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Picture courtesy Rachel Wein

“I went out to play the game of baseball because I love to play it. I did it right. I did it the right way. I worked hard doing it.” Roger Clemens, Red Sox pitcher (1984-1996)

Let me tell this to you straight.
I was standing in a non-descript suburan Massachuetts backyard. The spunkiest five year old, under 3-feet, you’ve ever met is playing catch with his father and, in every throw there’s gratefulness.
And it’s plapable.
The Weins are grateful their son Brady is winning his battle with leukemia and grateful that along with family and friends they have the support of Red Sox hitter Johnny Gomes.
A chance meeting in an Arizona gym started a friendship between the family and Gomes. Gomes’ constant support of Brady’s Bunch Lacrosse, a sports leadership and coaching club that fundraises for Brady’s medical treatment and the Jimmy fund, formed the ties that bind.

Check out this moment in Game 4:

*it’s 33 seconds in, if I did my math right.

And then, boom!, Gomes hits the homer!!!

Like Mike Wein, Brady’s father, said to me, “karma!”

Reflecting on the third World Series win ny the Red Sox in 10 years, I have to agree.
Yes, this team went from worst to first in a triumphant victory to and through the series; injuries, and media scrunity to follow.
But speakiing strictly as a news nerd, I have to say the charitable works the players have done whethere the cameras were running or not has been extra-ordinary to my mind.
You only need to search “Red Sox Marathon Bombing,” or “Red Sox Cancer,” “Red Sox charity,” or “Red Sox Giving” to see my point.

So to agree with the lustrious Roger Clemens (and why in the world would you not?!) they did it right. They did (and do) it the right way and worked hard doing it.