Jerry Remy

Gerald Peter Remy (born November 8, 1952), commonly known as Jerry Remy, is an American Major League Baseball broadcaster and former Major League Baseball second baseman. Remy grew up in Somerset, Massachusetts. An all-star second baseman originally drafted by the California Angels in 1971, he was traded to his hometown Boston Red Sox in 1977. He retired from the sport in 1985 after a series of injuries and ventured into a career in broadcasting. He has served as a color commentator for NESN's Red Sox broadcasts since 1988, only taking some occasional time off for health problems.

Jerry Remy
Remy in May 2019
Second baseman
Born: (1952-11-08) November 8, 1952
Fall River, Massachusetts
Batted: Left Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 7, 1975, for the California Angels
Last MLB appearance
May 18, 1984, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
Batting average.275
Home runs7
Runs batted in329
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Early life

Remy was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, on November 8, 1952, and grew up in nearby Somerset.[1] He attended Somerset High School and Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island.[2] He is of French Canadian descent.[3]

Playing career

Remy was selected by the Washington Senators in the 19th round of the 1970 MLB draft, but he did not sign. He was then selected in the 8th round of the January supplemental phase of the 1971 MLB draft (129th overall) by the California Angels, and signed with the team.[4]

Minor leagues (1971-1974)

Remy played four seasons in the Angels' farm system: 1971 with the rookie league Magic Valley Cowboys, 1972 with the Class A Stockton Ports, 1973 with the Class A Quad City Angels (.335, 4 home runs and 36 RBI in 117 games) and 1974 with Double-A El Paso Diablos and the Triple-A Salt Lake City Angels, where he hit a combined .323 with 4 home runs and 67 RBI. Overall, Remy appeared in 421 games in Minor League Baseball, batting .275 with 12 home runs and 152 RBIs.[5]

California Angels (1975-1977)

Remy made his major league debut with the Angels on April 7, 1975. He hit a single off of Steve Busby of the Kansas City Royals in his first at bat and was subsequently picked off.[6] With the 1975 Angels, Remy played 147 games (145 starts) as the Angels' second baseman, batting .258 with one home run and 46 RBIs. He had 34 stolen bases, but was caught stealing a league-leading 21 times. The following year, his average rose slightly to .263, although with no home runs and 28 RBIs. In 1977, he had a career-high four home runs, along with a .252 average and 44 RBIs; he was named team captain of the Angels in June, becoming only the second captain in the team's history.[7]

Overall, in three seasons with the Angels, Remy played in 444 games, batting .258 with five home runs, 118 RBIs, and 110 stolen bases. On December 8, 1977, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for pitcher Don Aase and cash considerations.[8]

Remy with the Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox (1978-1984)

Remy was the Red Sox' starting second baseman in 1978 and was selected for the MLB All-Star Game, although he did not play in the game.[9] Overall, with the 1978 Red Sox, he batted .278 with 44 RBIs and 30 stolen bases in 148 games. He also had two home runs, the last ones of his career. In the 1978 American League East tie-breaker game against the New York Yankees, Remy was on base in the ninth inning when Carl Yastrzemski made the final out;[10] it was the closest Remy came to the postseason in his MLB career.

Remy continued as Boston's starting second baseman for the next six seasons, although he was often hampered by injuries. In 1979, he played in 80 games and batted .297. In 1980, he batted a career-high .313 but was limited to 63 games; he also appeared in the outfield for the only time in his career, playing the ninth inning in right field during a May loss to the Cleveland Indians.[11] In 1981, Remy played in 88 games while batting .307. On September 3–4, 1981, he accomplished the rare feat of collecting six hits in a game, going 6-for-10 in a 20-inning game against the Seattle Mariners.[12]

In 1982, Remy appeared in a career-high 155 games while batting .280; in 1983, he batted .275 while playing in 146 games. In 1984, a knee injury limited him to 30 games for the season, during which he batted .250; he made his final start at second base on May 5,[13] and his final MLB appearance on May 18 when he flied out as a pinch hitter.[14] Remy was released by the Red Sox on December 10, 1985, and he retired during spring training in 1986.[15] Overall, in seven seasons with the Red Sox, Remy played in 710 games, batting .286 with two home runs, 211 RBIs, and 98 stolen bases.

During his ten-year MLB career, Remy batted .275 with seven home runs, 329 RBIs, and 208 stolen bases in 1154 games. Defensively, he had a .981 fielding percentage. Bill James, in his Historical Abstract, rated Remy as the 100th greatest second baseman of all time as of 2001.

Post-playing career
Jerry Remy
Years active1988–present
Sports commentary career
Team(s)Boston Red Sox
Genre(s)Color commentator
SportsMajor League Baseball
EmployerNew England Sports Network

Since 1988, Remy has found success in broadcasting, working for the New England Sports Network (NESN), as the regular color commentator for NESN's Red Sox broadcasts. From 2001 through the end of the 2015 season, Remy teamed with play-by-play announcer Don Orsillo; since the 2016 season, Remy has worked with Dave O'Brien. Remy and Orsillo won four New England Emmy awards,[16] and Remy was voted Massachusetts' favorite sports announcer in 2004 by Sports Illustrated.[17] NESN and the Red Sox celebrated Jerry Remy Day at Fenway Park on June 24, 2008, in honor of Remy's 20 years of service for the network.[18] He also runs a web site, The Remy Report.[19]

Remy owns a hot dog stand, "RemDawg's", located just outside Fenway Park, as well as Jerry Remy's Sports Bar & Grill in Terminal C of Logan International Airport[20] since 2008. There were three other Bar & Grill locations: one behind Fenway Park on Boylston Street that opened March 9, 2010, which was reported closed in March 2015,[21] and subsequently became a Tony C’s Sports Bar & Grill (named after another former Red Sox player, Tony Conigliaro);[22] a second in the Seaport District of South Boston, which in December 2016 also became a Tony C’s Sports Bar & Grill;[23] and a third in Remy's hometown of Fall River that opened in October 2012, which in March 2018, The Herald News of Fall River reported would be closed.[24]

Remy was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2006,[25] elected honorary President of Red Sox Nation in 2007,[26] and was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2017.[27]

Books

Remy is the author of three books about baseball, and several children's books about Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster, which began as an idea based on Remy's storytelling while broadcasting Red Sox games.

  • Remy, Jerry (2004). Watching Baseball: Discovering the Game within the Game. with Corey Sandler. Globe Pequot. ISBN 0762730757.
  • Remy, Jerry (2009). Jerry Remy's Red Sox Heroes: The RemDawg's All-Time Favorite Red Sox, Great Moments, and Top Teams. with Corey Sandler. Lyons Press. ISBN 1599214067.
  • Remy, Jerry; Cafardo, Nick (2019). If These Walls Could Talk: Stores from the Boston Red Sox Dugout, Locker Room, and Press Box. Triumph Books. ISBN 1629375454.
Wally the Green Monster series

Dustin Pedroia has authored another book in the series, Wally The Green Monster's Journey Through Time.

Health

In November 2008, Remy had surgery to remove a "very small, low-grade cancerous area" from his lung, most likely a result of years of smoking cigarettes.[28] During his recovery from the surgery, he suffered from an infection as well as a bout of pneumonia. Due to fatigue and depression, Remy took an indefinite leave of absence from his broadcast duties for NESN, starting April 30, 2009.[29]

On August 12, 2009, Remy went to Fenway Park and attended Red Sox manager Terry Francona's pre-game press conference. He told both NESN and The Boston Globe that he had every intention of returning to broadcasting Red Sox games during the remainder of the 2009 season. He entered the NESN's broadcast booth during the top of the second inning during the night's game to speak with broadcasters Don Orsillo and Dennis Eckersley. It was the first time he had been in the booth since he took his leave of absence in April. In between the top and the bottom of the second inning, Remy, still in the booth, was shown on Fenway's center field scoreboard display, to which he received a standing ovation from the crowd attending the game. He revealed during the visit that he had suffered from depression following his physical problems of 2008 and that he was receiving therapy.[30] On August 19, 2009, Remy released a statement announcing his return to commentating on August 21, 2009, against the New York Yankees. Remy stated that he would likely skip some road trips. He returned full-time for the 2010 baseball season. In April 2013, Remy announced that he’d suffered a relapse that offseason when cancer was found in a different spot on his lungs during his regular six-month CT scan that January. [31]

Remy took time off starting May 28, 2013, due to a bout of pneumonia. He returned to the booth on June 25, 2013.[32] On August 16, 2013, Remy announced that he would be taking an indefinite leave of absence after his son was arrested for murder. Remy did not return to the broadcast booth until the beginning of the 2014 season. Remy had another leave during the 2016–17 off-season, missing nearly all of 2017 spring training until returning for the last week.

On June 12, 2017, Remy announced that the lung cancer had returned.[33] In January 2018, he announced via Twitter that he had completed treatments at Massachusetts General Hospital.[34] A fourth diagnosis of cancer was announced on August 7, 2018.[35] After undergoing treatments, Remy announced in early November 2018 that he was cancer-free.[36]

Family

Remy and his wife Phoebe have three children, Jared, Jordan, and Jenna.[37] Jared worked for the Red Sox as a security guard, but was fired in 2008 after another guard told the State Police that Jared had sold him steroids.[38] On August 16, 2013, Jared was arrested in the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend, Jennifer Martel, a charge he pleaded guilty to on May 27, 2014. Jared Remy was sentenced to life in state prison without the possibility of parole.[39][40] Jordan was selected by the Red Sox in the 49th Round of the 1999 MLB draft.[41] In 2010, he was charged with indecent assault and battery.[42] Jenna was arrested on July 25, 2013, for disorderly conduct, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, resisting arrest, wanton malicious defacement, and misdemeanor breaking and entering after she broke into her ex-boyfriend's home.[43]

See also

References
  1. Alice, Lynette (May 15, 2009). "Jerry Remy". Sporting Life 360. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  2. "Jerry Remy Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  3. "The other side of Jerry Remy". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  4. "Angels sign Allietta, Remy". The Boston Globe. January 26, 1971. p. 27. Retrieved August 7, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
  5. "Jerry Remy Stats". Baseball-Reference.com.
  6. "California Angels 3, Kansas City Royals 2". Retrosheet. April 7, 1975. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  7. Newhan, Ross (June 29, 1977). "Angels Have a New Leader—He's 24". Los Angeles Times. p. 61. Retrieved August 7, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
  8. "Transactions". The Boston Globe. December 9, 1977. p. 46. Retrieved August 7, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
  9. "National League 7, American League 3". Retrosheet. July 11, 1978. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  10. "New York Yankees 5, Boston Red Sox 4". Retrosheet. October 2, 1978. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  11. "Cleveland Indians 3, Boston Red Sox 1". Retrosheet. May 18, 1980. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  12. "Seattle Mariners 8, Boston Red Sox 7". Retrosheet. September 3, 1981. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  13. "Chicago White Sox 8, Boston Red Sox 5". Retrosheet. May 5, 1984. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  14. "Minnesota Twins 8, Boston Red Sox 3". Retrosheet. May 18, 1984. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  15. Remy, Jerry. "Jerry's Page". Archived from the original on July 26, 2009.
  16. "Remy, NESN extend contract". ESPNBoston.com. July 21, 2010. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  17. "Jerry Remy to Return to the NESN Broadcast Booth on Friday, Aug. 21". August 19, 2009. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  18. Lefort, David (June 24, 2008). "Jerry Remy night at Fenway". Boston.com. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  19. "The Remy Report - For all things Red Sox and Remy".
  20. "Restaurants". massport.com. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  21. Stewart, David (March 3, 2015). "Reports: Jerry Remy's Restaurant in Fenway Shuts Down". Boston.com.
  22. Hatic, Dana (April 22, 2016). "Jerry Remy's Closes in Fenway and Tony C's Takes Over". boston.eater.com. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  23. Hatic, Dana (December 5, 2016). "Tony C's Takes Over Another Jerry Remy's, This Time in Seaport". boston.eater.com. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  24. O'Connor, Kevin P. "Fall River Jerry Remy's closing, will be replaced by Barrett's Waterfront". The Herald News, Fall River, MA. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  25. "Red Sox Hall of Fame". MLB.com. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  26. "Red Sox - Mr. President". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. October 4, 2007. p. 6. Retrieved August 9, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
  27. Peery, Lexi (June 15, 2017). "Broadcasters to be inducted into Hall of Fame". The Boston Globe.
  28. "Message from Remy". May 7, 2009.
  29. Jerry Remy Takes Leave of Absence to Recover From Cancer Surgery Archived May 8, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  30. Remy visits TV booth during tonight's game
  31. "Jerry Remy is facing another battle with cancer". Boston.com. August 7, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  32. Jerry Remy says he will return Tuesday Chad Finn, boston.com, June 19, 2013
  33. "Red Sox analyst Remy tweets cancer relapse". ESPN.com. June 12, 2017.
  34. "Red Sox analyst Jerry Remy finishes cancer treatment". ESPN. January 16, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  35. "Red Sox broadcaster Jerry Remy again diagnosed with cancer". ESPN. August 7, 2018. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
  36. "Jerry Remy announces he's cancer-free". The Boston Globe. November 10, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2018 – via Boston.com.
  37. "The Other Side of RemDog". The Boston Globe. April 19, 2009. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  38. "Sox fired two in steroids case". The Boston Globe. August 2, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
  39. Moskowit, Eric; John R. Ellement (August 16, 2013). "Jared Remy, son of Red Sox broadcaster Jerry Remy, under arrest for fatal stabbing in Waltham, an official says". Boston.com. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  40. Johnson, O'Ryan (August 16, 2013). "Jared Remy arrested for killing girlfriend". Boston Herald. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  41. Edes, Gordon (June 4, 1999). "Here's a homer pick: Fla. State's McDougall". The Boston Globe.
  42. Sweet, Laurel J. (August 25, 2010). "Jordan Remy busted on indecent assault rap". Boston Herald. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  43. Clark, Jim (July 31, 2013). "Ex dragged away kicking and screaming". The Somerville News. Retrieved August 18, 2013.

Further reading
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