They were all there — David Ortiz, Pedro Martinez, Kevin Millar, Tim Wakefield, Jason Varitek, Keith Foulke and Alan Embree. The 2004 World Series, curse-breaking champs were there to toss out many first pitches before Wednesday’s World Series Game 2 at Fenway Park.
Curt Schilling, who still lives locally, and had become a 2004 Boston icon with strong starts and bloody socks, watched from home.
The Red Sox did not extend an invite to the baseball superstar-turned-Breitbart personality, a fact that left both Schilling and his son angry.
“We did not reach out to him,” a Red Sox executive told the Boston Globe. “But it is not out of spite. It was originally just going to be Pedro and David and Wake and Millar, but we heard from a few others and they are included.”
Schilling has become toxic, getting fired from ESPN in 2016 over serial bad-post sharing, an anti-transgender one being the meme that broke the camel’s back. Instead of being honored at Fenway, he spent Wednesday dabbling in conspiracy theories that a liberal was truly behind the mailed bombs being sent to prominent left-wingers and CNN.
Schilling responded to the cold shoulder in a lengthy Facebook post in which he wrote, “I just didn’t get an invitation from a few weak ‘men’ who’ve spent their entire lives paying and watching other men achieve.”
Schilling linked to his podcast, in which he fully explained the falling-out with the organization following his signing an $8 million deal for the 2008 season. Before the year started, he had a hurt bicep that later required surgery, and the Red Sox, according to Schilling, accused him of defrauding the team. He met with the Boston honchos — “F–king cowards across the table” — including owner John Henry, and vowed he would be finished with the team after the ordeal.
He wasn’t the only angry Schilling.
“@RedSox I get you don’t agree with him, but not inviting him after all he’s done for you is sad, my father didn’t even mention what you did to him,” his son, Grant, wrote on Twitter. “Makes me sad to see the logo now knowing you won’t even give him an invite after he gave you those innings.”
Schilling pitched Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS and Game 2 of the World Series, combining to pitch 13 innings of one-run ball in a pair of Red Sox wins, all with an injured ankle that left his right sock soaked with blood.
“I’m upset that my dad tore his leg up to play for a team that f–king shoved him to the curb for something that doesn’t relate to the sports world,” Grant wrote. “I’m a liberal yeah – I don’t line up with ever single view. But I’m also his son.”
Schilling already has ways to remember the World Series that Red Sox fans thought might never come.
“[G]reat to see @45PedroMartinez @davidortiz and @KMillar15 ‘The pimper of walks’ though,” he wrote. “Oh and I get to keep my 3 rings and 3 trophies, so it’s all good.”
