My Sunday Afternoon with My Boys, the Red Sox Alumni, and the National Guard

  Today I had the chance to take my two boys to a Red Sox Illumni vs the Rockingham County Law Enforcement Officers Association in a softball game for charity. We saw Bob Stanley, Oil Can Boyd, Rick Wise, and other Red Sox players that I grew up watching. Of course my boys didn’t know too much about these players, but they were excited to go to this event.

  We had a great time. There was a guy on the PA system doing play by play of the game and it was fun watching the players interact with the people in attendance and the other players.

  Behind the home plate area and next to the concession stand I was surprised to see that they had a booth set up for the National Guard. They were giving away free stuff like pens, mousepads, and keychains. The public was invited to talk to them about a career in the national guard. There were four to five members of the Guard behind the booth to answer questions from anyone interested.

  As I watched the game with my boys I kept turning my attention to the National Guard’s booth to see if anyone was going over to it. Most people were too into the players and the game. I don’t blame them that is what they were there for. I noticed a few people would go over to the table and take some free merchandice, but not too many seemed to want to really talk to the servicemen other than to say hi. I did see a couple of older people stop and talk to them for a little while.

  I explained to my sons that the person playing second base for the Red Sox on this day was Oil Can Boyd, the man who won the play-off clinching game for the Red sox in 1986, the first year I was old enough to see them in the play-offs, I was only one in 1967. I told them about how he was a character and I always thought it was cool that he was the one that pitched them into a play-off birth. They know how 1986 ended, I didn’t go into that.

  I have always had a warm spot in my heart for Bob Stanley. He was always out there for the Sox, but he didn’t always come through. Most of the time he would pitch well and there would be this little bloop or slow hit grounder that would do him in. I wanted so bad for him to do well, I didn’t know why, but I liked him. In game six of the 1986 World Series in comes Bob Stanley, he gave up the tying run on a wild pitch that to this day I still believe should have been a passed ball by Gedman.

  I remember years later hearing an interview with Bob Stanley where he said he came into game six and he was standing on the mound praying to God to just let him have this one moment in his life to shine. Just let him have this one miracle. He said he didn’t understand why God didn’t let him have this moment. He then said that when his child was diagnosed with a life threatening illness, I forget now what it was I think it was cancer, he found himself praying to God once again for a miracle. His son survived, and he said that God was just saving the miracle he asked for on the mound for a much more important one, the survival of his child. That, to me sums up why I think I have always liked him.

  When Bob Stanley walked by me inbetween innings I said hello to him and shook his hand. My boys were able to go over to the gate and get the autographs of Oil Can and Jim Corsi. I saw several children over by the gate waiting for the next player to go on deck, the on deck player would sign a few autographs for the children before he had to bat. I also saw several adults who would go to the fence right behind the players bench and stuff their programs through the fence to get an autograph, evidently too impatient to wait in line with the children. The guy doing the play by play said that after the game the Red Sox illumni would be signing autographs, but to be sure to have the Rockingham Law Enforcement people sign your programs also. He said that they are the real heroes. That is when I started thinking about why doesn’t he tell the people to have the National Guardsmen sign their programs also. They, to me, are the real heroes. 

  I keep glancing in the direction of the National Guard to see if anyone is giving them the time of day. Not many people seem to be acknowledging them. I am going to go talk to them before the day is over. I am more interested in talking to them than any former sports star. The only problem is, I don’t know what to say to them.

  The game continues and the Red Sox end up winning 16-2. We ate hamburgers, nachos, and pretzels, drank some Coke and Root Beer. I told my boys stories about the Red Sox when I was a teenager. We laughed when Bob Stanley, who was playing left field, missed a ball that he should have caught and it turned into a homerun, typical Bob Stanley.

  Now the game is over and all the children are lining up for autographs. My boys also get in line. I have never been one to be starstruck by athletes, this is when I decide to go and talk to the National Guard. There were four of them there when I get to the booth. I reached out my hand to them and shook all their hands, they seemed a little surprised that I wanted to shake their hands. A little taken aback. I asked them if any of them were ever deployed overseas. The first Guardsman said he served 13 months in Afghanistan, I thanked him and asked him what he thought of the media coverage of the war over here. He just kind of smiled and said he was not able to answer the question because it wouldn’t follow protocol. He was very apologetic and said he didn’t want to get in trouble. He thanked me for asking him, for showing some caring, and apologized again. I think I know what he thought by the expression on his face. Then I asked if anyone else there had been deployed, one man spoke up and said he served one tour in Iraq. I thanked this man again and I walked away. I really didn’t know what else to say to them, but thank you. As I walked away they thanked me once again for taking a minute to talk to them. Now I was the one taken aback, who the hell was I that they should thank ME? I realized that the sacrifice that men like these are willing to make is what affords me the opporunity to take my boys to an event such as this.

  Now my boys are just about done getting their autographs and I wait for them to go through the line, I am standing next to Oil Can Boyd. My sons get Oil Can’s autograph and I ask him if I can get a picture of my boys with him, he says no problem.

 You can tell by the half smile on my oldest son’s face that while he is trying to act cool he is still thinking that this is pretty cool. The smile on my youngest boy’s face tells you exactly how he feels about today.

  As we are walking back to my truck I said to my boys, “well this was fun, wasn’t it?” They both tell me they had fun. I asked them about their autographs and they said that they got all of them. I then told them that on top of that I met a soldier who served in Afghanistan, and a soldier that served in Iraq. My youngest son asked, ” are you going to blog about that?” I told him that I just might.

  Before I finished writing this post I tucked my youngest son into bed, as I was closing the door to his room, he said to me, “good game today, Dad.” I said, “yes it was, goodnight.”

  Today I spent quality time with my boys. We watched a charity softball game, ate grilled food, laughed, and drank soda. They got autographs of Red Sox players from my youth, and I met some of the people who make everyday life in America possible.

  I felt great about this day as I was driving home, my boys and I had a great time, and although I had no idea what to say to the four soldiers who have dedicated their lives to serving our country, two of which have been to the middle-east, I felt as though they appreciated the few moments I took to say thank you to them. 

  To me, these are the true heroes, and I wish more people had taken the time to talk to them and at least say thank you. As I walked off the field I felt a certain amount of happiness that I took the time let them know that I care about them and what they do.