I owe Jason Varitek a poem.
Driven by the curse of a brain cramp the size of Fenway Park, I attributed his recent bad luck, in getting fired from his Red Sox coaching job, to another significant Sox catcher, Carlton Fisk.
I wondered why, in a mass firing related to the sacking of Manager Alex Cora, a player so respected could not have been treated with a tad more dignity.
Certainly Varitek, a granite Sox anchor behind home plate for 14 years, deserves similar admiration.
He earned two World Series rings, from 2004 and 2007, hit a key home run in the ‘04 Series, and over the years caught four no-hitters during the regular season.
Regarded as an elite pitch-caller, Varitek also won Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards in 2005.
An interesting sidelight: Varitek was one of the only players in baseball history to have played in the Little League World Series, the College World Series (Georgia Tech), and the major league World Series.
For sure, he rates a poem of his own, so here it is:
=A Check on ‘Tek’
The record (if you deign to check)
Will show that Jason Varitek
Behind the plate was stoutly kneeling
When Boston sent the Cardinals reeling,
Winning the ’04 World Series
Despite the prevalence of theories
Postulating they were cursed,
And in losing were immersed,
Ever since they sold Babe Ruth
To the Yankees – (how uncouth!).
But Varitek and all his mates
Put an end to those debates,
Burying the redbirds deep
In a majestic, four-game sweep.
No longer then was Red Sox Nation
Bound by such an incantation,
And once again, in three years’ time,
The Rockies fell, O, how sublime!
Calm and steadfast was ’Tek’s game,
A three-time all-star he became,
Contributing with glove and bat,
And captain of the team, at that.
Etched deeply into Red Sox lore,
He has earned respect, and more,
Including these poetic verses –
To celebrate the end of curses.
