Andre, Cory and Luis

In my previous blog about my first Trot Nixon sighting, I mention being at Fenway Park on September, 1, 1993 for batting practice. I was also still at Fenway Park at 1:30 a.m.! There was a long rain delay that night and the game went into extra innings but the Rangers beat the Red Sox 5-3 in 12 innings. There weren't many people left in the park when the game ended. It also happened to be Nolan Ryan's last visit to Fenway and the fans gave him a huge standing ovation.

Okay, now to Andre Dawson, Cory Bailey and Luis Ortiz.

That summer my sister had access to the family room at Fenway Park because she babysat the trainer's children during the games for a couple of weeks. After the game (at 1:30 a.m.) we were waiting to say goodbye to Charley (the trainer)in the family room. There were only two other families (okay, we weren't family but no one knew that) waiting in the family room. Andre Dawson's wife and two little girls were there. I'm assuming the children had been sleeping during the game but they were wide awake now and cute as could be. Andre walked in and my first impression of him was that he had very long, very skinny legs and he was hobbling when he walked. His knees were so bad by then that when his little girls ran up to him, it was difficult for him to bend down to pick them up. His huge smile absolutely lit up his face when he saw those two munchkins.

The other people in the family room were the mother and father of Cory Bailey. He never became a very good pitcher but on September 1, 1993, he made his pitching debut for the Red Sox and the first batter he had to face in a tie ballgame was Juan Gonzalez. Yikes! Talk about getting thrown to the vultures! Cory got out of the inning without allowing a base runner. I swear he floated into the family room that night. His parents asked what it was like facing Juan Gonzalez and he said, "he looked 10 feet tall from only 60 feet away".

Accompanying Cory Bailey was Luis Ortiz. He's another player who came and went through the Red Sox organization in a couple of years. He'd made his Red Sox debut the night before on August 31, 1993. He came to bat 3 times and got two hits and an RBI. The Sox only scored one run that night. Luis was still floating on air from his major league debut. As everyone was filing out of the family room to the parking lot, I congratulated Luis on his good first game. I'm sure he figured I was someones mother (I am but not the mother of a Red Sox player) and he turned around and grabbed my hand saying "thank you, thank you very much! It was really exciting!"

There isn't a huge point to this blog except to get a little insight into the lives of the baseball players that most of us don't get to see. I'm one of the old fans so I can relate to watching Youk's Mom shouting from the stands watching her son hit a home run for his first major league hit. I know how proud Cory Bailey's parents were that night. I've watched Trot Nixon's son, Chase, stand along the wall that's in front of his spring training seat, with his head in his hands as he watches every pitch of the game intently. I think we may see him playing in the major leagues in 20 years or so. I go to all the spring training games and I like to stay after the 7th inning to watch the young guys getting their chance to play with some of the major league players. I saw Iggy Suarez get his first hit and then he stayed after the game to sign autographs.

I've rambled long enough. I also apologize for the picture placement being wacky but it's the best someone who is almost computer illiterate can do.

My first Trot Nixon sighting

Many of my sistahs have heard my story about the first time I saw Trot Nixon. Today is a good day to blog about it. I am very sad that Trot will no longer be wearing a Red Sox uniform. The longer the J.D. Drew announcement didn't happen, I had a glimmer of hope that the Sox would find a place for Trot. He's found a place in my heart.

Here's my story:

Back in 1993 one of my sisters (that's a real sister and not a Sistah) would babysit during the games for the children of Charley Moss, the Red Sox trainer back then. She had access to the family room inside Fenway Park and knew the security guy who would let her in through the parking lot. My daughter and I were going to a game with her on September 1 and she said she knew how to get us into batting practice early. It worked like a charm. We walked by the security guard, into Fenway, past the family room and out to the field.

My sister looked around and thought it was odd that so few people were in the stands watching batting practice. Then she noticed Dan Duquette was there and many more reporters than were usually on the field at that time. We quietly sat down to watch. Strangely, none of us were wearing any Red Sox items that day. Dan Duquette came over to us and asked if we were with the Rangers (the Sox were playing the Rangers that day). We said no and he walked away. The three of us looked at each other and thought it was an odd question but also started to feel we were somewhere we shouldn't be.

It turned out it was a closed batting practice and it was the first day the new Red Sox draft pick was going to be wearing a Sox uniform and taking some batting practice. Trot Nixon was signed as a first round draft pick on August 31 and this was the next day. His father was there to watch him. When Trot went into the batting cage, all the other Sox players on the field stopped what they were doing and watched him swing the bat. I can't remember how well he hit or didn't hit the ball that day but I enjoyed watching the other players watch him.

It was another 3 years before we saw Trot make his major league debut in September, 1996 and he proudly wore the Red Sox uniform for another 10 years. He was part of the magical 2004 World Series Champion team. He was one of the original Dirt Dogs and was known for the dirty hat he wore all season long. Most Red Sox fans remember the story of Trot trying to get home for the birth of his son, Chase, on September 11, 2001.

I hope he does well in Cleveland and that the fans treat him well. Kathryn and Trot Nixon worked on many charitable causes during their stay in Boston and I've heard they want to come back to Boston when his career is over. I hope the front office is there to greet him with open arms.

Good luck, Trot!

Reflecting on the 2006 Season

While enjoying a few cocktails with a some of my Sox Sistahs at the Cask, I ventured onto the topic of what they thought of the 2006 Red Sox season. People have a tendency to seek me out to discuss everything Sox and I have been amazed at how negative people have been about the 2006 season. It surprises me, because I don't really judge a season by the standings at the end of the year. I look at the big picture of the entire season. If for the most part I have been able to enjoy a full season of competitive baseball, then I'm happy. Here are some of the memories of 2006 that helped make the season bright for me.

• I was thrilled to see Curt Schilling pitch in early April like the Curt Schilling we knew in 2004.


• Kevin Youkilis at first base playing like he was born to be on first.


• Our incredible defensive infield, Yo Lo Go Lo Va.


• Everything about Mike Lowell.


• Mark Loretta's walk off on Patriots Day.


• Jonathan Papelbon shutting the other team down in the ninth.


• Watching Jon Lester get his first major league win.


• Doug Mirabelli's dramatic entrance back with the Red Sox right before game time.


• Seeing the rookies get hazed by the veterans.


• Jason Varitek breaking Carlton Fisk's Red Sox catching record.


• David Ortiz and his outstanding 54 home runs.

Well off the top of my head these are what I remember about the 2006 season. I'm sure I've missed a few stellar moments and would love to have some additional input, so please comment and add your own favorite moments of 2006.

Here's to a Winning 2007!

We Know Where We Were

There are those dates in history where people will ask you where you were when it happened and you instantly know the answer without hesitation. Today is a day that all Red Sox fans know where they were and how they reacted.

This is a day that actually changed my existence as a baseball fan forever. I thought maybe it was temporary, but after two years I can honestly say that having the Red Sox actually win the World Series on October 27, 2004 really did change my life. I'm sure that may sound ridiculous for those that aren't diehard Red Sox fans but I'm sure some of you understand.

I had planned to have people over during the weekend to watch the World Series, as I never even considered the possibility that the Red Sox could actually sweep the series and it would be over by Wednesday. My husband and I were together in our living room in awe of what we were seeing. Not only was the moon outside now red but the Red Sox were about to finally win the World Series in our lifetime. As the final out was made I was completely overwhelmed with emotion and suddenly began to sob. I wasn't crying quietly I was uncontrollably sobbing. All I could think of was how happy my mother would have been to have experienced the joy of winning. I felt like she was somehow there with us, along with my father and his father. Generations of Red Sox fans alive and dead all sharing the moment of victory together.

I now can watch my Red Sox and not have that deprived feeling. I'm not desperate any longer when the season begins. I'm joyous that baseball is finally here again and hopeful for a good season.

I can just think about that moment in 2004 when the Red Sox finally became the World Champions and I feel happy and at peace. I cherish my memories of that very special team and I'm appreciative that I lived to see it.