CENTER FIELD :: The "Missing Ball" Story That Just Won't Die

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The "Missing Ball" Story That Just Won't Die

Practically the moment the World Series ended, newspapers and the internet were filled with "stories" about the "missing ball" (and I use quotes there, in both cases, very intentionally). Understandable that people would inquire as to its whereabouts, given the Mientkiewicz debacle in '04... but it mystifies me why there have been approximately 10,000 (give or take a few) articles and posts written that hyperventilate over where the ball is, when it is very clear to anyone who has any sensibilities at all exactly where it is.

Jonathan Papelbon has the ball.

Can the hysteria cease now? Please? Jonathan threw the ball for the last out of Game 4, Jason Varitek caught it and then gave it back to Jonathan- as is customary. Varitek even said he gave it back to Jonathan - and, predictably given the '04 crisis and Papelbon's natural jokester tendency, Jonathan claimed not to know of its whereabouts... but with a sly wink and nod. Jason's not a liar and Papelbon's not a dummy. It seemed obvious that everyone knew exactly where the ball was, and why. The Sox front office clearly doesn't care that Papelbon has the ball, and it was the team Captain who gave it to him in the first place.

Jonathan talking about the ball

video courtesy of WBZ

So why, after the 10,000 silly handwringing pieces that have gone before it, are some people still wondering where the ball is? I know folks need stuff to write about, but let's not continue to make a mountain out of a molehill: the ball is not missing. The ball is right where the team wants it.

Let it go.

Comments (5)

[ kate ] says:
on November 20, 2007 1:49 PM

i think theo said he wasn't worried about it ..now that its happened a second time i consider it tradition...lol papelbon one crazy dude...i love it

[ beth ] says:
on November 20, 2007 10:52 PM

i'm not one of the people getting all huffy about it, but there's also got to be a reason why those guys chose to be so covert and sneaky about it also, right? because there's also a fan base out here, some of whom feel that an artifact of the WS win is bigger than one player, and deserves to belong to the city. i don't think it's a huge deal either way, but i can see why some ppl are upset about it.

[ Texas Gal ] says:
on November 20, 2007 10:58 PM

Agreed- I understand the thought. Wanting/demanding the ball back is a story.

But there's no "story" about where it is. Every single member of the team and front office knows exactly where the ball is. I think they're being sneaky precisely because they don't want Papelbon to have to give it back- Jason gave it to him, and apparently the rest of the organization feels it's right where it belongs. But that's a different concern.

My point isn't that fans don't have a right to want the ball back- my point is that I think the endless amount of "WHERE IS THE BALL?!?!" stories are stupid. Because it's not missing. (and the ball will never be officially "found". Ever.)

[ Mgt ] says:
on November 20, 2007 11:58 PM

correction: evah.

[ Caroline ] says:
on November 21, 2007 12:05 PM

Exactly. Tek felt Paps should have the ball, nobody REALLY cares that much, right? I mean, this isn't 2004 where the ball was an artifact of a once-in-a-lifetime event; Paps got that last out (and the last out of three of the four games) and he deserves the memento. Why so fussbudgety, Hall of Fame guy?

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