He will
always be part of Red Sox history—the pre-2004 history that was more angst-ridden than glorious.
Dave Stapleton was
not manning first base in the late innings of World Series Game Six in 1986—
as he had in every other post-season tilt that year. Of course, the game would probably still have been tied up with Stapes at first—but who knows whether
MookieGate would have ever happened? In any event, Stapleton turns 60 years old today, and on this occasion, we should try to remember his
whole career in Carmine Hose. He played his entire seven-year MLB career with the Red Sox, finishing with a more than respectable .271 batting average and an OPS of .707. He never played more than 151 games in a season for Boston, but his late-inning defensive prowess was critical to the team's success over those seven years. Happy 60th, Stapes!
