Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
April 11, 2005
Sox Celebration

The Boston Pops are at Fenway, and as the played Also Sprach Zarathustra, banners were unfurled over the Green Monster for each previous World Series victory. As the Pops reached the end of the piece, a banner the size of the wall was unfurled over the smaller flags, covering them with World Series 2004 Champions. A well choreographed moment.

Update: Terry Francona just came out to get his ring. They have an image of each ring on the scoreboard in center. The name of the individual player is in the side of the ring. It's not clear what order they're using, as Francona is followed by Burks, then Wakefield, then Nixon.

Update: Derek Lowe is actually there, in a Red Sox shirt, and the crowd is giving him a big cheer.

Update: Johnny Pesky just got his ring. This has to be a huge moment for him. He connects the playoff disappointments that started in 1946 with the victory of 2004. It's good he lived long enough to see this day.

Update: They just raised the banner in centerfield. They had a number of Red Sox greats there to help hoist the banner as they played Hail Red Sox Nation. Pesky and Yaz had a big hug after the banner went up.

Update: Now the Yankees are being introduced, and you can hear some fans booing the equipment manager. I guess A-Rod is really going to get it.

Update: Mariano Rivera gets a big cheer from the crowd. He seems to be taking it in good humor.

Update: Torre gets cheered. Seems everyone respects Joe. The rest of the order is getting booed. Jeter, A-Rod and Posada got the biggest boos.

Update: For the first pitch, the Sox brought in other Boston champs; Bobby Orr, Bill Russell, Richard Seymor and Teddy Bruschi. The fans are real happy to see Teddy, and he looks pretty healthy.


Posted by David Pinto at 02:17 PM | Baseball | TrackBack (0)
Comments

Order of who played with the Sox MLB club first, I'd imagine.

Posted by: Mike at April 11, 2005 02:57 PM

Has anyone found a picture of the rings yet? I wasn't able to see the ceremonies, but would be curious to see the rings.

Posted by: Mike H at April 11, 2005 03:07 PM

Yahoo news has pix, it's a slideshow, can't find a good URL. Nice to see that Bruschi & Francona are healthy. Now if only the Yankees can spoil the day.

Posted by: RobertJ at April 11, 2005 03:56 PM

I think Mike's basically right - order of appearance with the big club. Looks like they broke it down by year, as midseason acquisitions and callups like Mike Myers and Phil Siebell got their rings before Curt Schilling (who was followed by Dave Roberts, the last of the players in attendance who joined the Sox).

The ovation for Rivera was something else. I was really impressed by how he handled it. Class guy.

Posted by: Eric Blair at April 11, 2005 05:10 PM

Props to Rivera for taking the whole thing on the chin, smiling and raising his cap to the fans at Fenway.

Posted by: Iain at April 11, 2005 06:29 PM

Must be alot of Yanks fans here, F the Yanks...F the Sox, Go Phils.....btw Roberts and Lowe shuld NOT have worn Sox jerseys.

Posted by: That Dude from Philly at April 11, 2005 10:34 PM

Yep, good to see Mariano being a good sport with the Sox fans, no matter how much they may hate him (or love him due to the saves he blew in the postseason). He'll be fine, he just doesn't pitch well against Boston.

Posted by: Jared B. at April 12, 2005 04:29 AM

I had tears in my eyes during the ceremony. It was a positively amazing day.

And I was surprised at first about Roberts and Lowe wearing Sox jerseys, but the more I thought about it, it seemed like the right thing after all. Tthey were special jerseys made just for the ceremony. Even the active players changed out of them for the game. This was a celebration honoring the 2004 team and what they accomplished. Lowe and Roberts were huge parts of that. It wouldn't be right to separate them from the rest of the team and tell them to wear street clothes. It was the last moment in the sun for the 2004 Red Sox. And for Lowe especially, I think it was a bit of much-needed closure. He never wanted to leave Boston. I'm glad he got his chance to say goodbye. And the crowd gave him a great cheer.

Posted by: Nomars Girl at April 12, 2005 09:31 PM
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