Ok. I admit it. The title for this post is weak but if you bear with me, you will make the connection. Jerry Trupiano (Piano) is a radio broadcaster (tune in the channel?) for the Boston Red Sox. He was behind the microphone on 10/17/2004 for 2004 ALCS Game 4 when the Red Sox faced the Yankees. The Yankees were up three games to none and no team, in any sport, ever came back in a seven game series after being down three games to none… until the 2004 Red Sox. The champagne was on ice ready to be sprayed by the Yankees with the future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera on the hill protecting a one run lead in the bottom of the ninth. In one of the most exciting games in any League Championship Series history, the Red Sox scratched together a run off Mariano to force extra innings. In the bottom of the 12th inning, David Ortiz, Big Papi, hit a two run walk off home run to win the game and the Red Sox continued the momentum all the way to winning the following three games to get to the Fall Classic which they swept the Cardinals.
Jerry Trupiano wrote his call from Ortiz’s walk off home run in game four on my baseball I received today. That was really cool. Not only that, he put a note in he donated the money I sent to his church and even returned my pen. Thank you Jerry for the awesome baseball!