Tag Archives: Hall of Fame

NHL Lobbies for O’Ree Congressional Gold Medal

In January of 1958, against the rival Montreal Canadiens, Willie O’Ree made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins. In doing so he became the first black player in the NHL. Now 61 years later, the NHL is lobbying for O’Ree, 83, to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. It’s the highest civilian award that Congress can give.

Facing Racism

O’Ree faced many hardships throughout his career. He had to put up with racist taunts from other players, as well as fans, on a regular basis. He once recounted that fans would yell things such as, “How come you’re not picking cotton?” and, “Go back to the South!” Yet Willie stood his ground and persevered. Between major and minor leagues O’Ree played 21 years, and he’s commonly described as “the Jackie Robinson of hockey”.

25-year-old left wing Willie O’Ree, the first black player of the National Hockey League, warms up in his Boston Bruins uniform, prior to the game with the New York Rangers, at New York’s Madison Square Garden, on November 23, 1960. (AP Photo)

Hockey For Life

After his playing career ended in 1979, Willie O’Ree stayed with hockey. He’s been the NHL’s Diversity Ambassador since 1998, promoting inclusion and confidence in youth hockey programs throughout North America. In 2018 the NHL created the annual Willie O’Ree award for the person who made a positive impact on their community through hockey. Making 2018 even more significant, O’Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The Congressional Gold Medal

Now, Senator Tim Scott of North Carolina and Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan are co-sponsoring a bill, along with the NHL, to award Willie O’Ree with the Congressional Gold Medal for his efforts to promote diversification and community wellness through hockey.

Speaking to O’Ree at a press conference, Sen. Scott said, “You were the grandson of slaves from South Carolina. I would just like to put the icing on the cake from my perspective that this country continues to evolve in the right direction. That in a time and date when there’s so much incivility, so much division and polarization, the one thing that you represent today is what you represented in 1958, is that, in this country, all things are possible.”

The Career of Julian Edelman

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Edelman’s Origin

What I really want to do in this article is to take a look at Julian Edelman’s Hall of Fame (HOF) chances. But in order to do so, it’s important to start at the beginning. As many know, Edelman actually started out as a Quarterback. To start his college career, he attended the College of San Mateo, where he threw for 14 touchdowns and rushed for 17 more, a school record. The next step in his journey was Kent State.

Edelman started out his career as a quarterback at San Mateo and Kent State — Edelman Playing Quarterback at Kent State

Starting each of his three years, Edelman threw for a total of 30 touchdowns, but 31 interceptions. Despite his poor passing performance, his running stood out. He rushed for a total of 22 touchdowns at Kent State, 13 of which came in his final season. When it came to the NFL Draft, Edelman was drafted 232nd by the New England Patriots.

Patriots WR Julian Edelman, in midst of a career year, has been dubbed "Minitron" by Tom Brady (per @tomecurran, http://t.co/jU7nsprMZu).
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) December 2, 2013

From Edelman to Minitron

As we all know, Edelman turned into a Wide Receiver/Punt Returner once he was drafted. While he made a name for himself returning punts and kicks for big gains here and there, Edelman wasn’t really a known receiver for his first four seasons. He put together a total of 714 yards and 4 touchdowns in his first four seasons. Then Wes Welker left, and everything changed. In Edelman’s fifth season, he put together a phenomenal 1056 yards and 6 touchdowns, totaling more than his previous four years combined. That postseason, Edelman put up an 84 yard game and an 89 yard game.

It was this season that Edelman earned a new nickname from Tom Brady: Minitron.

Canton, Ohio

It would take far too long to dissect every one of Edelman’s seasons in detail – he’s been that great and important. But when you look at what he’s done, especially in the postseason, you can’t help but be in awe. Sure, he’s had the GOAT passing to him for basically his entire career, but that doesn’t take away from what he’s done. Edelman ranks 2nd in both postseason receptions and yards only behind the great Jerry Rice. He also is known to be one of the most clutch receivers, if not players, in the history of the sport, and he has a Super Bowl MVP on top of it all! So is it far-fetched and crazy to say he should be in Canton, Ohio? My answer to that question, is no.

Should Edelman make the Pro Football Hall of Fame? — Pro Football Hall of Fame – Canton, Ohio

I strongly believe that when Edelman’s career is over, he should become a Hall of Famer eventually. The postseason stats are there. The rings are there. The Super Bowl MVP is there. And most importantly, the trajectory is there. The way Edelman is used and his work ethic have me believing that he can play two more years at this same level. With Brady all but confirming that he’ll play until he’s 45 years old, I see no reason why Edelman can’t strengthen his career enough to one day land in Canton.

The Greatest Red Sox Legends by Uniform Number: 26-30

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The uniform numbers 26-30 bring two more Hall of Famers and retired numbers. On top of that, we have a hero from the 2004 team that broke the curse. Who are they and who joins them on this list?

Number 26 – Wade Boggs

Wade Boggs is a Hall of Famer and has his number 26 retired by the Red Sox. He built his Hall of Fame career with the Sox as the best hitter of the 1980’s, and is a top five third baseman of All-Time. He led the league in batting average in five out of the first six seasons he was eligible, and would have won in 1982 had he accumulated enough at-bats. Boggs also led the league in on-base percentage in six of his first seven eligible seasons.

Boggs joined the Red Sox in 1982 and batted .349 over 104 games. He then went on to eclipse 200 base hits in seven consecutive seasons, a Major League record. From 1983-88, Boggs batted .356/.448/.489/.937. He hit over .360 four times and .357 during his other batting title. Between 1983 and 1991 he had over 40 doubles in eight of nine seasons, leading the league twice.

Boggs’ .338 average with the team is second best in franchise history to Ted Williams. His on-base percentage is third and if you are a fan of WAR, he is third in that as well. He is far and away the greatest number 26, no one else even gets a mention.

Number 27 – Carlton Fisk

Carlton Fisk also has his number retired by the team. The Hall of Fame catcher hit one of the most memorable home runs in the history of baseball to win game six of the 1975 World Series. He is the best catcher in team history and a true Red Sox legend.

Fisk joined the Red Sox full-time in 1972. That season he made the All-Star Game, won Rookie of the Year, the Gold Glove, and placed fourth in the MVP vote. Surprisingly, he led the American League with nine triples that season.

After hitting 48 home runs over his first two seasons, Fisk missed a lot of time in 1974 and 1975, but when he played, he was great. Over 131 games and 450 at-bats those two seasons, Fisk hit .318 with 21 home runs and a .928 OPS. He of course then hit that legendary home run.

Perhaps his best offensive season came in 1977. That year, Fisk batted .315 with 26 home runs and drove in 102 runners. His .922 OPS was his best for a full season of work. One could still argue his rookie season was better.

Fisk was with the Red Sox for roughly a decade before the front office royally screwed up his contract, allowing him to sign elsewhere. He batted .284 and hit 162 regular season home runs during that time. He was a seven-time All-Star before leaving for the south side of Chicago.

Honorable Mentions: Greg Harris, Bill Monbouquette

Number 28 – Sparky Lyle

This one might not stay Sparky Lyle for long, as J.D. Martinez just had a monster first season with the Red Sox. In fact, I would suspect I will change this by the end of 2019. But for now, I have to give the nod to five good seasons over one great one.

Lyle should have been a Red Sox pitcher longer than he was. Traded for Danny Cater after the 1971 season in an ill-advised move, the trade has gone down in history as one of the franchise’s worst. Before being dealt, Lyle had put together five good seasons as the Red Sox best relief pitcher. Lyle was 22-17 with a 2.85 ERA and 69 saves during that time in Boston. His ERA was only higher than 2.75 once.

After being traded for over-the-hill Danny Cater (and quite frankly the never very good Danny Cater), Lyle unfortunately went on to a stellar career with the Yankees. He won a Cy Young Award, and placed third in the Cy Young vote his first season in New York. He saved 141 games and pitched to a 2.41 ERA while with the Yankees. Meanwhile, Danny Cater had a .685 OPS over three seasons as a part-time player for the Red Sox.

Honorable Mentions: JD Martinez, Doug Mirabelli, Adrian Gonzalez

Sparky Lyle #28 of the Boston Red Sox poses for a picture circa 1967-1971. (Photo by Louis Requena/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Number 29 – Keith Foulke

Keith Foulke is a Red Sox legend; a hero from the 2004 curse breaking team who should never have to pay for another beer in New England. What Foulke did in 2004 is nothing short of remarkable. Foulke pitched very well in the regular season, but it was during the ALCS and World Series that his name went down in history.

Signed to a contract in the offseason to become the Red Sox new closer, Foulke had an ERA under 2.00 for most of the season, finishing the year at 2.17 with 32 saves in 83 innings pitched. Foulke would tack on 14 more innings in the Postseason, with many of them coming in consecutive games.

Foulke pitched three shutout innings against the Angels in the ALDS. After appearing in Games 1 and 2, Foulke pitched 2.2 shutout innings in the 14-inning Game 4 against the Yankees. His pitching prolonged the game and allowed the Red Sox the chance to keep their season alive. Without that effort, his longest outing of the season, the Red Sox couldn’t have done what they did. After throwing 50 pitches, Foulke came back the next day to get four outs in another extra-innings game. He came back the very next day to close out the Yankees in game 6, despite having thrown over 70 pitches the previous two days.

After getting Game 7 to rest, Foulke pitched in all four games of the World Series, going more than an inning again in Game 1. In total he allowed one run in 14 innings of work, and the innings could not be higher leverage situations than they were.

Keith Foulke likely gave his career to those pitching performances, as he was never the same after. I’m guessing he would do it all again.

Honorable Mentions: Roger Moret, Adrian Beltre, Daniel Nava

Keith Foulke #29 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 to win game four of the World Series. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Number 30 – Jose Santiago

The number 30 certainly doesn’t offer some of the names these other numbers do. Santiago had three good seasons with the Red Sox, before battling injuries and being forced out of the league.

Santiago joined the Red Sox in 1966, winning 12 games and posting a solid 3.66 ERA. The next season, he was a key member of the bullpen while also making 11 starts for the “Impossible Dream” team. He was 12-4 with a 3.59 ERA over 145.1 innings pitched. He did not fare so well in the World Series, losing two of the games to the Cardinals.

1968 was his final effective season, and he made the All-Star Game. Over 18 starts before his injury to his elbow, Santiago was 9-4 with a stellar 2.25 ERA. He threw seven complete games, two of them shutouts. He did battle back the next season and pitched reasonably well over 10 relief appearances, but he could no longer throw his signature pitch. Santiago did not last long in 1970 and was out of baseball. He did not wear the number 30 that final season though, going 33-21 with a 3.25 ERA while wearing this number with the Red Sox.

Honorable Mentions: John Tudor, Andrew Miller

Jose Santiago poses for a headshot.
(Photo by Boston Red Sox)

Featured picture taken from MLB.com

The Greatest Red Sox Legends by Uniform Number: 21-25

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There are no Hall of Famers in the numbers 21 through 25 for the Red Sox. However, that statement can be a bit misleading. Four of the five I have selected could be Hall of Famers if not for varying reasons. Two of them are borderline cases that have received varying support, while another clearly has the numbers to be there.

Number 21 – Roger Clemens

“The Rocket” would clearly be a Hall of Famer based purely upon his numbers and awards. During his time with the Red Sox, Clemens became “The Rocket” and was a Hall of Fame pitcher for roughly a decade. During that time, he won an MVP Award and had a third-place finish. Clemens also won three Cy Young Awards while also finishing in second and third during other seasons.

Clemens broke out in 1986 with his first Cy Young Award and his MVP Award. He had his first 20 strikeout game in April that season en route to striking out 238 batters for the season. He led the league in wins, ERA, and WHIP as he finished 24-4 for the pennant-winning club.

Clemens led the league in wins again in 1987 as he won the Cy Young Award. After two more very good seasons, Clemens was as dominant as ever between 1990 and 1992. He finished second in the Cy Young vote in 1990 due to Bob Welch’s 27 wins, but Clemens was the better pitcher. He led the league with a 1.93 ERA that season and finished 21-6. Clemens led the league in ERA again in both 1991 and 1992, giving him three straight ERA crowns to begin the nineties.

Clemens tailed off from there, but pitched very well for a bad team in 1994 and looked like vintage Rocket down the stretch in 1996 when he punched out 20 batters in a game for the second time. He went 192-111 with a 3.06 ERA and struck out 2590 batters during his time in Boston. From 1986-92 he averaged a season of 19-9 with a 2.66 ERA and 239 strikeouts. There is a strong argument for retiring his number.

Honorable Mentions: Tex Hughson, Ray Culp

Number 22 – Rick Porcello

At number 22, we get an active Red Sox. Porcello has had an up and down Red Sox career, but he did win a Cy Young Award and contribute to the 2018 World Series champions, so at a thin number he gets the edge.

Porcello came to the Red Sox in 2015 on a questionable contract given his mediocrity to date. The decision looked like a disaster that first season as he was 9-15 with an ERA approaching 5.00. Porcello bounced back to enjoy a career year in his second season in Boston. In 2016, he led the league in wins, finishing 22-4 with a 3.15 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. His 189 strikeouts were far and away – a career high at the time.

Porcello regressed again in 2017, leading the American League with 17 losses despite playing for a division-winning ballclub. His strikeout numbers did stay up, however, but his home run rate skyrocketed. This past season Porcello found some middle ground, posting a 4.28 ERA while finishing with a 17-7 record. He set a career high in strikeouts with 190 over 191.1 innings. In the postseason, he made three starts and two key relief appearances, pitching to a 3.52 ERA. It’s been an interesting career in Boston for Porcello.

Honorable Mentions: Sammy White, Bill Campbell

Number 23 – Luis Tiant

Tiant is one of the most popular pitchers in franchise history. Tiant had some good seasons in Cleveland in the sixties but hadn’t been good since breaking a bone in his shoulder. He led the league with 20 losses in 1969, a season after winning 21 and posting a 1.60 ERA. He missed a lot of time in 1970 and the Red Sox were able to sign him during the 1971 season off the scrap heap.

Tiant was not immediately good for the Red Sox, struggling in that first season. However, by year two he was pitching like it was 1968 again. Pitching out of the pen for much of the year, Tiant made 19 starts that season in 42 appearances, going 15-6 with a league-leading 1.91 ERA. The next season he won 20 games for the first time in five seasons, eclipsed 200 strikeouts and led the league in WHIP.

Tiant finished fourth for the Cy Young in 1974, going 22-13 with a 2.92 ERA in over 300 innings pitched. After an 18 win 1975, Tiant went 3-0 in the postseason. He pitched a complete game versus the Athletics in the ALCS and won two games against the Reds in the World Series. Tiant then won 21 games in 1976, giving him three 20-win seasons over a four-year stretch. He finished fifth in the Cy Young vote and made the All-Star team.

From 1972 through 1978, his final season in Boston, Tiant was 121-74 with a 3.30 ERA, not too shabby for someone signed off the scrap heap. He has had varying levels of support for the Hall of Fame as he remains on the outside looking in.

Honorable Mentions: Tom Brunansky, Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd, Brian Daubach

Number 24 – Dwight Evans

I would have loved to see Dwight Evans get his number 24 retired, but the chance for that probably ended with Manny Ramirez wearing the number. Dewey spent parts of 19 seasons with the Red Sox and played at a borderline Hall of Fame level. Had he hit earlier in his career as he did during the eighties, he likely would be in by now.

Evans was always a great fielder, winning eight Gold Gloves in right field. His first came in 1976 and he won three of them during the seventies. His hitting was solid, yet unspectacular until the strike-shortened season of 1981. Evans led the league in home runs and OPS that season, making the All-Star Game, finishing third in the MVP vote and winning the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards. Red hot before the strike took place, an argument can be made that the strike cost him the MVP Award. Had he won an MVP, maybe Dewey would be in the Hall.

Dewey hit a career-high 32 home runs in 1982, a number he matched in 1984 and eclipsed with 34 in 1987. He led the league in walks three times during the eighties and OPS twice. For the decade, Evans hit 256 home runs and drove in 900 runs while posting a .280/.385/.497/.882 batting line. That’s some Hall of Fame work when you throw into consideration his eight Gold Glove Awards.

Honorable Mentions: Manny Ramirez, David Price, Mike Stanley

Number 25 – Tony Conigliaro

When I say Tony Conigliaro could be a Hall of Famer, it’s not in the same way as the previous guys. Obviously, Conigliaro is not a Hall of Famer off what he achieved. However, if Jack Hamilton’s fastball hadn’t crushed his eye socket in 1967, Conigliaro may have become a Hall of Famer. Conigliaro was just 22 years old at the time and already had 104 home runs in his career, with some of the season still to play. He had a home run crown under his belt and seemed like he could be well on his way to joining the 500 home run club.

Even with the tragic events that took place in his life, Tony C is still the greatest Red Sox to ever don the number 25. On top of the previous statistics I stated, he did briefly return and even hit a career-high 36 home runs in 1970. Unfortunately, his eyesight rapidly deteriorated from there, quickly ending his playing career. In all, the local kid hit 162 home runs and drove in 501 runs for the Red Sox. Would the Red Sox have won the World Series in 1967 had Conigliaro not been injured?

Honorable Mentions: Mike Lowell, Troy O’Leary

Featured picture credit to “Boston Baseball History/Rich Pilling” and taken from Cooperstown Cred

The Greatest Red Sox Legends by Uniform Number: 16-20

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This grouping of numbers, 16-20, is the first group of five without a retired number and a hall of famer. However, all five are in the Red Sox Hall of Fame, so it’s not like this group lacks clout.

Number 16 – Jim Lonborg

Lonborg is probably thought of as being better for the Red Sox than he was. However, that’s likely because of his gruesome injury following his incredible 1967 season. Lonborg was the Cy Young Award winner in 1967, winning a league best 22 games for the surprise pennant winners. Lonborg also struck out a league best 246 batters that season. However, he injured his knee in a ski accident that winter and wasn’t the same for the Red Sox afterwards. Over his final four seasons in Boston Lonborg only made 70 starts, going 27-29 with a 4.22 ERA.

Despite being mostly a flash in the pan for the Sox, Lonborg gets the nod at number 16 from me largely on the strength of his helping the Red Sox to the 1967 pennant while winning a Cy Young Award. His competition at the number isn’t too strong, although I anticipate Andrew Benintendi surpassing him in the next season or two.

Honorable Mentions: Andrew Benintendi, Tom Burgmeier, Frank Viola, Rick Miller

Number 17 – Mel Parnell

There is a strong 1-2 for number 17, but one of the best left-handed starters in franchise history to date gets the nod. Parnell pitched for the Red Sox for parts of ten seasons, his career coming to an early close due to injuries. However, for a six year stretch he was one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Parnell broke out with a 15-8 record and 3.14 ERA in 1948. The next season he would have won the Cy Young Award had the award existed at the time. Parnell was 25-7 with a 2.77 ERA over 295.1 innings in 1949. He led the league in innings, wins and ERA that season and finished fourth in the MVP vote. Parnell won 18 games each of the next two seasons. 1953 was his final healthy season, going 21-8 with a 3.06 ERA for a mediocre team.

Over that six year stretch, 1948-53, Parnell was 109-56, an average of 18-9 per season, with a 3.22 ERA. Parnell had some magic left in 1956, throwing a no-hitter against the White Sox. He pitched to a solid 3.77 ERA that season before retiring.

Parnell’s close competition for the number 17 comes from “the Monster”, Dick Radatz. Radatz dominated in relief for the Red Sox for the first three seasons of his career, going 40-21 with a 2.17 ERA and 76 saves. He threw so many innings of relief that he declined quickly though. Parnell, despite a short career, was good for longer than Radatz so he gets the nod in my book.

Honorable Mentions: Dick Radatz, Bret Saberhagen, Nathan Eovaldi, Manny Delcarmen

Number 18 – Frank Sullivan

Sullivan pitched parts of eight seasons with the Red Sox, having a nice six year stretch from 1954-59. During those six peak years, Sullivan was 83-63 with a 3.24 ERA. He posted an ERA below 3.00 in both 1955 and 1957. In 1955, he led the American League with 18 wins and 260 innings pitched. In 1957 he led the league in WHIP.

A mostly forgotten pitcher in team history, Sullivan was a good pitcher on some not so good teams. He made two All-Star Games and deserved to make it in 1957 as well.

Honorable Mentions: Johnny Damon, Reggie Jefferson, Carlos Quintana

Number 19 – Fred Lynn

Despite several postseason heroes wearing the number 19, Fred Lynn is the no-brainer choice. After raking in September of 1974, Fred Lynn became the first player ever to win MVP in his rookie season. That season he made the All-Star Game, won Rookie of the Year, MVP and a Gold Glove Award. Lynn led the league in doubles and OPS while batting .331.

Despite the MVP and leading the league in OPS, Lynn’s best season may have come in 1979. That season, Lynn batted .333/.423/.637/1.039, leading the league in each of those categories. He smashed 39 home runs and 42 doubles while driving in 122 runners. Somehow, Lynn only finished fourth in the MVP vote when he probably should have won it.

During his time in Boston Lynn seemed to be on a Hall of Fame path. He hit .308 with 124 home runs and a .902 OPS over parts of seven seasons. Not only that, Lynn was an excellent center fielder, winning four Gold Gloves while playing for the Red Sox. He also made the All-Star Game in each of his six full seasons in Boston.

Honorable Mentions: Josh Beckett, Koji Uehara, Jackie Bradley Jr, Mickey McDermott

Number 20 – Kevin Youkilis

“Youk” is on the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame ballot this season. Although he won’t achieve the five percent of the vote needed to remain on the ballot, it is pretty cool just to be on it. Youkilis came up through the minors with the Red Sox and spent parts of nine seasons in Boston. He set a record for consecutive errorless games at first base and won the Gold Glove Award in 2007.

In 2008, Youkilis was a legitimate MVP candidate along with teammate Dustin Pedroia. Youkilis batted .312/.390/.569/.958 with 29 home runs, 43 doubles and 115 RBI. He finished third in the MVP vote that season. He followed it up with 27 home runs and a .961 OPS in 2009, finishing sixth in the MVP race. From 2007-10 he batted .303/.400/.530/.931 while playing excellent defense. He is a runaway at the number 20.

Honorable Mentions: Tony Armas, Lee Stange

Kevin Youkilis #20 of the Red Sox bats against the Yankees on September 26, 2009 at Yankee Stadium (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Featured picture from the Sporting News

The Greatest Red Sox Legends by Uniform Number: 1-5

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One of my projects for the MLB offseason this year will be a series of articles covering the greatest Red Sox to wear each uniform number. My plan is to cover five uniform numbers at a time starting here with one through five. Right off the bat, we dig into a couple retired numbers. Before I begin, I would like to mention that Brandon Phillips became the first player in franchise history to wear the number zero this September. He didn’t play much, but he did pimp out this game-winning home run against the Braves.

Number 1 – Bobby Doerr

The greatest second baseman in franchise history, Bobby Doerr made the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986 and has his number one retired by the Red Sox. Doerr played on some great teams in the forties with pals Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky and Dom DiMaggio. He had a smooth glove at second base and was one of the finest offensive players at the keystone position the game had seen.

Doerr batted .318 in 1939, his third season in the big leagues. By the next season, he had surpassed 20 home runs and 100 runs batted in for the first time. He would make four straight All-Star Games from 1941-44 before joining the fight overseas in World War II and missing the 1945 season. After returning, Doerr made three straight All-Star Games and five times in six seasons to close out his career. He drove in more than 100 runs in four of the five seasons following World War II, finishing with 95 the season he fell short.

Unfortunately, Doerr was forced into early retirement due to a bad back. He had actually become more consistent at the plate later in his career, posting an OPS between .886 and .891 each year between 1948 and 1950. He still finished with a very solid .826 OPS in his final season. From his first full season in 1938 through his last in 1951, Bobby Doerr averaged a season of .289 with 17 home runs and 95 RBI.

Honorable Mentions: George Kell, Bernie Carbo, Billy Conigliaro, Joe Foy

BOBBY DOERR from the Boston Red Sox. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images)

Number 2 – Jacoby Ellsbury

Ellsbury’s career has spiraled, but that’s a good thing since he’s eating up the Yankees payroll to do nothing. With the Red Sox, he was a good player when healthy and helped the Red Sox win two World Series. Ellsbury came up that year and was so successful down the stretch that he was put on the postseason roster. He then batted .438 in the World Series. Ellsbury was solid again in the 2013 postseason, winning a second World Series with the Red Sox.

Ellsbury spent parts of seven seasons with the Red Sox, but only had four relatively full seasons. He led the league in stolen bases in three of his four healthy seasons. He batted .300 twice and stole 50 bases three times. In 2011, Ellsbury had a career season, finishing second in the MVP vote, winning a Gold Glove and the Silver Slugger. While the rest of the team collapsed down the stretch, Ellsbury was white hot and would have won the MVP if the team hadn’t fallen apart and missed the playoffs.

Honorable Mentions: Rick Ferrell, Xander Bogaerts, Jerry Remy, Mike Andrews

Number 3 – Jimmie Foxx

Foxx is one of the most powerful right-handed bats of all-time. The greatest first baseman in Red Sox history, Foxx won one of his three MVP Awards with the Red Sox and finished second in another season. He homered 35 or more times in each of his first five seasons with the team, averaging 40 home runs and 134 runs batted in per season. There is a reason Foxx was referred to as “The Beast.”

In 1938, his third season in Boston, Foxx won the MVP Award. That season he hit 50 home runs and drove in a league high 175 runs. His slash line that season was .349/.462/.704/1.166, leading the league in each category. The next season he batted .360 and led the league in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and home runs. Cumulatively, Foxx batted .320 with the Red Sox and is second in franchise history in on-base percentage and slugging percentage behind only Ted Williams.

Honorable Mentions: Pete Runnels, Jody Reed, Jeff Frye, Walt Dropo

Number 4 – Joe Cronin

Another retired number, as the Sox retired the number four in honor of Cronin. Cronin spent seven seasons as a full-time player before he started focusing more on managing the club and being limited to mostly pinch-hitting. Despite this role, Cronin batted over .300 with an OPS over .900 each of his first two seasons doing so.

Cronin made five all-star teams with the Red Sox and had two top ten MVP finishes. From 1937-41 he batted over .300 four times, posting a .307/.404/.504/.909 line during that time period. He averaged 19 home runs and 103 runs batted in during that time. He was the Red Sox manager from 1935-47. After, Cronin went on to become general manager, president and treasurer of the team before moving on to the role of American League president.

As a close second, Jackie Jensen deserves a few words. Jensen hit 20+ home runs in each of his first six seasons with the Red Sox, averaging a season of .285 with 26 home runs and 111 RBI. He was the 1958 MVP and won a Gold Glove the following season.

Honorable Mentions: Jackie Jensen, Butch Hobson, Tommy Harper, Carney Lansford

Number 5 – Nomar Garciaparra

During his time in Boston, Nomar was one of the most popular players the franchise had ever seen. Around Fenway Park, around the city, you could hear people yell “Nomaaahhh!” Arguably the greatest shortstop in franchise history, the uniform number five is synonymous with Nomar for an entire generation of fans.

Nomar came up with much fanfare and won the Rookie of the Year in 1997. He hit 30 home runs and led the league in hits that season. In year two, Nomar finished runner-up for the MVP Award. The following two seasons he was batting champion, hitting .357 and .372. Nomar was getting better and better, before an Al Reyes pitch hit him on the wrist, requiring surgery the following season. Nomar was still an excellent player when he came back, but wasn’t quite the same. His averages fell to .310 and .301 his next two full seasons. However, he did hit 52 home runs and drove in 225 runs over those two seasons. He also led the league with an astounding 56 doubles in 2002.

Things didn’t end on the best terms in Boston for Nomar, but he should be remembered for what he did with the team and for how much the fans loved him. He batted .323 with a .923 OPS during his time in Boston. Nomar hit 50 doubles twice and eclipsed 40 two other seasons. In his six full seasons with the Sox, Nomar hit over 20 home runs in all six. He is truly a Red Sox legend.

Honorable Mentions: George Scott, Vern Stephens, Jim Tabor

Featured picture from NBC News

Ray Allen Reflects on Time in Boston

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Ray Allen has long been a controversial figure in Boston.

However, the legendary shooting guard seems to look back fondly on his time as a Celtic. Allen entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday. Earlier in the week, he set Celtics fans abuzz when he suggested to Shams Charania that he did not expect to receive congratulations from his former teammates. Later in the week, Allen did a customary interview as part of his Hall of Fame induction trip. He had many interesting things to say about his experience in Beantown.

His Comments

“People look at how I left, but I look at how I lived when I was there,” Ray told media on Thursday night. He’s not wrong- Allen was certainly the target of a lot of anger after he left the team. Allen departed Boston after the 2012 season due to apparent internal rifts with other players. The main culprit was then-point guard Rajon Rondo. That wasn’t the kicker, however. He left to go play on the defending champion Miami Heat with Lebron James. The Heat had become rivals with the Celtics, beating them on their way to the title that year. Allen also took nearly half as much money as Boston offered to take a far less lucrative offer from Miami.

Allen offered his take on that, too:

“Now, I do understand the angst that people have towards me…But, it becomes such a business that you ultimately have to decide when it’s time to fold up the tent. You gotta move on. There’s so many factors in play.”

No doubt some of those factors were the aforementioned Rondo disputes. It also may have had to do with the rising of young guard Avery Bradley at that time. But Allen has a point, it is a business. He felt that was the best path for him to wind down his career. He retired two years later.

Allen’s time in Boston meant the world to him

Allen doesn’t look back with regrets or anger, though. He said, “That to me is the most important time in my life because I had never won. And I was able to win. And that’s probably the most important thing that I want people to remember, is the time we spent together.” After years of bitter and petty feuding with members of the Celtics, it’s somewhat shocking to hear Allen call his tenure “the most important time in my life.” But he is has a point. He had enduring a long stretch in his career where he was unable to have any success. Though he became one of the greatest shooters of all time, he never won until he went to Boston.

Though many fans remember his exit, they also remember the banner he helped bring to Boston after 22 years. He was crucial in that 2008 playoff run, as the team went on a magical spurt against Detroit and LeBron’s Cavs. They then dispatched the Lakers in six games in the Finals behind Allen’s sharpshooting.

In the end, that’s the part of Allen’s legacy that will be immortalized in Boston lore, much like Allen is being immortalized in Springfield, MA.

Robert Kraft should be in Canton

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And now, it is with my great pleasure, that I intend to nominate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame – Robert Kraft!! The owner of the New England Patriots is more than worthy of a bronze bust in the hallowed halls of Canton. It is imperative that we campaign for this fine individual to receive his due. If there has been one individual responsible for creating the greatest dynasty in football history it has been this humble, generous, and likeable owner. Robert Kraft is one of the finest owners and executives in the NFL. It is difficult to fathom why he has not received more support for this. What follows is a journey through his life as the pivotal player in a franchise’s and sport’s success.

As a Fan

When a city loses a major sport franchise it is a disruptive and painful process. The region loses a common emotional denominator. The area loses a driving economic force and the team loses its identity and a portion of its identity and history.

Watching the recent process of this play out in the Rams, Thrashers and Expos. The relocation battles of the Raiders and the Columbus crew. Seeing the shocking moves of the Baltimore Colts and the Cleveland Browns can leave a fan base angry and hurt. Even if there is a reconciliation and the team stays, it can ill will for years to come. If there is something you can say about Robert Kraft. He is the ultimate fan. And was willing to do what it took to keep them in New England.

In 1971 he began his association with the Patriots with something that hundreds of fans do. He became a season ticket holder. When the team was playing he was in the same stands, eating and drinking the same food and cheering for the same players as everyone of us. In 1987 after an unsuccessful bid to purchase the team he instead chose to buy the Foxboro Raceways right next door. This ensured that he would be involved in the team’s future stadium decisions.

And involved he was. When the stadium was used as collateral for a Jackson 5 tour and subsequently place in bankruptcy Kraft stepped in. His ownership of the stadium and the lease was essential in preventing a move to Jacksonville.

Then in 1994 he refused to allow James Orthwein to break the lease in an attempt to move the team to St. Louis. Finally Kraft was able to complete the purchase and officially became the owner of the franchise.

As an Owner and Executive

One of the greatest sins a NFL owner can do is presume to know more about how to out a winning football team on the field than coaches and scouts. There are other considerations when running a franchise. Salary cap, marketing, cash flow for multi-million dollar salaries and television contracts that are important factors in the business. Many owners that have strayed from these areas and attempted to dive into the day-to-day runnings of the team have been met with frustrating failures. An inability to win football games and championships can hurt a brand far more than an incorrect marketing scheme.

When Kraft took over the Patriots he believed in allowing football people to run football teams. And it’s returned dividends on his investment beyond anyone’s imagination. When he took over the team, it’s 34 year win total was 229 including playoffs and a loss in Super Bowl XX. And in the 24 seasons that he’s owned the team they have tallied 294 victories and 9 more Super Bowl appearances with 5 Championships. He’s truly done what he set out to do when he purchased the franchise.

“My objective in buying the Patriots is to help bring a championship to New England.”
-ROBERT KRAFT, JAN. 21, 1994

As an Ambassador of the Sport

The NFL has a colorful cadre of characters in it’s ownership. Al Davis and his resistance of the league. Brash Jerry Jones’ Texas confidence and Jerry’s World opulence. And then it has it’s royalty and statesman. The Rooney family and the Mara family have all been a standard to learn from and emulate. Robert Kraft has joined those ranks and then some during his tenure as owner of the franchise.

Whether it’s been attempting to negotiate labor peace in the face of personal tragedy. Or promoting the sport abroad with the opening of the Kraft Family Sports Campus in Israel. And the countless charities that he personally and through the Patriots Foundation supports.

In New England we hear all of the little stories that have a big impact on people’s lives but may get lost in the shuffle of the world stage of Super Bowl victories. Replacing stolen wheelchairs for fan’s, providing experiences for ill children and honoring his late wife’s memory through the Women’s Association. If there is anyone worthy of being a face of the NFL it should be this man and his legacy will impact the sport for generations.

Get Him Now!

The path to a bronze bust and a gold jacket is difficult for players. The path for contributors is even more so. Many worthy candidates are forced to wait years before being considered and every inductee is honored and welcomed. The sport would be greatly benefited by having this pillar of it’s community enshrined while he is still active and engaged in the NFL’s well-being. The sad story of the posthumous honoring of Ralph Wilson and Art Rooney should never be repeated. If Jerry Jones’ can be inducted to football’s highest honor while he is still striving to direct the Dallas Cowboys to victories then the Hall of Fame voters should ensure that Robert Kraft is inducted as well.

All photos courtesy of Getty images unless noted otherwise.

Be sure to check out other great articles for all your favorite Boston sports teams on Bostonsportsextra.com

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Top 10 Red Sox All Stars in Franchise History (Players 10-6)

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Hot days, pool parties, no school, and trips to the beach. Summer is in full swing which means that the Midsummer Classic is almost upon us. The 2018 All-Star Game, which will be hosted by the Washington Nationals, is coming up on July 17th. The Red Sox have plenty of candidates to haul in votes. Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Chris Sale, Craig Kimbrel are among the front runners along with Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts, and Mitch Moreland who are also receiving a respectable amount of attention. It’s times like these that are suited for a walk down all-star memory lane. Here’s the top 10 all-stars in Red Sox franchise history.

10. Fred Lynn (75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80)

Fred Lynn is one of only two players (Ichiro Suzuki) who has won the Rookie of the Year award and the MVP award in the same season. He was a lifetime .308 hitter for the Red Sox and had a great run of eight straight seasons appearing in the All-Star game. Of course, he played only five of those years for the Red Sox. Fred Lynn did not appear on the ballot in 1975 but got voted in because of write-in votes. Lifetime, he has four home runs in All-Star games, three of them as a Red Sox. His five straight appearances prove just how important he was to the team in the late 1970’s.

9. Manny Ramirez (01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 08)

Manny Ramirez, one of the best Red Sox hitters in franchise history, was no stranger to the annual honor. In fact, in all seven seasons he was an all-star for the team, he was also a starter. In 2004, he hit a two-run home run off of Roger Clemens at Minute Maid Park in Houston in the first inning; it was his only home run in any All-Star appearance of his career, but impressive nonetheless.

8. Carlton Fisk (72, 73, 74, 76, 77, 78, 80, 99*)

Carlton Fisk, an all-time catcher for the Sox and Hall of Famer, played 2226 games at the backstop. In his 24 seasons as a major leaguer, he accumulated some of the best offensive stats ever seen by a catcher. As far as his all-star resume is concerned, he only accumulated three hits in 11 All-Star games. However, his most notable hit came in 1991 when he was a member of the Chicago White Sox. He became the oldest player to get a hit in an All-Star game (43 years, 8 months).

7. Jim Rice (77, 78, 79, 80, 83, 84, 85, 86, 99*)

Jim Rice was an all-time great left fielder for the Sox in the late 1970’s and most of the 1980’s. The Hall of Famer is very similar to Mookie Betts; he’s an all-around great hitter and fielder. In all eight appearances as a player (1999 he was a coach), he only had one home run, which was off of Giants pitcher Atlee Hammaker in 1983.

6. Wade Boggs (85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92)

Wade Boggs, a once in a lifetime franchise player, was an incredible hitter. He amassed 3010 career hits and a lifetime average of .328 (.338 with the Red Sox), proving just how dominant he was as a third baseman during his time. A starter for seven All-Star teams as a Red Sox, he had a .321 career average in All-Star games. His most memorable moment was when in 1989 – Boggs and Bo Jackson went back to back with solo home runs off of pitcher Rick Reuschel. What made it even more memorable was Vin Scully and President Ronald Reagan commentating the entire moment together.

Stay tuned for players 5-1.

Italics = Starter, * = managed/coached

@ELJGON

Should Celtics Fans Be Happy for Ray Allen?

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How should Boston fans feel?

Should Celtics Fans Be Happy for Ray Allen?

With Ray Allen recently being named a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Celtics fans have been conflicted on how to feel about his induction. Some are simply appreciative of his efforts with the Celtics and in the NBA. Others, however, still have some animosity towards Allen after his less-than-smooth exit from the team. So, the question must be asked: are Boston fans right to be hostile towards Allen? Or should they put old grudges aside and praise his accomplishments?

Yeah, Be Happy for Ray Ray:

Accomplishments with the Celts

There’s no denying that Allen helped this franchise enormously. Acquired in a trade with the Seattle Super Sonics in June of 2007, Allen, along with Kevin Garnett, formed the second coming of the “Big Three”. The two joined forces with Celtics legend Paul Pierce to create a formidable trio. In his first year with the C’s, he helped the team to their 17th championship title, breaking a 22-year drought. Allen made four other playoff trips with them, advancing to at least the second round in all of them. He was an All-Star two times while with the team. He played a total of 449 games with Boston, which included 91 playoff games, and averaged 16.7 points and 41% shooting from three.

Allen has written his name all over the Celtics’ record books. He is first in free throw percentage. He also holds the record for most consecutive free throws made (72). Allen is third in three pointers made, and fourth in three point percentage. He is eighth all-time in box plus/minus and fourth in true shooting percentage. There is no doubt that he is a permanent part of Celtics lore, no matter the opinion of him.

Allen’s Place in League History

And if that isn’t enough, consider his impact on the whole league. Allen holds the record for both the most three pointers of all time and the most playoff threes of all time. He’s a two time champion and ten time All-Star. He also has made the All-Rookie second team, an All-NBA second team, and an All-NBA team.

Fans should be happy for a guy who had an incredible run with the Celtics. Without him, they probably don’t win the 2008 title. People need to appreciate how much he was able to accomplish in the league. Remember that time he dropped 51 on the Bulls in the playoffs? What about when he poured in EIGHT threes in a quarter with the Sonics? And no, we can’t forget THAT corner three in the 2012 NBA Finals. Just enjoy his success and be congratulatory towards him on attaining the league’s highest honor.

Allen’s now-famous three in Game 6 of the Finals.

No Way, Don’t Forgive Allen:

The Exit

There is no doubt that Ray left many fans angry with the manner in which he departed Boston. Allen had an extremely rocky 2011-2012 year with the Celtics. Mid-season, the blossoming Avery Bradley overtook him for the starting spot. Multiple media outlets also had reports out that the Celtics were actively shopping Allen during the year. To put the cherry on top, he and point guard Rajon Rondo argued and fought throughout the end of Ray’s Celtics tenure. He recently shed more light on this conflict in his new book.

And then, of course, came the actual departure. The Celtics offered Allen a two year deal worth $12 million in the offseason of 2012, which included a no-trade clause. The franchise was hoping that this would alleviate some of the conflict from the previous season. However, he accepted a deal for three years, but worth only $9 million to go join the Miami Heat. This came after the Heat had just beaten the Celtics in seven games in the Eastern Conference. They then went on to win the championship. The two teams were forming a rivalry, and Ray only strengthened it by shunting the Celtics’ more appealing offer to go play for the defending champions.

The Aftermath

The animosity between Allen and Celtics players and fans has only increased in recent years. When the 2008 championship team announced a ten-year reunion, Rondo told the media that he wasn’t invited. A few of the members of the team also met up on Kevin Garnett’s show “Area 21” last year, in which he also didn’t take part. After Allen came out with his new book, he and Rondo publicly butted heads again over it.

Perhaps the most heinous of all of his crimes, though, was his neglect of Paul Pierce’s jersey retirement night. Rather than attend the ceremony to celebrate his teammate’s number being raised, Ray went golfing with George Lopez. To exacerbate the matter even further, he then posted about Lopez getting a hole in one on Instagram while the ceremony was happening. No one who calls themselves a Celtics fan should even consider being happy for the man who responded to every event since leaving the Celts about as poorly as possible.

Allen’s Instagram post.

The Verdict:

So, how should Celtics Nation feel about Ray Allen entering the Hall? Given everything he’s done since his rocky departure, one would be perfectly understood if they still felt resentment towards number 20. However, if all that he did for the franchise and for the league is considered, then there has to be some feeling of happiness for his accomplishment. At least for a few days in September when Ray will make his speech, Boston faithful should forgive his mistakes and applaud him and what he has achieved. Congratulations to Ray Allen on making the Basketball Hall of Fame.