When Jon Lester made his return to a major league mound after going through treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, his parents were in attendance. They were shown on NESN several times, clearly thrilled with the remarkable return of their young son, who was the winning pitcher against a potent Cleveland Indians lineup on July 23, 2007, less than 11 months after he received his shocking diagnosis.
In those many shots of John and Kathie Lester another emotion was clearly evident. It was pride, and it was age-old.
While surviving cancer to return to the major leagues trumps them all, there were so many moments of which the parents could be proud.
Jon Lester was the only child of that adoring couple behind the Red Sox dugout at Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field). He was given a loving home in Puyallup, Wash., just outside of Tacoma. That’s where a sporting legend that would include incredible highs and scary lows began.
Early on, it was nothing but highs. Lester was a dominant athlete from a young age. While many major leaguers have storied success at the high school level, Lester’s was through the roof. He was plucked for the varsity team as a freshman after longtime Bellarmine Prep coach Rick Barnhart saw him throw just once. The next three seasons saw a trio of team MVP awards and one season that was good enough to earn the honor as the best player in the state.
Lester once struck out 18 of the 21 men he faced in a no-hitter, which wasn’t the only one he threw during those years.
The lefty had scouts drooling. He could target either some of the top baseball programs in the country or sign professionally for what figured to be seven figures. He chose the latter, despite the fact that a slight dead arm period during Lester’s senior year caused just enough people in the game to back off and allow him to fall to the second round of the 2002 draft, where the Red Sox took him with the 57th pick, their first overall.
Sox officials who were unfazed by the slight slump were overjoyed that a guy once projected as a sure first-rounder had fallen into their lap. They had no clue at the time how fortunate they’d been.
Not only would Lester eventually make himself into one of the best pitchers in the game, he would provide inspiration for thousands along the way, including everyone in the organization, with his phenomenal comeback. It was apparent early on that Lester had the makeup to win both battles, although nobody knew at the time he would need to fight cancer. Lester did have an arsenal that figured to make him a top-of-the-rotation pitcher and a demeanor and commitment that belied his age, and would prove useful in both arenas.
In short, he had the complete package.
“I’ve always maintained from the first day I saw him he’s one of the best prospects in the minor leagues I’ve ever seen,” said Todd Claus, Lester’s manager in 2004 at Single-A Sarasota and in 2005 at Double-A Portland.
John Lester once said that his son just wanted to be a major league baseball player. He ended up being so much more. The boy from Puyallup became an example for others to live by, a hero to those stricken by cancer and the author of one of the greatest comeback stories the game has ever seen.
Before that, though, he was just a baseball player. And a darn good one.
Check back Tuesday for a look at Lester’s minor league career and memorable first season with the Red Sox.
