“We were a 100 to 1 shot to win the pennant. We did and I don’t even feel sorry for the bookies.”
These were the jubilant sentiments of Boston Red Sox rookie center fielder Reggie Smith as he and his wife, Ernestine, spent yesterday relaxing in their apartment at the Windsor Gardens development, recuperating from what they described as “the most exciting day of their lives.”
Teamwork and Thrilling Finish
Reflecting on the miraculous “Impossible Dream” season, the 22-year-old switch-hitting star—widely regarded as one of the top rookies in the American League—pointed to unyielding team chemistry as the driving force behind the pennant run. “The mark of a good team is to come from behind—a winner never quits and a quitter never wins. This I think is what kept us in the race all year,” Smith said.
Though admitting he felt a “little bit” nervous heading into the weekend series against the Minnesota Twins, Smith noted that his butterflies vanished the moment the first pitch was thrown. He recalled his confidence during the tense final game: “I never thought we were out of the last game with the Twins even though we were trailing by two runs. I came back into the dugout and hollered to the guys to score six runs. They got only five, but I’m not complaining.”
When the final out was recorded and delirious fans swarmed the field, Smith admitted he was genuinely frightened for the players’ safety. “I was real scared after the last putout and fans were streaming out of the stands… I saw them grab Lonnie [pitcher Jim Lonborg] and I was afraid someone would get hurt. The fans were pulling on us and ripping at our clothes. It was really something. It took me almost 15 minutes to get from centerfield into the dugout.”
A Hero’s Welcome in Norwood
Another heartwarming thrill awaited Smith upon returning home to Windsor Gardens, where neighbors had festooned the apartment building’s walls, doors, windows, and stairways with celebratory signs, streamers, and balloons. The Smith apartment quickly filled with well-wishing neighbors for an impromptu celebration. Dressed in his “good-luck” outfit—a green pullover jersey and green pants—Smith grinned broadly as he recounted the festivities.
Looking ahead, the rookie made a bold prediction for the Fall Classic: “It may take us the full seven games to beat the St. Louis Cardinals, but we’ll do it.”
As Smith prepares to spend his first winter in the North—wondering what to expect from a New England snowstorm—he has no fixed off-season plans yet, though he hopes to explore opportunities in public relations. Meanwhile, Ernestine admitted that being married to a professional ballplayer is “pretty exciting,” though she confessed to feeling far more nervous than her husband during the high-stakes Minnesota series.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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