Nodes of Gold

Every now and then, I highlight a well-known person who has been diagnosed with or overcome some type of lymphoma. Politicians, actors, athletes -- even the rich and famous can get lymphoma. Two of my Nodes of Gold Heroes are Boston-area athletes, John Lester of the Red Sox and Joe Andruzzi of the Patriots (and SCSU). Unfortunately, we need to add another hero to their ranks.

Dave Roberts.

He was diagnosed recently with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and went public with it a couple of days ago, when his appearance started to change because of the chemo. He's doing well, is very upbeat, and, as Sox Manager Terry Francona says, he's likely to be able to unrun pretty much anything, including cancer.

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Roberts had a fairly average big league career: 10 years with five different teams, a .266 career batting average, .342 on-base percentage, 243 stolen bases. He was fast, which is why the Sox got him halfway through the 2004 season. He played in 45 games for the Sox that half season, got to the plate 101 times, and stole 5 bases.

But he's most famous for one play, one stolen base, against the Yankees.

The Sox were down in the playoff series, 3-0. One more loss and the Yankees would go to the World Series, and the Sox would go home for the winter. In the ninth inning of game 4, the Sox were down 4-3 when Roberts was put in to pinch run. Francona didn't even bother to give him a steal sign -- he just winked at Roberts as he trotted out to first base, and Roberts knew what to do. He stole second, then scored to tie the game, the Sox won in 12 innings, won the next three games, and then their first World Series in 86 years.

Some call Roberts' steal the greatest play in Red Sox history. Tough to argue; not many single moments were better than that.

The next season, he left the Sox as a free agent, but came back to Boston for the ceremony to get his World Series ring. He got a lot of criticism for wearing a Sox jersey that day, despite playing for someone else. I say, too damn bad. He made his career with the Sox. He hasn't had to buy a meal or a beer in Boston since then.

There's a really nice entry from the blog Newhan on Baseball that gets at what a great guy Roberts is.

Obviously, I wish him well. Sorry he had to join this particular club, but he seems like he has the attitude to make it easier. May we all.