Call for the Cup
PawSox Hall of Famer Lynn enjoys reminiscing with fans
The play-by-play voice of the Vegas Golden Knights, Dave Goucher, is a R.I. native and Tolman graduate.
PAWTUCKET – Before joining fellow 2018 Pawtucket Red Sox Hall of Fame inductee Mike Tamburro for the on-field portion of Saturday night’s festivities at McCoy Stadium, former Red Sox outfielder Fred Lynn posed for pictures and signed autographs for fans who signed up for a private event.
Lynn smiled as one fan after another came up him, shook his hand, and posed for the camera. In the few minutes the fans were in the company of a player who was blessed with a sweet and effortless swing and a hardnosed style that made him a fan favorite, they undoubtedly regaled Lynn with stories about where they were when he performed something noteworthy in a Red Sox uniform.
Some retired players will give a frosty reception when asked to walk down memory lane. They want no part of reminiscing when some fan is in the mood to talk about the glory days. For the 66-year-old Lynn, he welcomed the chance to have fans tell him why he was one of their favorite ballplayers.
“It wasn’t until a few years after my career was over and I was doing stuff for the Red Sox when it dawned on me. People would come up and say they named their kids after me. I would be like, ‘Holey moley,’” Lynn said. “I was floored when something like that would happen. If I knew I was having an effect when I was 22 and in the big leagues, I don’t know if I would have been able to play. It would be tough to focus on what I was doing.
“It was definitely an eye-opener and I appreciate it when people do it. Obviously they appreciated the way I played. That’s all I ever wanted,” Lynn added. “I didn’t play this game for accolades. I played this game because I was good and love playing baseball. All the other stuff was extra.
“But when people say those things – you ran into the wall and we thought you were dead – that makes it worth it to me,” said Lynn. “Sometimes I paid the price with my style of play, but hearing feedback from the fans is incredible. It’s a source of pride. I’m pleased and proud of the style of play I’m remembered for.”
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EXTRA BASES: With a strong breeze blowing in and the game-time temperature 32 degrees lower than Saturday, Sunday was not a good day for hitters. It showed as Pawtucket and Lehigh Valley combined for five hits in a 1-0 win for the PawSox. … William Cuevas (2-2) featured an above-average changeup on his way to supplying the PawSox with seven shutout innings. Cuevas allowed two hits with two walks and six strikeouts as part of his 102-pitch, 62-strike effort. “He seemed to get guys swinging early but he was also able to finish off hitters,” said Pawtucket manager Kevin Boles after his club snapped a five-game losing skid. … Brandon Workman showed good power to his curveball en route to two scoreless innings to earn the save and preserve Pawtucket’s fourth shutout of the season. Workman pitched around a one-out single in the ninth to go along with one strikeout and one walk. … PawSox center fielder Tzu-Wei Lin collected both of Pawtucket’s hits, stroking opposite-field knocks in both the first and eighth innings. Pawtucket’s offense did coax seven walks, as left fielder Aneury Tavarez, third baseman Mike Olt and second baseman Ivan De Jesus Jr. all worked two free passes each. … Sam Travis delivered the game’s only run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning against Lehigh Valley starter Enyel De Los Santos, who walked five but fanned seven in six innings. … Sunday’s crowd of 3,769 braved the 56-degree weather. … The series with the IronPigs (28-20) concludes Monday at 1:35 p.m. with Chandler Shepherd (2-4, 4.76) on the mound for Pawtucket (2028).