The Red Sox celebrate Johnny Pesky

ON THIS DATE (September 23, 2012) ... A "Celebration of Life" tribute to Johnny Pesky was held at Fenway Park for the club's most beloved ballplayer who passed away on August 13th.  The memorial, which was open to the public, was attended by the entire 2012 Red Sox team along with numerous alumni players who he mentored.  Many signed their names on the right field foul pole, known forever as "Pesky's Pole"

"Here's to you, Johnny Pesky. You're baseball in this town. You played, you coached, you managed. You never let us down. Two hundred hits a season when you played. How's that? You hold the all-time record for swings with a fungo bat. They named a foul pole after you. The reason, it is clear, if you could hit the ball that far once or twice a year. He saw them all, from Ted and Dom, to Yaz, Big Papi, too. Seventy years of players all learned a thing from you. You are Mr. Red Sox. You're the man! You're in our Hall of Fame. You understood this basic truth, that baseball's just a game. The game of life counted with you. To know you was a pleasure. Farewell, we love you Johnny. You're a Boston treasure."

... Dick Flavin at Johnny Pesky's funeral mass