Baseball at the Gourmet Brunch A LOOK BACK – Boston Red Sox Vice President Emeritus and longtime historian Dick Bresciani looks into a case at the Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame with former Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell during a Hall of Fame event Nov. 18, 2011. Bresciani will be the keynote speaker at the Hyannis Athletic Association’s Hot Stove evening Jan. 21, sharing Red Sox memories and more. Photo by David Still Article By: Barnstable Patriot News re-posted by permission of The Barnstable Patriot
www.BarnstablePatriot.com 13 January 2012 Written by Kathleen Szmit Hot Stove event to feature Red Sox historian For baseball fans, the long stretch between the World Series and Opening Day can seem endless, but local enthusiasts rejoice. The Hyannis Harbor Hawks, in partnership with The Barnstable Patriot and Wells Fargo Advisors, are bringing baseball to town in January. On the evening of Jan. 21, folks with tickets are invited to listen in as Boston Red Sox Vice President Emeritus and team historian Dick Bresciani shares stories about the beloved boys of Beantown as well as about his experiences with the Cape Cod Baseball League. The mid-winter fundraiser will benefit the Hyannis Athletic Association and pave the way for much-needed improvements to the playing field at McKeon Park in Hyannis, as well as provide scholarships. “We wanted to do something a little different,” said Priscilla Merritt, vice president of media for the HAA. “Something that took us outside the Cape League.” Peter Scarafile, HAA vice president, got in touch with Bresciani and asked if he’d be willing to speak, with Bresciani agreeing enthusiastically. “The Cape League always appealed to me going back to the 60s because it gave young college players an opportunity to play in a fast-paced summer league where they could improve their skills and see how they stacked up against top notch players from around the country, and at the same time give them a sense of what Minor League baseball feels like,” Bresciani said during a Jan. 11 phone interview. “It gives you a taste of what the Minor League can be like.” While Bresciani wishes he could get to the Cape more often for visits and games, he maintains strong ties to the CCBL by serving as liaison between the Red Sox and the league. He has been with the Red Sox for 40 years. Bresciani said some of the highlights of his time with the Sox were working with the stellar teams of 1975 and 1986, in spite of their late-season losses, and especially being part of the 2004 and 2007 World Series teams. “Those were great momentous years. Coming back to beat the Yankees after being down three games to none, then to go on and win that game and eliminate the Yankees,” he said. “Then the World Series. In the ninth inning I went down to the clubhouse to be ready to help out with the media when the game ended.” Bresciani acknowledged delighting in a good dousing of champagne following the Sox victory. “That was the ultimate thrill,” he said. “Then to repeat again in ’07.” Bresciani plans to share such moments with the intimate crowd anticipated at the Original Gourmet Brunch, site of the Hot Stove event. “My job is to come down and talk to the group,” he said. “I’m going to be saying some things about the Red Sox and interspersing that with my association with the League, and hopefully try to entertain the group a little bit.” The evening will also feature a silent auction to include autographed baseballs by Dwight Evans and Johnny Pesky. The Hyannis Athletic Association’s Hot Stove evening will be held Jan. 21 from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Original Gourmet Brunch in Hyannis and will feature keynote speaker Dick Bresciani, a silent auction and more. Tickets are $25 per person and may be purchased by emailing Kim Wolfe at [email protected]. |