Thank You!
Just some quick thoughts. I’ll post more in depth about this weekend when I have more time.
The last few days have been like a dream. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony was overwhelming and a great opportunity to catch up with some of the stars that I had played with and against. Guys like Joe Morgan, who I have known for years, my former teammates: Pudge (Fisk), Eck (Eckersley), and Chicken Man (Boggs), and guys who I would frequently talk to about hitting during my playing days such as Reggie Jackson and Mike Schmidt, were all very supportive on this important day.
I also had the opportunity to acknowledge the people who had helped me get to where I am today: My wife and family have given me the stability and grounding I need, the countless supporters from my childhood in South Carolina who encouraged me to succeed in the field of athletics, and the people like Johnny Pesky, Cecil Cooper, and Don Zimmer who pushed me to superstar levels as a professional. I owe so much to these people and to the fans that have supported me and allowed me to make a living with this game that I love.
Thank you!
July 30th, 2009 at 7:58 am
It was a pleasure to meet you on Tuesday. Thank you so much for the opportunity to share in your well-deserved honor. You remain my sports idol. Congratulations also to your wonderful family. That sense of strong family really stood out at the celebration at Fenway. Congratulations and thanks again.
July 30th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Hey Jim, I always hear this crap all over ESPN that your stats were helped by hitting in Fenway Park ..I personally think this is not true. I think that Green Monster hurt you more than helped you. You were a line drive hitter with awesome power. And the line shots you hit were always off of that wall. Hell, If you had played in another ballpark, you would have way more than 500 hrs . Maybe closer to 600 hrs.
July 31st, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Congratulations, Jim! It was a treat seeing you inducted into the Hall of Fame. I have been a Sox fan for close to 30 years and spent many a day/evening watching Boston games on TV. In 1984 I had the privilege of visiting Fenway Park (I live in eastern Canada) and we somehow, at the last minute, got great seats down the left field line, about even with where you played in the outfield.
Congrats again. It’s very well deserved. Good to hear you had a chance to reconnect with so many friends.
July 31st, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Hello Jim,
Last Sunday, I sat with my husband reading the local paper here in Minneapolis when I came across the photo of you carrying that young gravely injured child. As the mother of 4 children, that photo nearly took my breath away, and I felt compelled to find out what story was behind that powerful image. Please forgive me, but I am not a huge sports fan and thus, had not heard of you. I DO however know a hero when I see one, and that’s what I saw in that photo last Sunday. The article in the Star Tribune about that day in your life brought me to tears. Your complete humility about just doing the right thing and in the blink of such crucial moments is truly inspiring. I was so completely moved that I cut out the article and photo and plan to frame them as a reminder of what constitutes a truly heroic act and person. I may not have known of you until last Sunday, but I can assure you my kids will hear about that day you gave a child a second chance at life. Thank you for showing us that heros still live and are something to which we all can and should aspire. By the way, congratulations on that Hall of Fame induction!
Lee AuVante-Johnson
Minneapolis, MN