Former Red Sox manager John McNamara died Tuesday in Tennessee. McNamara last managed in Boston 32 years ago, and his worst moments happened 34 years ago. But as with Bill Buckner, Bob Stanley, Rich Gedman, and a few others, the pain of the 1986 World Series is still very fresh in the McNamara household.And he's just getting warmed up, folks:
I made a few calls early Wednesday after I learned Mac had passed. I spoke with Bruce Hurst, and left messages for Roger Clemens and Dwight Evans. I reached out to a funeral home in Nashville to let the McNamara family know the Globe was attempting to confirm his passing.
Say “Too Many Men on the Ice” and everybody knows you are talking about Bruins-Canadiens Game 7 in 1979. It’s the same with “David Tyree,” “Bucky Dent,” “Sugar Bear Hamilton,” “Grady Little,” and “Game 6.”Am I off base for stating this is pure scumbag journalism? It's little wonder print media is on its last legs. Successful pot stirring's always been a specialty of his, and now he's got Clemens' allegiance (note the link above) in the war of words between the Rocket and McNamara over an event that happened over a third of a century ago, and McNamara can't speak for himself now because he's dead.
“Game 6” sets off Red Sox fans of a certain age. It’s like Niagara Falls to the Three Stooges. Game 6 is when Mookie Wilson’s grounder slithered between the hobbled ankles of Buckner. Game 6 is when Steamer threw the wild pitch that should have been a passed ball. Game 6 is when we saw those Calvin Schiraldi eyes.
Game 6 is when McNamara pulled Clemens for a pinch hitter with the Red Sox leading the Mets, 3-2, in the top of the eighth. Clemens was sailing along with a four-hitter and had retired the last five Mets he faced. He was coming off his 24-4 MVP season. He was primed to deliver the Red Sox their first World Series championship in 68 years. And then he came out of the game and everything fell apart.
After the loss, when the manager of the Red Sox was asked to explain the move, McNamara answered, “My pitcher asked out of the game.”
When Clemens heard that, he had to be restrained. He has always maintained that McNamara made the decision, then lied to cover his mistake.
For the record, Roger Clemens was indicted for lying to Congress about his use of steroids and HGH; character counts in my book.
I don't believe I'm being hyperbolic in saying this might be Shank's worst column (in terms of raw scumbaggery) since this one, and the more I think about it, it just might be his all-time nadir.
3 comments:
Shank says character is why he doesn't vote for Schilling but votes for Clemens. No its cuz Roger bribed Shank with a clementine teddy bear and Schilling called him out in front of the world on the night of game 7 of the 04 LCS. This shows you what a fraud Dan is.
Nothing like pissing on a man's grave before he goes in the ground, CHB is hands down the worst. Game 6 is still fresh in my memory, too, but I'd like to think that, for a moment, Red Sox fans can show some class and honor an overall class act. Of course, maybe the problem is that Shank isn't a Red Sox fan...
Dan profited off the pain and suffering of Bill Buckner all the way til the day he died and shamelessly admitted it on live radio
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