This is hardly a completed research project, but...

After noticing "World Series" in all lowercase letters in old news articles, I wondered at what point it became capitalized. I was surprised to see it lowercase as late as the 1960s. Eventually I decided to focus on the New York Times, to see when they uppered the case.

I narrowed it down to September 1962. Again, I didn't do extensive research, but that seems to be the point when the Times made the switch.

Then I came across a book called "The First Fall Classic," in which the author claims that the 1912 World Series was the year that made the w turn to W and the s turn to S. I have to say, that is Wallaby Shit. Maybe you'd see it capitalized sometimes, but words are often capitalized in headlines, on the front of programs, on tickets. It wouldn't be referred to in text as World Series on a regular basis for decades.

In fact, if you look at the ticket stubs of World Series in the 30s and 40s (and even on the Cardinals' 1964 ones), you won't even see the term "World Series." It was referred to as the "World's Championship Games." I'm thinking maybe people used the World Series term for space-saving purposes, as they did use it on the tiny press pins through those same years.

You know Russell Nua, Red Sox massage therapist? That dude with the long braid? Well I just read that the team hired "a massage therapist" named Ito. Does this mean Nua is gone? Say it ain't so! It might not be so, since they didn't name the new guy as THE massage therapist.

When I told Kim this news, she said:

"My guess is they shitcan the guy with the braid."




(photo by me)

(photo by me)

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We only had Andre Dawson on our team for the time it takes to do one bow, but this still counts as another Red Socker in the Hall of Fame.

Unfortunately, all the wordplay I can think of would imply he didn't make it:

Ahhh-ahhh-Andre, Ahhh-III'm sorray.

They forgot about Dre.

The Hawk is out. (Actually, had Jack Morris made it but not Dawson, I could have used the full "Jack Frost chillin', the Hawk is out" line.) (And had they announced it on Christmas...)

And to think, I had eight years to use those. Damn.

Even Richard Dawson doesn't work, as he's dead and used to kiss everybody. That might have been good for a "kiss of death" line.

I'm sure I could come up with something, but the point is, "Awesome Dawson"* is in. Nice job there. I cannot believe Alomar didn't get in on his first try.


*coined by my friend Mike (one of the Yankee fans) when we used to play this game called "Championship Baseball." This was, like, '88-ish. He had some good nicknames. George Brett was "Poed" as in P.O.'ed because he looked pissed off in his picture. Cal Ripken Junior we called Junior Ortiz. One guy's nickname was "Come on, gimme a break," again due to his facial expression. I actually have him on tape showing each card and giving the nickname. I should run that.

I remember back when BSM was following the Brewers, he'd talk about Bill Hall, and I'd think, "there can't be a baseball player named 'Bill Hall'." But there was, and now he's a Red Socker. From what I heard five years ago, this guy's practically a Hall of Famer! Oh wait, he's been seriously declining for like five years. Oh well.

And Ellsbury's officially moving to left. Cameron sways easily over to center.

Depending on who you ask, Adrian Beltre is either some unsigned dude OR the Red Sox' new starting third baseman. [As of 8 PM, it seems pretty official.]

Considering our current third baseman, despite being one of my favorite all-time Sox, probably wouldn't have too much motivation to play for us right now and also can barely walk to first let alone run, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say we will be getting Beltre.

And it's weird, because of his low OBP--you'd think Theo wouldn't wanna touch a guy like that. But it's also funny how one decade a stat is a background figure and the next it's the be-all end-all determination of how good a guy is. So think about it this way: Beltre can pound the ball. His home runs are down since the 'roid era, but look at the doubles. In Fenway Park, this guy can be another Jim Rice. And what did Jim Rice say about walking? It's for mailmen and street whores! Okay, maybe he only said the mailman part. We're just gonna have to get walks from somewhere else, but we won't think about that when the ball's flying over the Monster Seats.

It's like turning the knob down on Mike Lowell's age and up on his mobility. And the guy has won two gold gloves in the last three years, too.

Papi always wanted another bat. Looks like we may have gotten him one in the form of a fellow countryman.

[On NESN right now, 8:24 PM: A shot of Beltre in the dugout during a June 2004 Dodgers-Sox game at Fenway. Dave Roberts up for LA, just singled, McDonough and Remy talking non-stop about his stolen base ability. And a line drive was just caught by Kelly Barons, whose name Remy had to get from someone else at that point. And Roberts steals second.]

I thought he only bet on his own team!

Actually, this is during the Reds' '76 victory parade, and I guess Rose is wearing the hat in conjunction with a thumbs-down to imply "I am anti- this team." But still, so weird to see Pete Rose in a Yankee hat.

(I found this because I just got the book Game Six, and saw a shot of Will McEnaney in there after the final out of the '75 series. Problem is, the background is clearly Yankee Stadium, meaning it was the last out of the following year's Reds sweep over the Yanks, as McEnaney got the last out each year. But it seems like an awesome book, so I'm sure that's the only mistake. And I'm sure it wasn't the author's fault.)

Pics from the Legends Classic starring Kiefer and Tim Robbins in the post below.

You know that William Shatner interview show, the one where the seats are situated like the Love Toilet? Tuesday at 10, Weird Al will be on there, followed by Gene Simmons. Awesome. Check your local listings.

And take a shot at the latest Kwiz.

[Bonus pic added! I can't believe I forgot to include this shot of Bobby Farrelly with his double-beer-ear goalie mask! Original post begins below this picture.]

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I don't blame Kim for bailing on this one, as they were forecasting an all-day snowstorm for the whole area. But they said the snow would be light, so I figured I'd make it--besides, I really wanted to see a snowy hockey game at Fenway (and Andy Dufresne and the main "Lost Boy"), and this was my chance.

Parked at 12:30 at a four-hour meter. Game was at 2, and since I didn't plan on staying for the whole game, it was perfect. Too bad I had to pay the sixteen quarters, though, on the day between New Year's Day and a Sunday. Who knows, maybe the cops weren't ticketing anyway, but I trust Boston cops about as much as I do that guy in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang who went around offering ice cream and lollipops for free. Treacle Tarts! Above, the Ted statue in the snow.

The Winter Classic truck. So this dude and his kid near me as I waited for the gates to open mentioned he needed ONE ticket, which I had. I was happy to give him my extra for face. I said to him, "I heard you say you needed one so I had to say something," and he goes, "that's why I said it out loud..."

Inside Fenway, snow piled up by a walkway.

And there's the rink at right.

Snowy seats out in right field.

Got to do a little "first man on the moon" action in the RF grandstand. This is under cover but the wind put snow in the first few rows of the GS.

Surreal to see a hockey rink on the Fenway field.

The Monster behind the rink.

Looks like someone brought their own cushions for yesterday's Winter Classic and left them. Don't know why they would have thought there'd be snow in the back row.

I walked around and got shots from everywhere except for the bleachers.

Retired numbers of Red Sox and Bruins.

More snowy seats.

The rink.

See icicle, top right.

Looking out onto Yawkey Way.

The Wall.

The rink again. Gates opened at 1:00 so I had an hour to walk around.

As I walked toward the Jordan's Deck, I looked left into that raised ofice/suite/whatever, I caught Larry Lucchino blowing his nose.

A new row just for this game: 16A.

Rink again.

Snowy Lansdowne Street. It was pretty much snowing all day, though you can't tell in some shots.

Another pile of it by the steps to the Monster.

Another Monster shot.

Left field corner. The warning track was covered by that white surface.

Snow on the outfield. There was also a smaller rink out there which kids were playing on.

I was surprised so many people wore Bruins gear. I figured they'd wear it yesterday, and then today...I don't know what I thought. I guess it makes sense now.

One more shot from over here before heading upstairs.

Went all the way over to right field to get to the roof, and found out I couldn't even go to the roof boxes, let alone the pavilion level.

But I did get a few shots from up high.

Including this booth.

Suddenly players came out onto the ice for the pre-game skate so I rushed down there. There still wasn't a huge crowd at that point, so it was no problem finding spots in the field boxes. Here's Wally at rinkside.

Denis Leary in the pre.

Left side of that auxiliary scoreboard: my left sideburn, left edge of glasses, left side of hoods, Schott NYC logo on left side of coat, and left hand holding camera. Had I leaned left instead of right, I would have caught myself on there.

Andy Dufresne! (They actually mentioned Andy during his official intro.) Wearing Nuke LaLoosh's #37!

More Tim Robbins action.

Leary on the ice.

I was in great position to get shots of them coming off the ice, then going back on. Here's Kiefer Sutherland.

Tim Robbins honestly having a great time.

Close-up of Robbins, still in awe.

So now they're coming out one by one for intros. After they went in, some people went back to their real seats, so I was in hte second row, with a view into the dugout. Here's Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys.

I had no idea Tom Werner would be in this game. Or that he could skate.

David about to leave the safety of the vampire hotel. [Note to people reading this years from now: This vampire reference has nothing to do with the current, shitty vampire craze. I've always made Lost Boys references. I even counted the Michaels! So screw you for judgin' me, Future Boy.]

And since the sun wasn't out, his skin didn't burn.

Tim Robbins walks onto the field. Then ice.

Hockey guy or whatever Cam Neely. Is this the dude from that ESPN commercial where he says, "Wanna kick my dog, too?" Obviously I know nothing about hockey. In fact, if any of you are fans of the hockey dudes at this game, let me know and I'll sed you any pics I have of them. If I can figure out who's who.

My hands were so freakin' cold. I could barely press the button on my camera while getting those shots by the dugout. So when the intros ended, I headed for the back, where there were plenty of warm spots. Here's the game from the third base side.

Ken Casey laughingly took this guy down.

And left him in the ice dust.

And he's the What the Ess?

A shot to show the snow falling.

Denis Leary and "guy who's name I heard a lot growing up in the 80s in the NY-area and who I'm pretty sure my Yankee fan friends hated because he was on the Islanders," Pat LaFontaine.

The rink from another angle.

The center-ice view.

Tim Robbins on the ice.

And finally, the actors who played two of my favorite movie characters in one frame.