Today in Red Sox History: March 8

Today in OTM History

2021: Appreciating Jackie Bradley Jr.’s defense; We don’t have to do so from afar anymore. While it likely won’t be on an everyday basis this season, we will see plenty of the defense.

2020: Who’s going to bat leadoff?; As it turns out, this was the least of that team’s concerns.

2017: Fernando Abad going to the World Baseball Classic; I had forgotten about this, but it was quite the Discourse around this decision.

2016: Michael Kopech fights teammate, injures hand; It was not an ideal move for a pitching prospect especially.

2014: John Henry tweets; Honestly this may have been the moment I most liked Henry.

2012: Jonathan Papelbon thinks Philly is smarter than you; I’m not sure I’d take that too seriously, uh, considering the source.

Today in Red Sox History

1996: Red Sox sign outfielder Kevin Mitchell; Though he was past his prime at this point, Mitchell was a former MVP (1989 with the Giants). He’d play only 27 games with Boston before being traded to the Reds for a pair of players who would never play in the majors for the Red Sox.

Today in Red Sox Birthdays

Happy 69th birthday to Jim Rice, who is of course a Hall of Famer and one of the most feared hitters in Red Sox history. Rice won one MVP in his career and finished in the top five on five other occasions.

Happy would-be 140th birthday to Harry Lord, who was Boston’s everyday third baseman for a few years in the early 1900s before being traded to the White Sox midway through the 1910 season.

Happy would-be 113th birthday to Pete Fox, who spent the early parts of his career with the Tigers before finishing his playing days out with Boston. He had a couple of solid years as the Red Sox right fielder, receiving MVP votes in 1944.