Tim Healey (The Hardball Times) has an oral history of that unique and legendary event.
Mirabelli, on the flight back to Boston: They cleared us straight over Cleveland. I guess with airplanes they typically don't go over other airspace, they have to go around it. But for this occasion, they cleared us straight over Cleveland.The game: Red Sox 7, Yankees 3.
Kevin Towers, Padres GM: I had heard stories about clearing airspace. I'm like, "My god, Doug Mirabelli?" Mirabelli, man. They must really want this guy bad if they're sending a private jet to pick him up and clearing airspace over Boston.
Mirabelli: The pilot said to me after we got cleared over New York, "I don't even know who you are, but I've carried hearts and lungs and never had this much clearance over airspace." ...
Mirabelli: There is a — and I'm not kidding — line of planes lined up to land at Logan all the way back to Providence. There's like 20 planes lined up to land, and they cleared us in front of all of them. ...
Towers: Maybe I should've asked for more than just [Josh] Bard and [Cla] Meredith.
Also: An oral history of Kirk Gibson's game-winning home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
P.S.: And if you like oral histories, you should already have a copy of Don't Let Us Win Tonight!
4 comments:
This article was a trip. The police mention that they would not do this kind of thing again (all the traffic clearing and such). I think reading the whole thing brings out that there was a unique feeling in the air. 2004 had happened, there was a hangover from a disappointing 2005; there was just enough fandom and panic and name recognition of Mirabelli...wow.
"The police mention that they would not do this kind of thing again (all the traffic clearing and such)."
What else can they say today? But circumstances alter cases, and under the right circumstances, I'm sure the police would quickly forget this statement.
Classic. That whole thing was amazing, I remember watching that game. Also reminded me of Dougie's Goin' Deep Tonight!
http://quinnmedia.blogspot.ca/2006/07/day-in-life-of-doug-mirabelli.html
Sweet!
Post a Comment