Living near the capitol of Red Sox Nation, it’s hard not to get caught up in the collective euphoria over our sweep of the Colorado Rockies in the 2007 World Series (and yes, for true fans, the first-person plural is warranted).
Sunday’s victory had another meaning for me as well. The winning pitcher was Jon Lester, who in 2006 was treated for lymphoma, a form of blood cancer. My father is also a two-time lymphoma survivor, and got out of the hospital the second time only two days before my son, his first and only grandchild, was born. The tie with Lester’s illness would be enough to give me pause this week. The Red Sox have also, however, been long-time supporters of the Jimmy Fund, the fundraising organization behind Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where my dad went for care. In fact, according to their Web site, “The relationship that the Red Sox and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute share is the longest standing, most extensive, and significant team-charity relationship in all of professional sports.” The two organizations have worked together for 54 years. (It’s also worth noting that third baseman Mike Lowell is a testicular cancer survivor, and both pitcher Curt Schilling’s wife, Shonda and Dustin Pedroia’s wife, Kelli are melanoma survivors. The Schillings founded the SHADE Foundation in 2002 to to educate people about melanoma prevention and detection.)
Despite my allegiance to the BoSox, I’ve never owned any team paraphernalia. (I’m also one of three lesbians in the U.S. who has never played softball.) I cheer for them, but prefer to spend my money supporting women’s pro sports teams, which need it more. (I can’t wait until the new women’s professional soccer league launches next year, with a franchise in Boston.) Still, I can see one of these 2007 World Champion holiday ornaments from the Jimmy Fund making its way to our house this year. (Heck, maybe I’ll even celebrate both our heritages and order eight of them.)
The World Series may be “just a game” to some, or a celebration of athletic prowess and community spirit, or a ridiculous display of overpaid egotists, but if it can bring more money and awareness to the Jimmy Fund and some of the other charities supported by the Sox and their players, then it’s served more than its purpose.
I guess the sox are so intimately associated with the Jimmy Fund in my head I can’t imagine it being any different.
Now, the WUSA. We are talking. See you next spring in the stands!
All these years I was hoping to someday meet either (1) Jodie Foster, or (2) a lesbian who has never played softball. Rock on, Dana!
In the spirit of full disclosure, I was forced to do a softball segment in high school gym class–but since all I did was spend 45 minutes standing in the outfield where no one ever hit the ball, it doesn’t really count as playing. (I have done various other sports, though–just none involving balls, as it happens. :-) )