Thank You, Trot
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Fitton Field, Worcester
I always say that if I could personally thank every one of the 2004 Red Sox, I would. Over the years, I have gotten to meet and thank several of the players, and I have a photo of me with the World Series trophy that I’ve been collecting autographs of the members of the ’04 team on ever since Spring Training of 2005. So when I heard that Trot Nixon, the original dirt dog, was going to be in Worcester, I knew I had to go.
Trot Nixon spoke to Worcester area Little Leaguers.
The event, open to the public, was held on the Holy Cross campus at Fitton Field, home of Holy Cross’s baseball team and, in the summer, of the Worcester Bravehearts, a team in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League. (They play the Brockton Rox and Nashua Silver Knights, among other local teams, and half the players on each team either grew up in New England or currently attend a college in the area.) The Bravehearts were promoting ticket sales for their coming games, and the day marked the opening of the Worcester Little League season, with food and activities for the kids. Besides the mayor and league officials, the speakers included Trot Nixon, a fan favorite (who played his intense style of baseball well before any of the Little League kids were born) and member of the 2004 World Champion Red Sox. With the kids lined up in their team uniforms ringing the infield, he talked about how much he loves the game, and encouraged the kids to find time to practice every day. After the speeches, he signed autographs and posed for pictures with anyone who wanted one.
Thank you, Trot!
When my turn came, I thanked him for 2004, and added, “And for that walk-off home run in the playoffs in ’03. I went to that one, and we were hugging random strangers by the end.” That was Game 3 of the ALDS against Oakland. The Sox had gone down 0-2 in the series, and it took an eleventh inning pinch-hit home run by Trot to extend the series, which they would eventually come back to win. It was a crazy game, with bizarre obstruction calls and the play where Eric Byrnes got tagged out by Jason Varitek after he failed to touch the plate. I was sitting in an obstructed view seat right behind a pole, and really did end up hugging the woman next to me at the end.
Trot's autograph is second from the left in the top row, between Brian Daubach and Lenny DiNardo.
There are still a bunch of players from 2004 who I haven’t had the pleasure to meet yet, but it was fun to cross another name off the list.
