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SEABROOK — Pedro Martinez, with Will.I.Am’s “Hall of Fame” blaring, emerged from behind a black curtain to a raucous welcome from a standing-room-only crowd Thursday night in the Seasons Showroom at The Brook Casino.
Martinez, who helped the Boston Red Sox break the 86-year Curse of the Bambino with an improbable 2004 World Series championship, was the latest Boston sports celebrity to appear before fans at the Seabrook casino.
“This never gets old,” said Martinez, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015 after an 18-year career including seven seasons (1998-2004) with the Red Sox. “It’s the same love and passion this fan base has always had for me, and it’s the same feeling I have for them.”
Martinez joins former Boston sports legends to the likes of Red Sox teammate Tim Wakefield, Robert Parish of the Celtics, Ty Law and Tedy Bruschi of the Patriots, and Ray Bourque and Zdeno Chara of the Bruins to greet fans at The Brook.
Following an hour-long VIP cocktail reception where Martinez mingled with fans, and taking photographs, the 2015 Baseball Hall of Famer sat on stage with Master of Ceremonies Mike Mutnansky for another hour.
“I love this tradition we have built over the years,” said Andre Carrier, president and CEO of The Brook and Eureka Casino. “It’s become a place where people can visit with their heroes. It’s not easily done for me to be able to say thank you (to these athletes) for some of the best memories and moments of my life. I hope we’re giving (these fans) the same chance.”
Martinez was moved by many of the stories fans shared with him on Thursday. He especially was taken aback by a pair of father-and-son duos he met prior to the question-and-answer period of the night.
One of those duos was Joe and Michael Walsh of Hampton.
“I loved meeting Pedro tonight, he just gave me some great advice,” said Joe. “He recognized I was with my father, and he said ‘enjoy your time with your father, you never know long you have.’ It seemed very meaningful to him that I was here with my father.”
Michael Walsh, 76, recalled the days he and his son, Joe, would head to Fenway Park to watch Martinez pitch.
“It was terrific to see (Pedro),” Michael said. “He gave my son some advice to make sure to take care of me; that was great to hear.”
Martinez said meeting more of his fans Thursday brought a smile to his face, like so many times before.
“Many people told me they waited so long to see me, to hug me, and to see me up close,” Martinez said. “I am so proud people still want to see me even when I’ve been retired for so long.”
Martinez went 16-9 in 2004, and won Game 3 of the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, giving the Red Sox a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. The Red Sox completed the sweep the following game at Busch Stadium.
Martinez said that magical summer of 2004 doesn’t seem like it was 21 years ago.
“It’s still fresh in my mind, it’s like I am living the day after (we won),” Martinez said. “I said it before and I’ll say it again, I wouldn’t trade my 2004 ring for three rings anywhere else. That ring is the symbol of what I came to Boston to do. Winning the 2004 championship and holding up the trophy to the city of boston, it’s the highlight of my career, and probably my entire life."
Martinez, who went 117-37 with the Red Sox including back-to-back Cy Young seasons in 1999 and 2000, said there is nothing more important than the loyalty Red Sox fans showed him in his final five years of his career when he played for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, and still show him to this day, 16 years after his retirement.
“Seeing the display of love and respect people showed me every time I come to Boston, regardless of what uniform I was wearing or how long I had been away, they always received me the same way, and that is loyalty. That is a word that not everybody gets to have, and I appreciate that so much.”
Peter Goodsell, a Rye resident and 1982 graduate of Portsmouth High School, and his wife, Laurie, were part of the capacity crowd. Goodsell told Martinez he was the greatest pitcher he had ever seen.
“I’ve dealt with heartbreak watching the Red Sox in my life,” Peter said. “When they won the World Series in 2004 it was great. When Pedro was on his game, no one could hit him. He was unhittable.”
Martinez has high hopes for new Red Sox season
The Red Sox opened their season with a 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Thursday, and Martinez thinks it could be the start of a special summer of baseball in Boston.
“The team is looking great,” he said. “If they stay healthy we can compete with any team, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this team went really far. I value this team and have high hopes for this team if we stay healthy.”
Martinez spent some time with the young players in spring training this year. He had one message when it came to playing in Boston.
“Make sure you get to understand Boston,” he said. “Fans in Boston will know about you from the first moment you lay one foot in Boston. They will know about you, and they will read about you. I told them if you just leave it all out and play with max effort, Boston, they will learn to love you, and you will love Boston, too.”
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Pedro Martinez feels love from fans at Brook Casino in Seabrook NH
Continue reading...
Martinez, who helped the Boston Red Sox break the 86-year Curse of the Bambino with an improbable 2004 World Series championship, was the latest Boston sports celebrity to appear before fans at the Seabrook casino.
“This never gets old,” said Martinez, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015 after an 18-year career including seven seasons (1998-2004) with the Red Sox. “It’s the same love and passion this fan base has always had for me, and it’s the same feeling I have for them.”
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Martinez joins former Boston sports legends to the likes of Red Sox teammate Tim Wakefield, Robert Parish of the Celtics, Ty Law and Tedy Bruschi of the Patriots, and Ray Bourque and Zdeno Chara of the Bruins to greet fans at The Brook.
Following an hour-long VIP cocktail reception where Martinez mingled with fans, and taking photographs, the 2015 Baseball Hall of Famer sat on stage with Master of Ceremonies Mike Mutnansky for another hour.
“I love this tradition we have built over the years,” said Andre Carrier, president and CEO of The Brook and Eureka Casino. “It’s become a place where people can visit with their heroes. It’s not easily done for me to be able to say thank you (to these athletes) for some of the best memories and moments of my life. I hope we’re giving (these fans) the same chance.”
Martinez tells fans to ‘enjoy your father’
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Martinez was moved by many of the stories fans shared with him on Thursday. He especially was taken aback by a pair of father-and-son duos he met prior to the question-and-answer period of the night.
One of those duos was Joe and Michael Walsh of Hampton.
“I loved meeting Pedro tonight, he just gave me some great advice,” said Joe. “He recognized I was with my father, and he said ‘enjoy your time with your father, you never know long you have.’ It seemed very meaningful to him that I was here with my father.”
Michael Walsh, 76, recalled the days he and his son, Joe, would head to Fenway Park to watch Martinez pitch.
“It was terrific to see (Pedro),” Michael said. “He gave my son some advice to make sure to take care of me; that was great to hear.”
Martinez said meeting more of his fans Thursday brought a smile to his face, like so many times before.
“Many people told me they waited so long to see me, to hug me, and to see me up close,” Martinez said. “I am so proud people still want to see me even when I’ve been retired for so long.”
2004 World Series championship now 21 years ago
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Martinez went 16-9 in 2004, and won Game 3 of the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, giving the Red Sox a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. The Red Sox completed the sweep the following game at Busch Stadium.
Martinez said that magical summer of 2004 doesn’t seem like it was 21 years ago.
“It’s still fresh in my mind, it’s like I am living the day after (we won),” Martinez said. “I said it before and I’ll say it again, I wouldn’t trade my 2004 ring for three rings anywhere else. That ring is the symbol of what I came to Boston to do. Winning the 2004 championship and holding up the trophy to the city of boston, it’s the highlight of my career, and probably my entire life."
‘Loyalty’ of Red Sox fans
You must be registered for see images
Martinez, who went 117-37 with the Red Sox including back-to-back Cy Young seasons in 1999 and 2000, said there is nothing more important than the loyalty Red Sox fans showed him in his final five years of his career when he played for the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, and still show him to this day, 16 years after his retirement.
“Seeing the display of love and respect people showed me every time I come to Boston, regardless of what uniform I was wearing or how long I had been away, they always received me the same way, and that is loyalty. That is a word that not everybody gets to have, and I appreciate that so much.”
Peter Goodsell, a Rye resident and 1982 graduate of Portsmouth High School, and his wife, Laurie, were part of the capacity crowd. Goodsell told Martinez he was the greatest pitcher he had ever seen.
“I’ve dealt with heartbreak watching the Red Sox in my life,” Peter said. “When they won the World Series in 2004 it was great. When Pedro was on his game, no one could hit him. He was unhittable.”
Martinez has high hopes for new Red Sox season
The Red Sox opened their season with a 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Thursday, and Martinez thinks it could be the start of a special summer of baseball in Boston.
“The team is looking great,” he said. “If they stay healthy we can compete with any team, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this team went really far. I value this team and have high hopes for this team if we stay healthy.”
Martinez spent some time with the young players in spring training this year. He had one message when it came to playing in Boston.
“Make sure you get to understand Boston,” he said. “Fans in Boston will know about you from the first moment you lay one foot in Boston. They will know about you, and they will read about you. I told them if you just leave it all out and play with max effort, Boston, they will learn to love you, and you will love Boston, too.”
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Pedro Martinez feels love from fans at Brook Casino in Seabrook NH
Continue reading...
