Ring Ceremony

All photos from Getty Images/Pool photographers
So, the rings have been distributed. What a beautiful day! The Baseball Channel over on mlb.com actually broadcast the whole ceremony over the Internet - so I was able to watch it live! (Although I also DVR'd it and I'm settling to watch and cry all over again)

Some great photos on the day - but the best should come later from Kelly. In the meantime, I'm satisfying myself with these. I think the one above is one of my favs - such a wonderful expression of delight from a vet receiving his second ring.

According to John Henry, David Ortiz was consulted on the ring design - and recommended more bling! Here he shows off his two rings.

There were many fabulous moments in the ceremony - including Pesky and Papi raising the World Champions banner. A weepy moment. As was this one:

Bill Buckner returns to Fenway Park for the first time since 1990. For many years, Buckner was made the scapegoat for the Red Sox' loss of the 1986 World Series. During game 6, he let a Mookie Wilson single go thru his legs, allowing the Mets to score the game winning run. But, really, there were so many factors that led to that loss. And in many ways, Buckner's gaffe became the trademark image for our hapless Red Sox.

It was great to have him back. He's someone who's really suffered - undeservedly. He really was a good player in his day and it was so terrific of the RS Front Office to acknowledge and celebrate his many contributions to the team.

And doesn't Dwight Evans look fine??

SI opens its vaults

Sports Illustrated has recently opened up its vault of articles! You can look at literally every article they've ever published - now for free. It's an incredible resource - you can trace the history of so many subjects, or reread favorite articles from the past.

Which leads me to this: one of my all-time favorite columns written by Peter Gammons after the 1986 World Series. It's entitled "Living and Dying With The Woe Sox." It was one of the first articles that gave him national exposure, introduced the rest of the US to his brilliance. I carried a tattered copy of this article with me for years - pasted copies in my scrapbooks and journals, even laminated one. I nearly memorized it. It so perfectly summarized how I felt after that Series. Some of my favorite lines:

I told a friend. "But before we could find out what it feels like to win, we have to be made to suffer one last, excruciating time."...

How will it feel? For years we had asked ourselves, "How will it feel if the Red Sox ever win?" ... How, in God's name, will it feel?

Well, it took another 18 years for us to find out. How did it feel? As I lay on the floor on that incredible night in October 2004, sobbing with relief and excitement, I remember thinking about that line. How did it feel? Damn good.