on Tony Conigliaro. It is unfortunate that most of you don't know who he is, but on August 18, 1967 Tony C, the local boy made good, the heart-throb, power hitting hero who reached 100 home runs at a younger age than anyone in the history of baseball, took a Jack Hamilton fastball flush in the eye in a game against the Angels in that otherwise magical year for Red Sox baseball.
But Aug. 18 is always a somber date for me, and, I'm sure, for many others. Tony C is the greatest of all ``What-Ifs?" in Boston sports history. When he stepped into the box in that fateful fourth inning, he was 22 years old. He was the Golden Boy, en route to the Golden Career. Who among us wouldn't have traded places with Tony C?
It all changed in half a second, the time it took for a baseball to crash into his handsome face, 39 years ago tonight.
Heartbreaking. The closest parallel to any event in my lifetime might be Daryl Stingley or Reggie Lewis or Len Bias, except in Bias case (and rumors indicate Reggie lewis' as well) it was pretty much self-induced. Read the whole thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment