The Formerly Dirtpoor Dominican Diva Returns
By 02062
It seems like such a long time ago when someone on the Longfellow Bridge hit Pedro Martinez with a baseball during Mayor Menino’s Rolling Rally.
He’s a part of the Evil Empire Jr. now but he’ll always be a part of us.
He knows the difference between a Frappe and a Fribble. He knows that when your on 128 South near Blue Hills your also on 95 North towards Boston. He knows that a Coke is also a Tonic and that when we bowl we use Candlepins not the big balls. He knows that fluffernutters are good for you.
He married a BC graduate. (Even though their baseball coach left – their in good hands next year).
He was on the field when the Red Sox broke the Curse of the Bambino. He was green with envy however at Curt Schilling. How do I know that? Butch Stearns told me.
He was managed by Jimy Williams, Terry Franconia and he who must not be named. He played for Dan Duquette and the underhanded Theo Epstein.
Pedro did something that every Red Sox fan of a certain age has wanted to do since October 1, 1978. He bodyslammed Don Zimmer and brought a smile to Bill Lee’s face.
Pedro knows the difference between Patrick Kennedy and Ted Kennedy is a dead blond in the backseat.
Every game that Pedro pitched at Fenway Park was like a World Cup game with Dominican flags everywhere. “Hey Senor, have an El Presidente.” That’s how the great Curt Gowdy would have said it.
It wasn’t all sunshine and roses though. His father’s birthday changed every year and made him always tardy to Spring Training. Unlike Roger Clemens he did not send any of my children a stuffed animal which they named “Clementine:”.
Larry Bird once asked me who Bruce Springsteen was. I told him he was the you of rock ‘n roll. (Did you know I covered the Celtics in the ’80’s).
He struck out 17 Yankees on a September Friday night in the Bronx in what David Cone and the great Bob Ryan called the greatest pitching performance they had ever seen.
He knows that Amos Alonzo Kraft showed up with a stopwatch to time Tebucky Jones prior to him being drafted.
Like the great Stephen Still would say, “What a field day for the heat.”
He returns tonight and I for one will stand and applaud.
