Sox Offenders

Before becoming a NESN analyst and freaking people out with his acid-trip-like outfits, Jim Rice played baseball in Boston for 16 seasons. Twelve of those summers he was one of the most feared hitters in the game, treating opposing pitchers the way the yard boss treats the new guy on the cell block. Twenty years after his retirement, and on his fifteenth Hall of fame ballot, Rice finally made it to Cooperstown. A long time coming for a guy who played the game right, and got out when he was in decline instead of hanging around DH’ing for a few years to pad his stats. His formidable skill with the bat aside, there are a couple of well-known Jim Rice stories that bear repeating.

The first story shows the kind of guy Jim Rice is:

On Aug. 7, 1982, Dave Stapleton lined a foul ball to the right. The ball struck a young fan, four-year-old Jonathan Keane, in the head, cutting his temple and fracturing his skull. Tom Keane, Jonathan’s dad, turned and saw his son slumped over and bleeding from the head. In the dugout, Jerry Remy reportedly almost threw up from the sight of so much blood. Before anyone else could react, Jim Rice leaped into the stands and picked up the injured boy. Rice carried him through the dugout and into the trainer’s room in the clubhouse.

Team physician Arthur Pappas (who by the way had some of the most intimidating eyebrows you’ll ever see) examined the boy before getting him in an ambulance to Children’s Hospital. Pappas is quoted as saying he’d never seen so much blood at Fenway. Stapleton visited the boy the next day, as did Tony LaRussa (who was managing the Red Sox opponents that day). Hank Aaron, who had seen the game on TV, called the hospital to check on the boy’s condition. “Time is very much a factor once you have that kind of a head injury and the subsequent swelling of the brain,” Pappas said. “That's why it's so important to get him to care so it can be dealt with. Rice certainly helped him very considerably.” Jonathan made a full recovery, possibly thanks to Rice’s quick reaction. He was back at Fenway in ’83 to throw out the first pitch on Opening Day.

The second just shows the level of badassery Rice had on the field:

In 1986, the Sox were in the Bronx to battle the Yankees. Rice drifted over from left field towards the stands and leaned in trying to make a catch. A Yankee fan grabbed Rice’s cap and tried to stuff it into his pants for a souvenir. Rice would have no part of it. He jumped into the fray – keep in mind this is Yankee Fucking Stadium in September – and went after the hat thief. A young Roger Clemens was right there with him. Rice got to the guy and basically stared him down (probably exchanging a few unpleasantries as well) until the guy gave the hat back.

I have a vague memory of watching the game myself, complete with Bob Montgomery play-by-play and plaid jacket, but it is very fuzzy (like every other memory I have of the eighties). Red can confirm, but I believe La Shelle Tarver had Jim Ed's back, launching himself into the stands with bat in hand to lay down some justice and retrieve the stolen hat.

It’s been too long in coming…congratulations, Jim.

When not hanging around outside the Boston College women’s locker room, Red and Denton can be found at www.survivinggrady.com.