Desperado

Today Nomar Garciaparra, my favorite baseball player, did the coolest thing ever: he signed a one day deal with the Boston Red Sox and then retired.

I have been a Red Sox fan my entire life, and Nomar was one of the players I grew up watching and admiring. He’s the reason why I wore number 5 when I played softball. He’s why I aspired to be a shortstop. I loved that quirky little dance he did in the batter’s box. I bought Nomar batting gloves. I still have the worn red t-shirt with his name and number on the back. It doesn’t fit me anymore but I can’t bring myself to get rid of it.

I still remember the moment I found out he had been traded. I was sitting in the back seat of my family’s van. We were driving out of our neighborhood to go somewhere. The radio was on. Then the sports announcer informed us of the trade that sent Nomar to the Chicago Cubs. I was shocked. That night I printed out a Cubs logo and taped it onto my Nomar poster. I left it that way until Nomar got traded again.

He may not have been the best shortstop out of his contemporaries, (as much as it hurts me, I will admit that Jeter is better…) but Red Sox Nation loved him all the same. I’m glad he’s retiring where he belongs.

Nomah forevah.