Jerry Remy was the guts of the Red Sox for greater than 4 many years, and the franchise celebrated their icon appropriately.
On Wednesday, the Red Sox honored Remy with a particular pregame ceremony earlier than their recreation in opposition to the Blue Jays – and so they introduced in nearly everybody who performed a component in his Red Sox life.
Jim Rice, Fred Lynn, Dwight Evans, Dennis Eckersley and Carl Yastrzemski have been amongst Remy’s former teammates to return to Fenway Park, whereas his NESN teammates, together with a number of former sideline reporters, have been additionally available. Remy’s spouse Phoebe, his son Jordan, his daughter Jenna and her husband Leif, and his granddaughter Arianna have been welcomed first throughout the touching ceremony.
“He was a great teammate, and first of all, he was my best friend,” former teammate Bob Stanley mentioned. “He was a gamer. He worked his butt off every day. He worked so hard that he had seven knee operations. He was a battler to the end.”
The ceremony started because the choir from Somerset Berkley Regional High School – the place Remy was from – sang each nationwide anthems earlier than a video tribute of Remy’s profession highlights – from his enjoying days to broadcasting moments – performed on the large display in heart discipline.
NESN broadcaster Tom Caron hosted the ceremony and finally welcomed Sean McDonough – Remy’s former broadcasting associate who nicknamed him “RemDawg” – to the stage. His phrases have been poignant and from the guts.
“Our job as broadcasters is to entertain and inform, to add to your enjoyment to the game without detracting from it,” McDonough mentioned in a prolonged speech. “By that and all different requirements to which you’d choose a broadcaster, Jerry Remy was an all-time nice, not simply right here in Red Sox nation however amongst all broadcasters of all time, and I pray in the future he takes his rightful place within the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
“More than anything else, the reason Jerry became RemDawg and a much loved icon is because of all of you, the fans of Red Sox nation. Through the decades you showered him with love and showed him appreciation in so many ways.”
In a robust second, McDonough referenced Remy’s last second at Fenway final October, when he threw out the ceremonial first pitch earlier than the Red Sox’ Wild Card recreation in opposition to the Yankees.
“Your thunderous ovations shook this venerable ballpark and touched his and every heart,” McDonough mentioned, his voice cracking. “And you did it not only because of the countless hours of enjoyment he gave you, but because you came to know during that time spent together that Jerry Remy was a very good man. … There can be no greater blessing in life than to know you are loved, and Jerry left this life knowing he was loved in a way very few have ever experienced.”
Remy’s household was introduced with a commemorative plaque that’s now displayed outdoors the NESN broadcast sales space – which has now been named the “Jerry Remy Booth” – earlier than Jordan and Jenna threw out the primary pitch to Xander Bogaerts and Christian Arroyo.
Source: www.bostonherald.com