The Boston Red Sox have a rule when it comes to retiring numbers of their former stars…they had to have played for the team for at least ten seasons and have ended their careers in BeanTown.
Tony Conigliaro doesn’t fit the bill, but that’s not stopping “There’s Something About Mary” filmmakers Bobby and Peter Farrelly from making the push to see Number 25 get added to the right field façade at Fenway Park.
“I think it’s going to happen,” younger brother Bobby said. “The old owners were very stodgy about these kinds of things, but I think the new owners are ready to listen.”
Conigliaro joined his hometown Red Sox as a 19-year-old rookie in 1964. The next year, he became the youngest player ever to lead the American League in home runs. In 1967, the outfielder was on pace to eclipse his previous power numbers when he was hit by a pitch and sustained a linear fracture of the left cheekbone, a dislocated jaw and severe damage to his left retina.
He’d eventually make his return to baseball…but he would never be quite the same.
“My brother and I, we were little kids when Tony was playing, and he was our favorite,” Bobby added. “We’re starting a drive to retire his number, and when we have enough people on board, we are going to go to the Red Sox and petition them to retire his number. It’s crazy that this hasn’t been done yet. He should have his number retired.”
You can join the “Rally to Retire Tony Conigliaro’s #25” by heading on over to Change.org.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alFTOLlJyks]Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
