Carl Yastrzemski had some special moments during his career.
The left fielder is one of the most revered players to ever put on a Red Sox jersey, manning the hallowed ground in front of the Green Monster at Fenway Park for nearly all of his 23 seasons in Boston.
He won a triple crown, blasted 452 career home runs and has a plaque on display at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. But Tuesday night, he will take in another historic moment in the Yastrzemski family lore at Fenway Park as his grandson Mike will leadoff and play left field for the San Francisco Giants. It will be the first time since 1983 that a Yastrzemski roams the outfield at Fenway.
For the man they call Yaz, there’s only one thing that comes close to comparing to the moment.
“The only way that I can compare it to anything would be if I compare to the ’67 season,” the elder Yastrzemski told The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham. “That’s what it means to me, him being here. It’ll be the first time ‘Yastrzemski’ will be announced on the field since ’83.”
The 1967 Red Sox, of course, are referred to as “The Impossible Dream” team which won 92 games and clinched the American League pennant, the franchise’s second since 1918, and resparked the city’s affection for baseball. Yastrzemski won the triple crown that season, taking MVP honors as well with 44 home runs, 121 RBI and a .326 average.
It’s been referred as one of the most important seasons in Red Sox history, so yeah, Yastrzemski holds it in high regard. And that should give you a sense of how important Tuesday night is as well.
