Rodney C. Hancock. My father, bless his soul, Rodney C. Hancock from Springfield, MA. My dad was BORN and RAISED in Palmer, Mass. which is 10 miles outsideSpringfield Mass. Born March 18,1931- Died Sept 30, 1998.He was 67 years old. Ardent RedSox, Celtic, and Bruin fan and a staunch conservative Republican.-Craig M. Hancock
William "Webe" Costello. My brother,W illiam "Webe" Costello. June 1,1950-October 3,1997. A big red sox fan no matter where he lived : Calif, Fla, Providence-but a Woburn, Mass. native. He's up there watchin' NESN SMILIN' !! Thank-you!-James Costello
Mary "Nana" Shea. My nana was born in county Cork . She moved to Worcester as a young girl and married a fireman, my namesake Dan Shea. This fireman went on to become a station chief and passed away a couple of months before I was born. Besides his steel helmet and badge, always at its revered resting place on the top old b/w t.v. ( you had to move the antenna , depending on if it was a Worcester, Providence, or Boston Channel ) Dan had passed on the legacy of devotion of the Red Sox to his young Irish bride. I remember nana, ending her daily rosary with a blessing for all her family especially including her boys - the Red Sox. She would lie awake at night to all hours listening to Curt Gowdy and Mel Parnell. I'm sure there is as much joy in heaven as in New England. I can still smell her apple pie. Go Sox !!-Dan Paquette (Natick/Atlanta)
Peter J. Rowe (7/18/38 – 3/4/96). Grew up in Stamford, CN (Huge Sox fan in a Yankees town). Retired Brigadier General in the USMC. Served in Vietnam and Gulf War. Passed away in March 1996, but is survived by his 3 children (Erin, Mike, and Brendan). Mike (flew in from Phoenix) and Brendan (flew in from Cleveland) were at Game 4 in St. Louis. Brendan was ready to stay and had flight/hotel for Boston as well.-Brendan C. Rowe
John E Lynch, played in the old Blackstone Valley League as a first baseman...nicknamed Speed because he was tall and lanky in those days. He saw the Sox win in 1918 but being born in 1893 meant that would be the only one he'd experience. Nevertheless, he listened to every game and watched when tv first carried some games. He's been gone a long time now but I'm certain he's still playing first base in that Heavenly League :) Facts about my Dad and his baseball career, such as it was, were never many or clear. I do remember him telling me that he'd been offered a tryout with the Red Sox but because his Father objected, it never happened. Dad was 2nd generation (Irish). In those days, it seems, you took your parent's "advice" seriously and my Grandfather didn't consider the 'game' of baseball something you did as a living. Perhaps he was right, perhaps not....but Dad followed the usual route of working hard, marrying, playing baseball in his spare time. When family came along, time to become a Fan. Some of the strongest memories I have are of me, my cousin, my Dad and Mother packing lunch on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and driving into the country. In those days it was a good way to spend time together as a family and enjoy a picnic, with the car radio tuned to the ballgame, of course. He never tired of the game and I often wonder if.....if his Father hadn't objected.....if he'd actually had the opportunity to try out.....if.....but no matter, he was a World Champion Dad and instilled in me the love of the game and the team. Always one team, only one team. You did good, Dad.....your Red Sox did good too.-Marti Cheschi
Norman B. Witkes, Charles Grace. Grandpa Grace died when I was very young. I don't remember him too well. Both of his children, my mother and my uncle, are big Sox fans. I have heard that Grandpa was a Sox fan but we never got to see a game together. Grandpa Witkes and I were very close. We watched many games at his house on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Grandpa always talked baseball with me, my uncles and cousins. Grandpa was hard of hearing and did not communicate very well but that didn't stop him from much. He was a fanatic reader (newspapers) and he always knew what was going on with the home team.I miss Grandpa Grace and Witkes much and including their names on the Website is my way of remembering them.-Marc Witkes
Donald 'Red' Lomme- Born in Bridgeport Connecticut in 1916, Donald Lomme was what a true member of Red Sox Nation is all about- loyalty. Growing up and residing in the middle of Connecticut "Yankee" country, Fairfield County , Don went through life a devout Sox fan. His love for sports, especially baseball, included his leadership in the formation of the Babe Ruth baseball league in Westport Connecticut. But, what Don is remembered the most by is his involvement in high school basketball officiating through the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO). His career included his eventual rise to IAABO International President in 1968. Everywhere Don went, including overseas as a basketball goodwill ambassador for the U.S. State Department , Don spoke about his love for the Red Sox. Too young to remember their championship in 1918, Don waited, like many before him in Red Sox Nation, for that "one championship" all of his life. As his health failed during the spring of 2004 he had a "special feeling" about the 2004 Sox. He was called by his maker on June 29, 2004 and never got to see and experience the joy of the accomplishments of the 2004 Red Sox as those of us here in Red Sox Nation did. But, we all know he, like the thousands of others called before him, somehow had a part in the 2004 season. 'Red'- your Sox finally did it !- Members of Red Sox Nation, Fairfield County Connecticut
Stuart Greenberg- Born in Malden, Massachusetts, Stu Greenberg grew up in a household that did nothing but "eat and drink" Red Sox. His life included working as as cab driver in Boston to help pay his college tuition. Many times his cab visited Fenway Park to drop off or pick up a player, sportscaster , or someone in Sox management. And , Stu was not bashful about telling any of them what the Sox needed to do to win that particular season ! He eventually moved to Bridgeport Connecticut and began a high school teaching career. He often told the story of how his students would tease him because he wore his Red Sox hat to school. But, his answer to them was always the same- "There is nothing better in the world than being a Sox fan. It becomes part of your soul. When we do eventually win again it will be something really special". After a long bout with Cancer Stu left us in 1997 at the young age of 50. But, he was right. 2004 was certainly something special. To my good friend Stu Greenberg- gone but not forgotten.- Joe Gintoli, Shelton Connecticut
Ronnie "Buddy" Olson. We used to call Ron "Buddy", because he was always the core of our group of friends back in high school. We had talked about the Red Sox all our lives, since we met in the same first grade class. From the days of Clemens, Boggs and Mo to the sadder days of Jeff Frye, Will Cordero, and Dragg Bragg, our starting center fielder (Yikes...). I remember we probably spent classes openly ignoring teachers and lessons to slave over the 1999 ALCS Red Sox matchup with the Yanks. And I can remember both going insane at the blown calls during that series; we were only 17 but it felt like we had been fans for years. Through the Pats, Celtics and Sox we had great conversations that went on for days seemingly. Back then, we would be up til 4 a.m. on AOL Instant Messanger (in its earlier days of bloobs and beeps) talking Sox. I never got tired of it. I hope he never did either. He passed away last March, a week into 2004 Spring Training. He was killed in a car accident. For the whole playoffs and World Series run, I knew he was there, looking down. I wish we could have talked til dawn about the Sox this season, and the next year when we are defending our title. I wish we could have hacked A-Rod into pieces in our 4 a.m. chats for that karate chop and his purple lipstick. I wish we could have started a joint FireDaleSveum.com website But I know he was looking down the whole time and enjoying every minute of the Sox in 2004...Thanks....Matthew Ricci
John "Papa" Sloan, my grandfather. I don't have much else to add, but thank you! This seems small, but it's a reallycool thing you have put together! Nice to go online and see his name right there. Almost like he really experienced it!-Jessica Sloan
Edmund R.StJohn Jr. 1920-2004. This past March , I lost my uncle to terminal illness. When the Sox won the World Series, he occupied many of my thoughts. Even in their lean years, my uncle was a die hard Sox Fan. To think that he missed seeing
them win the World Series by only six months. Today, I went out and purchased a World Champs Pennant to place around the VFW marker (The Greatest Generation) on his grave. I think others should do the same for those missed and loved ones who didn't get to see the Sox win the big one in their respective lifetime!! -Bernard M. Brown
John and Bertha Lupo: My maternal grandparents loved the Red Sox, and would tune in to games whenever they could from their Contoocook New Hampshire home. I can remember helping my grandmother (born in 1918) position the antenna just right, so we could barely see Yaz through a fuzzy haze on Channel 38.-Tom Orifice
Charles Orifice: My most vivid memories of my grandfather involve him watching the Sox in his living room, or sitting in his chair outside, listening on a transistor radio with an ear piece. Those memories all came back to me as Foulke sealed the game, and I have been thinking of them ever since.-Tom Orifice
Victor A. Ciccarello: (November 24, 1918 - February 14, 2003) Born and raised in Newton Highlands, MA and lifelong resident of Arlington, MA, Victor was a true Sox fan. Victor played ball in the parks league with long time pal Joe Tarranto. He tried out for pro ball (Boston Braves) and made it to the second round of cuts. Vic loved the Sox and instilled a passion for them in his nephews. Vic would often reminisce of times when he would ride into Fenway, from Newton Highlands, with Manager Joe Cronin, in Cronin's car. Vic made it a point, starting in 1975, to bring a nephew into at least one Fenway game a year, obtaining behind the Sox dugout seats from the Coca Cola salesman. Vic's optimism was tempered by realism too often exhibited by Sox fans, as in 1986 he demanded that we wait until the final out (what did we know) before celebrating. This 2004 Championship team is one of which he would be extremely PROUD and most likely the topic of conversation daily, for what would have been the remaining days of his life. Thank you Red Sox, I thank you in Victor's memory.- Lawrence Gilligan
Colonel David M. Levitt: He was born December 25, 1930 in New York City. Met my Cape Codder mother at Boston University, where they watched games at Fenway from the roof of their apartment building now long gone. He became a loyal Sox fan there and he remained one, even as we moved around the world to various military bases. We listened to the 1967 season on the radio on the Cape where we settled. Dad died of cancer in 2001, but in the years before we often talked about baseball, went to games, commiserated after painful losses and celebrated the big wins. He would have enjoyed the 2004 Yankee-Red Sox ALCS, and his Yankee fan brother and nephew would have heard about it. Miss you Dad.-Mark W. Levitt
Paul J. LaPenta: He died on September 18, 2004 at the age of 43. He loved the Red Sox so much that he was Buried in a Sox Jersey.-Tony LaPenta
Robert P. Emerson, Sr.: My late father in-law, Bob, was the biggest Sox fan that I have ever met. Even nights lying in his hospital bed in his living room he would watch with his sons. He went another year of disappointment and as he said, "they broke my heart again." He died on October 20, 2003. The following year my husband said that he was up there talking Babe into releasing the curse and this would be the year... sure enough, he did his job. Sox captured the pennant on October 20, 2004 and went on to win the Series. Bobbie Emerson.
Brauni J. "Bunny" Norkus: My Dad was a life long Sox fan who bore the mortal coil in between Sox championships. If not for him, I'd probably be doing something productive with my time right now. Bob Norkus.
Robert "Bob" Mooers: My grandfather was a diehard Red Sox fan. Whenever a game was on, it was very likely that Grampa was watching it, or listening on the radio. He was born in 1909. I'll never forget the day that my brother, mother, Grampa and I went in to Fenway to watch the Sox. During the course of the game he began to tell me about his being nine years old the last time the Red Sox one a World Series title. That was the day I became a Sox fan just like Grampa. In 1990 Grampa had major surgery to remove cancer from his stomach. He was in the recovery room surrounded by my grandmother, my mother, and her siblings. He woke up in the recovery room. Looking up at my grandmother, he smiled and groggily said " I love you Eleanor....Did the Red Sox win?" Grampa loved his wife, kids, and his grandchildren, but he also loved the Sox. In August of 1990 Grampa died as a result of the cancer. I think that it was only fitting that while was alive that year, the Red Sox held a firm lead on first place in the AL East. After his death, the Sox went into a slump and never made it to the playoffs. I know that on Oct 27, 2004 my Grampa was watching the game from heaven, watching his beloved Red Sox go all the way to win it all. While alive, Grampa would faithfully declare that "This is the Year!", at the start of each season. Well Grampa.....
2004 was that year! I love you Grampa. You're sadly missed, your grandson Steve Paone
Doris Fuller. My grandmother was the biggest Red Sox fan I know. She told me stories about going to Fenway and watching Ted Williams and the rest of her boys play. She taught about the game and passed on her unwaivering love for the Red Sox. Towards the end of her life her mind began to go, but she was aways brought back by the mere mention the Sox or the Bruins. Last October was dimmed somewhat by the fact that she wasn't standing next to me when they won. People were telling me that she was watching from where she was, and I really hope that's true. I'm proud to be her granddaughter and I'm proud to be a Red Sox fan. Heather Dixon