In 1977, the first season of Scott's second stint with the Red Sox, the 13-year-old me sent a letter to the team asking for Scott's autograph. About six weeks later, a signed photo arrived. I still have the picture and the envelope it came in.
That season was one I remember as a great deal of fun. Scott mashed 33 taters for a homer-happy Red Sox club that won 97 games and finished in second place.
The card at left is from that summer and shows the Boomer wearing his necklace of what he claimed were second basemen's teeth.
Here is SoSH's thread on Scott.
[Also: Frank Castillo, who pitched for the Red Sox in 2001, 2002 and 2004, drowned on Sunday. He was 44.]
I was sorry to hear this.
ReplyDeleteFrank Castillo, who pitched for the Red Sox in 2001, 2002 and 2004
He was one of The 25?
From my favorite article "A Day of Light and Shadows"
ReplyDeletehttp://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1094659/1/index.htm
"Between 1970 and 1977 I had spent nearly $15,000 listening to Red Sox broadcasts. In a hotel in Paris I had heard George Scott strike out in Seattle. From my father's home in London I had heard George Scott strike out in Detroit. From Palm Springs, Calif. I had listened to at least 100 complete games, attaching the phone to a playback device that amplified the sound. One could actually walk around the room without holding the receiver. One could even leave the room, walk down the corridor and into a bathroom to stare glumly into one's eyes in a mirror and still pick up the faint sound of George Scott slamming into a double play in Baltimore."
Too soon?
Castillo, was on the roster, but I do not believe he was one of the "25" . A lot of players were on that roster that year.
ReplyDeleteThat was pretty cool the Red Sox sent you that picture.
Not one of the 25. He pitched in only two games that year (both in early April), facing four batters.
ReplyDelete"Light and Shadows" is a great bit of writing.
Terrible job by the NYT for mentioning David Wells in Scott's obit.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, not one of The 25. Undoubtedly why I can barely recall him. So young, though.
ReplyDeleteA Day of Light and Shadows - wonderful. Up there with Green Fields of the Mind.
I thought I had written awhile back about how Giamatti's piece had lost a lot of its power for me. I had.
ReplyDeleteI was 12 in 1967...Tony C, Boomer, Lonborg, Rico, Yaz, Reggie Smith, Joe Foy, Mike Andrews, Jose Tartabull, Jose Santiago etc etc - turned the sawx around forever...
ReplyDeleteTony C. and Boomer my all time favs...and both are gone.
:(