Do you know me?
Photo from the Boston Globe Archives
You’re going to find this hard to believe, since no one except this guy has mentioned it this week, but I won the Rookie of the Year award AND the AL MVP award back in 1975. That’s right, I won them both in the SAME FREAKING SEASON. But has anyone discussed that this week? No. All we keep reading about is how Cal Ripken, Jr., Ryan Howard and now Dustin Pedroia (good kid, by the way, I’m very happy for him) are the only MLB players to win Rookie of the Year and follow it up with the MVP award. Can you believe that shit?
Go ahead and Google me…you’ll see. I’ll wait.
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Good, you’re back. So what did you see? You didn’t find any recent articles mentioning my Rookie of the Year and MVP award in the same year did you? What the hell is up with that?
Oh yeah, and did I mention that I also won the Gold Glove in 1975? Mmmhmmmm. I did. Probably would have won the damn Silver Slugger too if it existed in ‘75. (And, lest you forget, I was on the All Star team that year too. Damn straight.)
Hey, I’m not here to take attention away from Dustin Pedroia. Pedie is an ass-kicker of the highest degree. Kid deserves every award and accolade thrust upon him. But, seriously, WTF? If it’s such a big deal to get these awards in consecutive years, think about how friggin’ hard it was to get them both in the same season. It wasn’t a damn cakewalk people, I busted my ass. And I was TWENTY-THREE years old! Two years younger than Pedroia when he won the MVP, FIVE years younger than Howard when he got HIS MVP and the same age as Cal Ripken, Jr when he got his. It wasn’t a fluke, it wasn’t an easy road and it gets me a little cranky when people conveniently FORGET that it even happened.
I’m not asking for a lot, folks. Just a little recognition. Don’t be so mesmerized by what’s happening now that you forget what’s happened before, peeps.
In closing, I’d like to congratulate Dustin Pedroia on his accomplishments. Does me proud to see the Red Sox developing players like him from within. And if you’re so inclined, check out my website and learn a little something about the past.
PS: This guy says “hi” too.
I did not know that (he said, channeling Johnny Carson).
My knowledge of Sox history is sadly lacking and Fred Lynn deserves much more recognition.
Ichiro did his MVP/ROY on the back of eight years in Japan so it’s not quite the same.
The press guys who vote and comment on this stuff should be ashamed of themselves.
HorshamScouse
20 Nov 08 at 2:22 am
1975: .331/.401/.566
pssst, he was an All Star that year, too!
One half of the Gold Dust Twins… Quite a tandem those two…
Tru
20 Nov 08 at 8:27 am
I’m just still so stunned/pissed that no one, aside from “Fred” and Jere, seemed to think this was a big deal.
Cyn on the iPhone
20 Nov 08 at 8:39 am
FREDDIE….FREDDIE….FREDDIE….ALWAYS LOVED HIM…AND YES I WAS PAYING ATTENTION IN THOSE DAYS.
REMEMBER…I WAS AROUND WITH THE DINOSAURS.
DB
Dori
20 Nov 08 at 11:18 am
Freddie Lynn was the reason I started paying attention to baseball.
Cyn
20 Nov 08 at 12:10 pm
My, too, Cyn. Watching him and Rice play the outfield during that 75 season made me a fan for life. Who can forget that slamming catch in CF - and how he got up injured. Ouch. I’m always psyched if he (or Fisk!) are the veteran player saluted at a game.
Beth
20 Nov 08 at 1:40 pm
Freddie Lynn and Pudge were the two main reasons I became a Red Sox fan at the age of about 6 or so. Pedie had a fantastic year, but Freddie got touched by the hand of God for a short time.
Ted
21 Nov 08 at 12:06 am
WOW, your new site looks great!!!! I’ll change your link on my blog. I hope this comment finds you well and happy. blog friend Peter.
Peter N
21 Nov 08 at 7:22 am
And I agree with Beth…watching the outfield trio of Jim Ed, Freddie and Dewey was SO much fun. I still know that Dewey had the most accurate and deadly arm that I’ve ever seen. Thanks Cyn.
Peter N
21 Nov 08 at 7:25 am