the best defensive left fielder I ever saw.

 

Of course there must be some statistics to shoot down my observation.

[a700hitter]

Yaz was the best defensive left fielder I ever saw.

 

Of course there must be some statistics to shoot down my observation.

What you saw was an illusion created by your unconscious bias. LOL!!

[Spudboy]

And while on the topic of defensive Wizardry, Gerorge Scott was heads above ANY 1st baseman I ever saw too.

 

I look at guys like Horseface, Agon, and Moreland and wonder what the f*** a "Gold Glove" represents.

 

None of those guys could carry Boomer's glove.

 

But I am sure someone will point out he had a lower UZR than those three.

[a700hitter]

And while on the topic of defensive Wizardry, Gerorge Scott was heads above ANY 1st baseman I ever saw too.

 

I look at guys like Horseface, Agon, and Moreland and wonder what the f*** a "Gold Glove" represents.

 

None of those guys could carry Boomer's glove.

 

But I am sure someone will point out he had a lower UZR than those three.

And Boomer player 3B too

[a700hitter]

And while on the topic of defensive Wizardry, Gerorge Scott was heads above ANY 1st baseman I ever saw too.

 

I look at guys like Horseface, Agon, and Moreland and wonder what the f*** a "Gold Glove" represents.

 

None of those guys could carry Boomer's glove.

 

But I am sure someone will point out he had a lower UZR than those three.

Didn't he play with the same first basemen's mitt for most of his career? My recollection is that he named that mitt.

[Spudboy]

Didn't he play with the same first basemen's mitt for most of his career? My recollection is that he named that mitt.

 

That I do not recall.

 

Although I did see two of his Gold Gloves in Falmouth one summer.

 

He married a local girl named Malvena Pena.

 

I'm not kidding.

[cp176]

That I do not recall.

 

Although I did see two of his Gold Gloves in Falmouth one summer.

 

He married a local girl named Malvena Pena.

 

I'm not kidding.

 

I just saw some of the old footage from 67 again and I had forgotten not only how good Scott was but how good he looked for a big man. Fit and strong.

and speaking of unique names, how about this one - true story. Local legend in these parts Mr. Doobey named his first born daughter Anita!

[cp176]

Yaz was the best defensive left fielder I ever saw.

 

Of course there must be some statistics to shoot down my observation.

 

I'm pretty sure that my memory does embellish the remembrances of my past. A few months ago I was set straight with respect to Freddie Lynn. I guess I just (miss) remember things. I like it better that way though. We are very fortunate that we saw some of the truly great players in the organization's history play and regardless of what the statistics say and regardless of how much I do like our current outfield, for me they still rank third on my all time list. For some who saw Williams and D. Dimaggio play, I bet they rank fourth. That still isn't bad but we were very fortunate to see the best play out there.

[Spudboy]

Jose Tartabul is legend.

[Bellhorn04]

Rico Petrocelli came off as a wicked cool old dude in the doc.

[dannycater]

The eye test doesn't fail on Yaz, Lynn, Evans and Betts, Bradley as 5 truly terrific defensive outfielders and Darren Lewis for what it's worth could play wicked good defense as well. I felt Ellsbury did a good job as well, but often he made up for late jumps with his speed. In the current series with Sox, Ellsbury reminds me that he covered the ground very well in Fenway.

[cp176]

danny - didn't we need a third baseman when we did this deal as well? See ya later Sparky.

[Spudboy]

Rico Petrocelli came off as a wicked cool old dude in the doc.

 

Ricco has always been cool.

 

He was very popular among blue collar types back in the day.

[Kimmi]

Ricco has always been cool.

 

He was very popular among blue collar types back in the day.

 

With a name like Rico Petrocelli, how can you not be cool?

 

Not having lived through it like some of you did, I really enjoyed the documentary. It gave me goose bumps. I wish I could have experienced that season.

[Bellhorn04]

With a name like Rico Petrocelli, how can you not be cool?

 

Not having lived through it like some of you did, I really enjoyed the documentary. It gave me goose bumps. I wish I could have experienced that season.

 

I just missed the 1967 season myself but it had a lot to do with me being a Sox fan shortly after that.

[a700hitter]

Americo Petrocelli

[dustcover]

I just missed the 1967 season myself but it had a lot to do with me being a Sox fan shortly after that.

 

As a fan of close to 70 years, IMO there's never been a season quite like 1967. Notwithstanding 2004, 1967 was a once in a lifetime experience.

 

To capture some additional insight, on Youtube click on 1967 Red Sox. There are a wide assortment of film clips that will thrust you back into that euphoric season.

[oldtimer]

As a fan of close to 70 years, IMO there's never been a season quite like 1967. Notwithstanding 2004, 1967 was a once in a lifetime experience.

 

To capture some additional insight, on Youtube click on 1967 Red Sox. There are a wide assortment of film clips that will thrust you back into that euphoric season.

 

One of my favorite teams of all time was the 1949 Sox. I was a young fan at that time and of course Yaz had a fabulous season in 1967.

[cp176]

One of my favorite teams of all time was the 1949 Sox. I was a young fan at that time and of course Yaz had a fabulous season in 1967.

 

Do you remember that 1946 team?

[oldtimer]

Do you remember that 1946 team?

 

I was around but not old enough to appreciate the team although i was listening on the radio, even then.

[cp176]

I was around but not old enough to appreciate the team although i was listening on the radio, even then.

 

I've always wondered if Dom. D was in centerfield on that particular day, Ted would have gotten the title that he deserved.

[dustcover]

I've always wondered if Dom. D was in centerfield on that particular day, Ted would have gotten the title that he deserved.

 

There are many who would agree that DiMaggio would not have misplayed that ball hit to center field. But give Hall of Famer Enos 'Country' Slaughter his due by unhesitatingly making that 'Mad Dash' from first all the away around the bases to score. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7cup8gGMLE

[cp176]

There are many who would agree that DiMaggio would not have misplayed that ball hit to center field. But give Hall of Famer Enos 'Country' Slaughter his due by unhesitatingly making that 'Mad Dash' from first all the away around the bases to score. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7cup8gGMLE

 

I certainly do but from what I have read, many seemed to think that if Dom had been in center, Enos would have settled in at third.