The Boston Red Sox have announced that they will retire Johnny Pesky's jersey number this Friday night.
This leaves me feeling quite nostalgic. So, I've come to the decision that NOW is a great time for a HBWHOF history lesson.
Let's begin with Johnny Pesky....

On the eve of Pesky's 89th birthday the Red Sox will retire his No. 6 on the right-field facade of Fenway Park. Even cooler...the ceremony will take place prior to Friday's game against the New York Yankees!
Johnny Pesky has been with the Red Sox, in some capacity, for 57 years!!
Pesky began his career with Boston as a shortstop...he later served the organization as a manager, coach, front-office employee and broadcaster.
Pesky signed with the Red Sox in 1940...he made the big club in 1942 before his career was interrupted for three years while he served his country during World War II.
Pesky topped the 200-hit mark in his first three seasons with the Sox. He was a key member of the American League-pennant-winning team that lost to the Cardinals in the
1946 World Series.
In 1,270 games Pesky managed to hit 17 homers.
Several of his dingers were said to have clanged off the foul pole in right field at Fenway Park, which is a mere 302 feet from home plate. Hence, the name "Pesky's Pole!"
Johnny Pesky is a Boston ICON.
The legendary 1946 Red Sox team will now account for four of the six Red Sox whose numbers are retired! Johnny Pesky will join his manager Joe Cronin (#4) and his teammates and lifelong best friends - Bobby Doerr (#1) and Ted Williams (#9).
IN THE OPINION OF THE HBWHOF THERE IS ONE MORE PLAYER WHOSE NUMBER SHOULD GRACE THE RIGHT-FIELD FACADE AT FENWAY......DOM DIMAGGIO (#7)

On September 28, 1941, on the last day of the season, in Philadelphia, Ted Williams began the day with a batting average of .3996. He could have sat-out the game and, still, ended the season with a .400 batting average. Instead, he played and went 6 for 8 in the doubleheader to finish the season with a .406 batting average!!!
Also on the SAME DAY (September 28) in 1960, in Ted Williams' very last game and in his final career at-bat , he hit a 450 ft. home run!!!!
THE GREATEST HITTER OF ALL-TIME.....THE SPLENDID SPLINTER.....

To complete our little baseball history lesson let me leave you with this:
On September 24, 1957, the Brooklyn Dodgers played their last game EVER in Ebbets Field!
Only 6,702 fans watched Brooklyn defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0.
A few weeks after this final victory, the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles and the New York Giants moved to San Francisco....


Geez, I think the barrage of champagne actually added body to Heidi's fabulous locks....
