Wakefield on minds of Cora, Kennedy
Late Sox pitcher recalled fondly
Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy first spent significant time with the late Tim Wakefield in 2002, when they were on a team charter flight together from Atlanta to San Diego. Kennedy recalls Wakefield asking about the Red Sox’ Father’s Day community event, when kids and their fathers can play catch on the field at Fenway Park.
Wakefield wanted to know everything about why the Red Sox held the gathering, what went into planning it, and how the organization brought its vision to life.
“That genuine curiosity about the ballpark, the baseball team, the business of baseball, the community work, what went into running this operation, was there literally right until the end,” Kennedy said.
Wakefield died Sunday after battling brain cancer. He was 57.
At the team’s end-of-season press conference Monday, Kennedy called Wakefield’s passing “perhaps the saddest day in the 123-year history of the Boston Red Sox organization.” He offered condolences to the Wakefield family, front office members, former teammates, NESN broadcast partners, Red Sox Foundation partners, and fans who all knew Wakefield, a testament to the uniquely profound impact the pitcher had on the organization and the city of Boston.
“As I think back, in our time here and in the history of the Red Sox, I’m not sure there’s a player that has been more active or involved with every area of the operation: player, front office member, broadcaster, community leader,” Kennedy said.
Wakefield was on the Red Sox when Alex Cora, then a player, was traded to the team in 2005. Now the manager, Cora remembers Wakefield’s genuine spirit from the moment they became teammates, as well as the perfectionism Wakefield used to establish a standard of excellence in Boston.
“He made sure everything in the clubhouse was on point,” Cora said. “Very hard on young players, but in a good way. Teaching [them] the right way — the right way to be a big-leaguer and to be a Red Sox.”
The Red Sox honored Wakefield in Sunday’s season finale by wearing their jerseys in the visiting dugout instead of their pull-overs. Cora said he typically doesn’t wear a jersey, but yesterday, he had his on starting at 9 a.m.
“We always talk about Hall-of-Fame people throughout the years, right?” he said. “They’re good on the field, but they’re better off the field, and this guy, he represented us with dignity.”
Kennedy did not have details on memorial services for Wakefield. Though he did not offer specifics, Kennedy did say that the Red Sox would like to honor the pitcher’s life and legacy with fans.
“It would be great to have a way to celebrate [Wakefield], where we can have all the fans who loved him as much as we did participate and and be be a part of it,” he said.