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| Last additions - Fan Stories |
August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays58 viewsAn email from a fan by the name of T. Martinez:
Hi there,
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I love the website! Thanks for keeping it updated all the time!
After missing Tek the last time the Sox were here in Tampa (I was at the game but I thought he wasn’t), I went to the Sunday evening game against the Rays at Tropicana Field and was lucky enough to have Tek sign an “I ♥ Jason Varitek” Shirt. He’s a man of many hats out on the field. I guess that comes with being the Captain!
Before the game, he was talking on the bench with Pedroia, and then he made his way out to the group stretching near home plate. He went to the outfield and was warming up with the rest of the team, he made his way over to first base and was catching some throws from third during batting practice before Mike Lowell got there, then he headed to the bullpen where Cash was doing some drills before he came over and signed autographs and took pictures. Then he took some swings twice during batting practice.
If I had to guess, it looks like he is still favoring his foot though so hopefully it feels fully recovered soon. I’ve attached some pictures but the lights in the dome did some funny things to my camera and some of them didn’t turn out as sharp as I would have liked. Feel free to use any of them on the website if the quality is good enough.
Thanks again for the awesome website,
T. Martinez
*T, thank YOU for the great story and photos!Sep 01, 2010
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August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays57 viewsSigning autographs.
Photo: T. MarinoSep 01, 2010
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August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays52 viewsSigning autographs in Tropicana Field.
Photo: T. MarinoSep 01, 2010
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August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays56 viewsThe Pose.
Photo: T. MarinoSep 01, 2010
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August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays61 viewsSay cheese!
Photo: T. MarinoSep 01, 2010
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August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays54 viewsGreat closeup of Coach Tuck and Tek.
Photo: T. MarinoSep 01, 2010
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August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays52 viewsTek and Coach Tuck.
Photo: T. MarinoSep 01, 2010
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August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays54 viewsJason and Coach Tuck chat with Kevin Cash.
Photo: T. MarinoSep 01, 2010
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August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays52 viewsPhoto: T. MarinoSep 01, 2010
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August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays51 viewsPhoto: T. MarinoSep 01, 2010
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August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays50 viewsPhoto: T. MarinoSep 01, 2010
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August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays49 viewsPhoto: T. MarinoSep 01, 2010
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August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays42 viewsPhoto: T. MarinoSep 01, 2010
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August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays44 viewsPhoto: T. MarinoSep 01, 2010
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August 29, 2010 - Sox vs Rays43 viewsPhoto: T. MarinoSep 01, 2010
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April 13, 2010 - A visit from Jason Varitek223 viewsFrom Minnesota Twins fan Roger Peterson:
On Tuesday night, my son had an exciting visitor at his baseball practice. The Boston Red Sox were in town to open Target Field against the Twins and had a day off on Tuesday. This gave Jason Varitek, a friend of Johnny's coach, time to attend their practice.
Johnny got some one-on-one coaching on catching technique.
Jason also talked to the kids about working hard and doing well in school. I brought along some baseballs for him to sign (did you think I'd pass up the opportunity?). I brought enough for each of the kids and also had him sign some 2005 All Star balls for me and my sons.
The boys were all very excited to meet him and get his autograph. (I was pretty excited too).
*Thank you to Roger Peterson for this great story!
Check out Roger's blog, http://droidtrader.blogspot.com
Apr 18, 2010
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December 17, 2008 - SoBe Life Water Meet & Greet403 viewsOn Thursday, the 17th, I met Jason Varitek!
"My dad got me two free tickets to the SoBe Life Water Meet & Greet with him. The Meet & Greet took place at Gillette Stadium and we were allowed to bring one item to be autographed and we also got a picture with him! The Meet & Greet started with a question and
answer session where Jason sat in front of a crowd of over 100 people and answered the questions that everyone sent in. I brought my camera with me and videotaped a couple of the questions and responses...
Q: Something along the lines of... How was it being part of the parade through Boston?
Jason: It was probably the biggest relief that I have had since playing here. The longer you play here, the more the burden that you felt that the fans lived with day in and day out for 86 years. And for that to finally just dissipate and go away was the best part- being involved in any parade or anything.
Q: What's your favorite thing about playing in Boston?
Jason: I think it's the energy. It's the energy that's brought by the fans. And the intensity. And you're always going to put the winning out on the field. And I think those things are important, but you go to a lot of other places and it's quiet. And it's not quite as intense. And I think different players adapt differently with that intensity, some don’t do well, but I think there's a mutual respect factor when you play here. You play the game right, you do the little things and you respect the game, you’re going to be appreciated by the
fans.
Q: If you could play any other position, what would it be?
Jason: I enjoy my job. Sometimes physically yeah - maybe go out and playing center field or first place, might be a little less taxing. But I love my job I love the interaction I have with the pitchers and the focus and I’m constantly challenged to use my brain and that’s the fun part of my job."Dec 21, 2008
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December 17, 2008 - SoBe Life Water Meet & Greet314 viewsColleen: "After the question and answer interview, Jason went over to a green screen (the green monster is added as the background) where pictures were being set up. My little brother and I watched as Jason interacted with everyone. He was so nice to everyone, smiling and saying hi. Soon it got to our turn and my little brother went first. Jason was extremely nice and sweet and they took their picture, then Jason signed his t-shirt. My turn was next and he put his arm around me as we took the picture. Then my brother and I both got in a picture with Jason."Dec 21, 2008
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December 17, 2008 - SoBe Life Water Meet & Greet222 viewsColleen: "I gave Jason a sign that I made for him for the 2007 parade to sign. Then, I went back up and he signed the pictures that he had just taken with us. He was so nice, tried to make time for a conversation (even though it was very busy) and he did not disappoint me at all."Dec 21, 2008
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December 17, 2008 - SoBe Life Water Meet & Greet304 viewsColleen's story continues...
"I was able to take home a stand up of Tek drinking Life Water. I went right up to him, again, and asked him to sign that. He did so with no hesitation even though we were only allowed to have one item signed. Jason made time for everyone that wanted something signed, he was great. It's really great to see a famous athlete, like Jason, being able to hang out and make time for his fans. I was so lucky to get this opportunity and it just reinforces how much I love him as a player and person. Thank you Erin, I love your site and am on it every day! Keep up the good work!"Dec 21, 2008
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Cathie Dyer at the Y.O.U. Inc. "2008 YOU Ball" - November 15, 2008545 viewsJason made an appearance at the 2008 Y.O.U. Ball at the DCU Center in Worcester. Cathie Dyer and her husband had the opportunity to meet and chat with him (and she had that great photo taken with him). She sent me her story this week:
"Hi there. I met him this past Saturday at the You, Inc. Ball in Worcester at the DCU Center. He signed photos for people and then right before he went on stage to speak, my hubby and I walked over and asked if a pic could be taken. He pointed to someone he was with and said we had to ask her and she said yes. He was also with Leslie, his personal trainer/assistant all night. He was very relaxed throughout the evening. So hubby took our picture and then Jason had a 5-minute conversation with us (about horse racing and "Big Brown"), my hubby then said "I just watch baseball." We laughed and thanked him and left. He got on stage and spoke very briefly and was gone.
I wish I could have told him how much that meant to me...to be able to talk to him and get a picture with him but I didn't. I was a bit verklempt."
*Cathie, thank you for sharing both your meeting and your great photo!
**Oh, and for those wondering, "verklempt" is yiddish for "overcome with emotion".
Nov 21, 2008
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Autograph Signing - November 15, 2008257 viewsFrom Diane Tufts:
Just wanted to let you know that I really love your website. I have visited it many times, and viewed the photos and kept informed about Jason and his appearances. He is by far my favorite Red Sox player, and I hope to God that Theo signs him soon. The off season is bad enough, but when your favorite player is on the line....Awful !
Anyway, thanks for informing me of the recent signing at New England Picture in Manchester, NH. I had a 2007 World Series photo signed by Jonathan Papelbon, and it needed our beautiful Captain's autograph to make it complete. So, I contacted them.....and Jason signed it !
Mr. Varitek is an amazing and generous man, he signed my son's new baseball hat (#33 is my Sammy's favorite all-time
baseball player) and mailed it back to him about 10 days ago (from Georgia). He is a class-act in my book.
Thanks for the great site & keep it up. And say a little prayer that Theo will hurry up & get his pen out to sign Tek very soon.
*Diane, thank you for sharing the photo and your email!
Nov 20, 2008
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Autograph Signing - November 15, 2008230 viewsFrom Diane Tufts:
Mr. Varitek is an amazing and generous man, he signed my son's new baseball hat (#33 is my Sammy's favorite all-time
baseball player) and mailed it back to him about 10 days ago (from Georgia). He is a class-act in my book.
Thanks for the great site & keep it up. And say a little prayer that Theo will hurry up & get his pen out to sign Tek very soon.
*Diane, thank you sending me the email and the picture!Nov 20, 2008
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May 15, 2008 - Hunter meets Jason385 viewsI just wanted to share our story of how we met Jason Varitek. On May 15th, we got to go to Boston through the Make-A- Wish Foundation, we went to the game on May 17th and got to meet Jason. The Make-A-Wish (Foundation) told us to bring only 3 things to sign, we had the ball and picture that the Red Sox gave my son and a Red Sox jersey.Oct 24, 2008
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May 15, 2008 - Hunter meets Jason358 views When Jason came out he started talking to Hunter and was just so nice, and the next thing we know he takes Hunter's hat off and signs it and signs the shirt he had on and the baseball. He goes and get's another ball from the bucket of balls on the field, signs that and he also signed the picture and jersey.Oct 24, 2008
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May 15, 2008 - Hunter meets Jason384 viewsTwo handsome men in one photo! Jason poses with Hunter at Fenway Park (notice Hunter wearing his new batting gloves!).
Hunter asked him if he could have a autographed pair of batting gloves and Jason said, "You want some used or new ones?" Hunter said he wanted a new pair. Jason went back to his locker and got a brand new pair and signed both of them. I got to ask him a couple of questions and he talked to me like he had known me forever.Oct 24, 2008
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May 15, 2008 - Hunter meets Jason354 viewsHunter and his parents pose with Jason at Fenway Park. Hunter was obviously thrilled with his new batting gloves!
At the end, Hunter told him to hit a home run for him and Jason said he would try - he missed one going over the green monster by a only a foot. Most of the other Red Sox players came over and signed stuff for us while we were talking to Jason. So, to say the least, it was the most important day in my son's life and Jason Varitek took time out of his day (before catching the game) to make my son's dream come true.
Thanks, Travis in Georgia.
*Travis, thank you for sending me your son's story!Oct 24, 2008
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May 20, 2008 - Fenway Park543 viewsStudents from Maine's Action Team visit Fenway -
Students from Mt. Ararat, Brunswick, Morse and other
Maine high schools met their favorite Red Sox players Tuesday night
before Boston bested the Kansas City Royals 2-1.
They shared a pre-game chat with Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek and
stood shoulder-to-shoulder with infielder Alex Cora under the lights in front
of the Fenway crowd.
But it wasn't strikeouts or singles that landed the students their major league
connection on Tuesday night. It was their play on the different but still difficult
field of community service.
Photo: Sean FerrisMay 24, 2008
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May 20, 2008 - Fenway Park418 viewsStudents from Maine's Action Team visit Fenway -
The 31 students led community service projects through Maine's Action Team,
a volunteer corps program administered by the Major League Baseball Players Trust and Volunteers of America.
Morse High School senior Sean Ferris volunteered with the program because of its Red Sox ties
and won a $1,000 college scholarship in the process.
"I'm a big Red Sox fan," he said, adding his family watches about 10 games a season at Fenway.
Photo: Sean FerrisMay 24, 2008
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May 20, 2008 - Fenway Park492 viewsStudents from Maine's Action Team visit Fenway -
But even before Tuesday's game, he saw payback for his efforts of holding lacrosse and crafts clinics
for younger children at the Huse School Community Center.
"If you affect a couple of kids, you feel like it's worth it," he shared with students from
Edward Little and Brunswick before their trip to Boston.
That's the same message Varitek told the students when he jogged up from the dugout to the bleachers to ask students about their projects.
"You don't have to be the most popular kid in school to make a difference," he said, or a major league ball player, for that matter. "This just gives me an avenue to do that," he said.
Photo: Sean FerrisMay 24, 2008
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May 20, 2008 - Fenway Park443 viewsStudents from Maine's Action Team visit Fenway -
Kelsey Karkos, a Mt. Ararat senior, asked Varitek how his role on the team changed when he became captain after the 2004 World Series.
"I have a tendency to be quiet. I like to lead by example," he said. "So I had to learn to communicate more."
"I'm speechless," Karkos said after Varitek left.
Photo: Sean Ferris
*Sean, thank you so much for sharing your photos!May 24, 2008
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Brad Baker poses with Jason, June 1998598 viewsBrad was at Fenway and had the opportunity to not only meet, but have his photo taken with Jason:
"It was taken in 98. I went down to a game in June and he was kind enough to let me have a pic taken with him. And then I went down in August and he again was awesome enough to autograph it for me."
Thank you to Brad!
Check out Brad's great site: www.nhredsoxnation.com
May 08, 2008
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Jason signed my baseball!367 viewsThis story comes to me by way of our Red Sox Nation Vice President, Rob Crawford!
"It’s from a boy named Chris Stimpson," Rob said, "And it’s right out of a Disney movie that’s too good to believe":
Chris was at Fenway on August 13, 2007, and because his little brother, Sam, had caught a foul ball on June 12th, Chris really hoped he would catch one on this night. And against all odds, he believed he would. Well, he didn’t end up catching a foul ball, but one of his grandfather’s friends DID catch a foul ball off the bat of Jason Varitek, and he gave it to Sam. “I was so excited, I took the ball and jumped up in the air!” Chris told me. His wish had come true. But that’s not the end of the story.
On the drive home from the game, Chris’s dad got stuck in traffic. I’ll let Chris tell the rest of the story: “That’s when I saw Jason Varitek stuck in traffic too! Right next to us! We stopped the car and I got out and went into the street. None of the cars were moving so I walked over to Varitek’s car and tapped on the window. To my surprise, he rolled it down and said, What’s up? I told him about the foul ball he hit to my grandfather’s friend and I showed it to him and he said, Let me see that. Then he took out a pen, signed the ball, and handed it back to me. It was so cool. I ran back to my car yelling Thank you! back towards Varitek’s car. When I jumped in my car, I yelled, HE SIGNED IT! HE SIGNED IT!”
Rob said, "I certainly hope that in my capacity as Vice President of Red Sox Nation, I’ll hear a lot more wonderful stories like that one!"
A big thank you to both Rob and Chris for sharing the story! You can check out the Red Sox VP's blog:
http://crawdaddycove.comFeb 20, 2008
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Halloween, October 31, 2007583 viewsI went trick-or-treating with my daughter (who was dressed as Betty Rizzo from Grease – very cute!) and a couple of her friends. As we circled around our normal Halloween route in the neighborhood, we heard from one of our friends that Jason Varitek and Mike Lowell had been to their house trick-or-treating with their kids. [Note: Jason Varitek lives in our neighborhood during the baseball season — but we don’t often see him].
Well, that got the neighborhood buzzing. Everyone was on the lookout for Jason who was dressed up in a bright orange jump suit and Mike Lowell who had some mask on. We didn’t see them during our route and when we went to the Varitek house to trick-or-treat, they had run out of treats (that’s not surprising, since it seemed that every kid within a 2 mile radius had come by their house). But there were no sightings of any Red Sox players.
We continued on our route and came back by the Varitek house on our way home. There was a huge commotion and we found Jason sitting on a wall in front of his house signing autographs. He was great with the kids, signing everything that they put in front of him — from baseballs to foreheads. He signed my daughter’s pink jacket and signed one of her friend’s blue jeans.
So I called my son who was home giving away candy who came rushing over to the Varitek house. We were lucky enough to experience the first game of the World Series at Fenway Park, so my son brought his ticket. Jason was nice enough to sign it. That’s the story of the signed ticket above.
Now to bring in the customer experience piece of the story. It’s all about ”Tek.” He’s already loved by Red Sox Nation because of his great play on the field and his leadership in the club house. So he did not need to spend a couple of hours giving out signatures on his front walk. But he did. And he did it graciously. That’s great customer experience!
The bottom line: What an awesome treat for Halloween!
-- Bruce Temkin
*Mr. Temkin is Vice President and Principal Analyst at Forrester Research focusing on customer experience. He also maintains an informative blog entitled, "Customer Experience Matters - Unraveling The Mystery Of Customer Loyalty". Mr. Tempkin says he is "really passionate about customer experience (CxP) and the Red Sox".
To read his blog:
http://experiencematters.wordpress.com/
Thank you so much for allowing me to post your story!
Jan 17, 2008
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August 18, 2007 - Autograph Signing569 viewsDawn Hartford has a photo signed by Jason at the signing event that took place in Manchester, NH.
"Thanks so much for all of the hard work you put into keeping this all up & running!! Attached are a few of the pics I took at the autograph signing Saturday in Manchester. They're not the greatest quality (I was too excited to hold the camera still!) ... feel free to use them, or not, in any way you see fit. Take care!"
~Dawn Hartford
And what did she think of Jason?
"He is even more handsome in person. He has the most beautiful eyes! And he was just such a nice guy ... completely charming!"
*Thank YOU Dawn!!Aug 20, 2007
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August 18, 2007 - Autograph Signing633 viewsKaylee Hazeltine snaps a photo of Jason as he arrives.
Jason, JD Drew, Jonathan Lester, Manny Delcarmen, Dustin Pedroia, Julian Tavarez & Alex Cora attended the signing in Manchester, NH.
That was my first autograph show. I flew into Manchester in the morning and flew home last night. I had a blast. I went to kindergarten -and 5th grade with Dustin Pedroia at Woodland Christian School in Woodland CA. It was great to see Dustin again, but I was most excited about TEK and DREW! I already had Dustin's autograph from a game that they played here in Baltimore. Anyway, I had a blast! I have friends that moved to Manchester 2 years ago, so I got to visit with them as well! It was just awesome. Thanks again for keeping me informed!
~ Kaylee Hazeltine from Cambridge, Maryland
*Thank you to Kaylee for the great photos!Aug 20, 2007
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August 18, 2007 - Autograph Signing647 viewsKaylee attended the signing at New England Picture Warehouse in Manchester, NH :
Erin, Thanks so much for putting the info on your blog prior to the signing. You made it possible for me to attend! Thanks
~Kaylee, from Cambridge Maryland
Aug 20, 2007
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Colleen meets Jason at Spring Training863 views"My name is Colleen and I'm 18 years old and a huge fan of Jason Varitek and the Red Sox. I just wanted to tell you that I visit your website everyday to look at the new news on Jason and to look at all of the awesome pictures that are added."
"March of 2007 - I was lucky enough to actually go to Fort Myers and see three of the final games that the Sox played before heading off to the regular season. This was an opportunity for me to take at least 150 pictures of Jason when he was playing, wasn't playing, stretching, throwing, etc... On the last day I was in Florida and the Sox's last game played at Fort Myers, I set my mind on getting Jason's autograph. I waved to him every chance I got and watched where he went for the entire day, just to track where he was. The game ended and I went to the exit of the parking lot wishing and hoping that Jason would at least pull over to give me an autograph. I waited for almost 2 hours outside of the parking lot waiting for him to pull out. Finally, Jason pulled out of the parking lot and I jumped up and down hoping he would pull over. Most definitely, the number one moment in my entire life was when I saw the car slow to a stop and saw the window roll down and had none other than Jason Varitek staring right back at me. Since I'm such a huge fan, I started crying immediately and had absolutely no idea what to do with myself. I handed him my hat where he signed 'Jason Varitek #33'."
"He was very, very nice and had the most gorgeous smile I had ever seen. After signing autographs for some other people, he waved goodbye to everyone, then turned and waved directly at me. It was by far the best day of my life, and that is my fan story."
*Colleen, thank you for your wonderful compliments and your great story!!!
Aug 15, 2007
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Colleen meets Jason at Spring Training, 2007557 viewsJason signs Colleen's cap.Aug 15, 2007
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Jason waves goodbye to fans778 views..."After signing autographs for some other people, he waved goodbye to everyone, then turned and waved directly at me. It was by far the best day of my life, and that is my fan story."
*Thank you to Colleen for sharing her story!
Aug 15, 2007
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Colleen's autographed cap461 views..." I handed him my hat where he signed "Jason Varitek #33". He was very, very nice and had the most gorgeous smile I had ever seen."
*Thank you Colleen!Aug 15, 2007
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Modell's store autographh signing528 viewsPhoto and story by Ben Trottier: "We heard on the radio Jason would be at Modell's..it was the first time we went for a player appearance and really underestimated the crowd. By the time we got there (4 hours before he was supposed to arrive) we were about 225th in line. We waited and waited and the store manager came out numerous times to tell us we probably wouldn't get in, but we did not give up. We ended up making it in and got some good pics and a nice signed jersey out of the deal."
See Ben's other stories on this page!Aug 10, 2007
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Modell's store autograph signing835 viewsExcellent close-up of Jason taken by Ben Trottier at the Modell's store signing. Ben had Jason personally autograph his jersey.
See this page for Ben's other stories.Aug 10, 2007
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Modell's store autograph signing466 viewsJason personally autographed the jersey to both Ben and his wife, Suzanne.
*Thank you to Ben for the great photos and stories.Aug 10, 2007
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Autograph signing at Fenway Park654 viewsFrom Ben Trottier: "Shortly after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans Jason and Doug Mirabelli decided to pose for photo's with fans in Autograph alley, which would be autographed once developed and sent the fans in exchange for a $100 donation to victims of Hurricane Katrina. My wife and I happened to have tickets to the game and went to the park 5 hours before first pitch to make sure we got in on the deal. We sat outside for hours and got a bit stressed cause nobody we asked knew about the event and they were not sure where we should line up, etc. We ended up just going in the regular gate, but i ran real fast and we were the first 2 to go up for our pictures. I was psyched! The pictures came out great, my only complaint was that I was hoping Jason might sign my jersey, but he said he couldn't...no problem though....took care of that the next time we met him...the following week at Modell's."
*You can see the photo and jersey from that signing on this page.Aug 10, 2007
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Autograph signing at Fenway Park633 viewsPhoto of Jason signing in "Autograph Alley" for Hurricane Katrina Relief.
*Thank you to Ben Trottier!!
Also from Ben:
"My wife and I stayed at the same hotel as the players in St. Petersburg, FL for a Devil Rays series and got his autograph outside of the lobby. Got a couple pics. He was talking with his brother but was real nice and signed for a number of people. I was hesitant to approach him, but since he signed for others I figured I would gie it a shot. He was real nice and patient as I fumbled for my pen."
Aug 10, 2007
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2006 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament695 viewsPhoto submitted by Danielle LeBlanc. Danielle was fortunate enough to not only attend the event last September but to get her photo taken with Jason as well as Mark Loretta.
*Thank you to Danielle for sharing her photo!
Jul 28, 2007
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Gardner, Mass. Seniors meet Jason in Baltimore!929 viewsApril, 2007 - Jason and seniors from Gardner, Mass. smile for the camera in Baltimore, Maryland's Inner Harbor at an outdoor cafe.
Photo by Mike Richard.
To read Mike's article, which first appeared in The Gardner News, see my Articles page - 2007 and look for "Gardner Seniors Get To Meet Red Sox Captain In Baltimore".Jul 01, 2007
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Gardner, Mass. Seniors Meet Jason in Baltimore!823 viewsApril, 2007 - Back Row (left to right): Stephanie Borkowski, Chelsey Cormier, Courtney Keogh, Kara Bohr, and Sarah Kulczyk.
Front Row (left to right) Jason Varitek, Danielle Dorval
From Mike Richard: "In April I chaperoned a senior class trip from Gardner High School (where I am a guidance counselor) to Baltimore, where we were able to take in a Red Sox game.
While walking along Baltimore's Inner Harbor, several girls spotted Jason having lunch in a downtown patio area. They were quite giddy and wanted to go over and speak to him, but also didn't want to bother him. Since one of the girls had his Red Sox T-shirt on, I told them to go over and see if he would pose for a picture.
Jason was very accommodating and posed for several pictures. Since I also do some sports writing for our local paper, I found it would make a great story. Jul 01, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament649 viewsJonathan Cornett was the Grand Prize winner in the WAAF Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt-Putt Tournament Raffle. He won two foursomes to play in the Tournament.
Jonathan: "I was fortunate enough to win the Grand Prize in the netraffle.org raffle which included 2 foursomes in the tournament, a bat, ball, and 8 photos all autographed by Jason Varitek. The tournament was the experience of a lifetime that any Sox fan would have died to be a part of!
The night started off with a catered buffet and all the drinks you could have. While eating and walking around looking at some of the items up for auction, I came across Jason Varitek, who was extremely nice to talk to and even somewhat shy. He signed all the autographs one could ask for and even took the time to take some pictures and answer some questions for me.
The night continued on and we got our hole assignments. We were assigned to start on the 18th hole (a shotgun start tournament). While Jason Varitek was announcing the celebrities assigned to each hole, it dawned on me that we did not receive a celebrity yet. Finally, he ended with the 18th hole, we got assigned Dustin Pedroia. He is one of the most down to earth people anyone could ever meet.
The rest of the night consisted of going hole to hole, meeting a different celebrity and getting autographs and pictures.
The only complaint of the night, by everyone who attended, the HEAT!!! It was held in a skating rink, and they didn't even turn on the air conditioning! Oh well, a small price to pay to meet some of my favorite celebrities."
*Thank you so much Jonathan for sharing your photos and your story!Jul 01, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament757 viewsJason poses with Jonathan Cornett, his family, his girlfriend and her father and a few of Jonathan's friends. Jul 01, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament483 viewsJonathan Cornett and Hockey Hall of Famer Ray Bourque.Jul 01, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament534 viewsJonathan Cornett and Mike Timlin.Jul 01, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament625 viewsJonathan Cornett and Mike Lowell.Jul 01, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament569 viewsJonathan Cornett and Alex Cora.
Jonathan Cornett was the Grand Prize winner in the WAAF Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt-Putt Tournament Raffle. He won two foursomes to play in the Tournament.
Jonathan: "I was fortunate enough to not only play with the celebrities present, but also get an autograph from all and get pictures with each."
Thank you so much Jonathan for sharing your photos!Jul 01, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament551 viewsJonathan Cornett and Dustin Pedroia.Jul 01, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament911 viewsAnother of Josh taken by Amy.Jul 01, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament1021 viewsPhoto of Josh Beckett taken by Amy.Jul 01, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament536 viewsPhoto of Javier Lopez taken by Amy.
Jul 01, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament577 viewsPhoto taken by Kerry!
From Kerry: "The event it was great !! Extremely hot, but Jason and his teammates Pedroia and Paplebon all signed autographs before the event. I was lucky enough to get Jason's autograph before he started the event. I too only had a spectator ticket, but I found the 'place to be' when it was time for him to come out. He was great and made sure he took the time to sign everything fans wanted signed."
"All in all it was a great night !"
Jun 29, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament510 viewsPhoto taken by Amy (BoSoxSnoopy from Myspace).
Amy: "Tek was the ultimate host, staying till the very end, long after all his other teammates left (except for Timlin) and was so nice to everyone. He posed for picture after picture and signed a ton of autographs."Jun 29, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament555 viewsPhoto taken by Amy.
Jason, Javier Lopez and Alex Cora sign autographs before the event.Jun 29, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament528 viewsPhoto taken by Amy.
Jun 29, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament473 viewsPhoto taken by Amy (BoSoxSnoopy from Myspace).
Jun 29, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament501 viewsPhoto taken by Amy.
Jun 29, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament545 viewsPhoto taken by Amy.
Amy: "I did have fun for sure. We only had spectator tickets, so our access was limited, but I got real close to Josh Becket (he is not good at putting...). I had to work hard to get pics of Tek - he was all the way over the other side of the rink and everyone was behind the plexiglass."
Jun 29, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament660 viewsPhoto taken by Amy.
Jason was joined by teammates Josh Beckett, Jonathan Papelbon, Mike Lowell, Dustin Pedroia, Mike Timlin, Javy Lopez, Eric Hinske and Alex Cora for the start of the event and Doug Mirabelli was expected. Team chairman Tom Werner was spotted and president/CEO Larry Lucchino was said to be in the building.
They didn't arrive home from their west-coast series until 4:30am that morning.
Jun 29, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament504 viewsPhoto of Amy with former Patriot Max Lane.Jun 29, 2007
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2007 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt Putt Tournament442 viewsPhoto taken by Amy (as she made her way towards the security personnel...)
Amy: "I tried to sweet talk my way into the closed off area by being very talkative and nice (ok, I was flirting..) with some of the participants and security, but in the end it didn't work. Too bad I was sweating the whole night - if I had the chance to get near Tek, I may have stuck to him as he was sweating pretty bad too. Just like a hot mid-July afternoon @ Fenway."
The event was held inside at a local hockey rink and according to several fans who attended, it was tropical hot! Jun 29, 2007
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2004 Picnic in the Park - Deanna Klein Keith857 views"I met Jason the year they won the World Series, ironically. It was at the Picnic in the Park that they have every year. Which is such an awesome experience and I hope I can do it again. Anyway, when it was time to get autographs, I picked a table to wait at even though I didn't know who would be sitting there. Low and behold Jason walks up and sits down. He autographed a baseball for me and we took a pic together. He was so nice and of course good looking. I couldn't get over how strong his back felt when I thanked him with a hug."May 23, 2007
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Matty throws out the first pitch...651 viewsat Fenway Park, September 29, 2005.Apr 26, 2007
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Matty throws out the first pitch at Fenway...772 views...but first, a pose for the media!
September 29, 2005.
*Thank you to Matty's mom, Sandra, for sending me Matty's story!Apr 26, 2007
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Matty Dubuc meets Jason1286 viewsJason poses with Matty and his family at Children's Hospital, Boston on September 9, 2005.Apr 26, 2007
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Matty meets Jason...847 views...at Children's Hospital, Boston on September 9, 2005.
Wednesday, September 7, 2005
"What a great day! The transplant team had told us they were setting up a photo shoot and asked for our family to be in it but they didn't give many details. My parents came along too in case Zachary didn't want to cooperate. Well what a surprise they gave us. They put us in the playroom on the transplant floor and in came Jason Varitek and the Red Sox photographer and a guy taking video. Jason was great. He taught Matty a new handshake and visited with us for a bit. We took a lot of pictures and got a lot of autographs. Just so happens that I had the boys in their Red Sox shirts. I told Jason that we could possibly set his 3 girls up with my 3 boys but he said that he already told his girls they're not dating - ya, well we'll see!!!
I guess the photographer takes pictures to post on the screen during the Red Sox games. So who knows, you may see Matty sometime up on the big screen!
*Thank you to Matty's mom, Sandra, for sending me his story!Apr 26, 2007
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Matty meets Jason...998 views...at Children's Hospital, Boston on September 9, 2005.Apr 26, 2007
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Matty meets Jason...810 views...at Children's Hospital Boston on September 9, 2005.Apr 25, 2007
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Matty meets Jason...943 views...at Childrens Hospital Boston on September 7, 2005.
Matty is just a little bit excited to meet his hero for the first time!Apr 25, 2007
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Josh Nies catches Jason's 448-foot grand slam559 viewsJason Varitek's 448-foot grand slam helped bring the United States back from an 8-0 deficit, but Team Canada held on to win the WBC game 8 to 6.
Josh Nies who caught Jason Varitek's grand slam ball Wednesday night, ended up at dinner with Buck Martinez Thursday night. Rather than hawking the ball on e-Bay, Josh gave it to Jason Varitek in exchange for an autographed bat and ball. Thursday he went to his barber shop to show off the trophies. A stranger, receiving a haircut at the time, overheard the conversation and invited Josh to join him and [Team USA Manager] Buck Martinez for dinner that night. Josh also received a jersey autographed by Buck Martinez. Thank you Josh, for sharing your photo and story!
Apr 15, 2007
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2006 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt-Putt Tournament679 viewsSeptember 7, 2006 in Medford, Massachussetts -
From Jessica: "Any time I can see him up close is a good time!!! The event wasn't organized all that well, but I guess it's because it is the "First Annual". It was an 18-hole putting green with a celebrity at each hole. Trot Nixon, Mike Timlin, Tim Wakefield, Manny Delcarmen, Jason Varitek, Big Papi, Josh Beckett, Mark Loretta, and Alex Cora. There was also some Bruins past and current players. There was a Silent Auction for Red Sox and Bruins memorabilia (autographed pictures and jerseys, etc..) and a live auction that included Red Sox ticket packages, vacations, Jason Varitek signed Red Sox recliners, and even the outfit that he wore on "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy". Jason was very sweet, thanking everyone behind the scenes and his teamates for giving up a rare night off to help out.
When the event was over, I happened to be near some of the event workers and Jason came over and hugged and kissed each one and gave them a very sincere thank you!!!
Jason then pulled away from the event in his white Sequoia. I then had to walk a block to my Jeep, get in it pull out of the crowded lot and somehow managed to find myself behind Jason in his Sequoia at the light. I would be truly mortified to think that he saw me and thought I was following him. That's my story!"
Apr 15, 2007
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2006 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt-Putt Tournament590 viewsSeptember 7, 2006 in Medford, Massachussetts -
From Karen: " The Celebrity Putt-Putt was a great time!! We got there early and were there when Jason came out onto the course to do a few interviews. I lined up with all the other fans, hoping to get an autograph. He passed me by twice and I thought it wasn't going to happen and then he reached out and grabbed my picture and signed it. I said "Thank you, Jason." And he looked at me and said, "You're very welcome" He seemed to be enjoying himself and was very sweet when thanking everyone. There were 13 or 14 of his teammates there. Big Papi made an appearance and it was fun to see him joking around. Sadly, once the sun went down my camera was useless. So, I was glad that I got there early so that I could get some awesome pics of the Captain!!!" Apr 15, 2007
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2006 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt-Putt Tournament521 viewsSeptember 7, 2006 in Medford, Massachussetts -
From Merri: "The event was very nice... there were definitely more of Jason's teammates than I expected. Among the guests were David Ortiz, Doug Mirabelli, Mike Timlin, Manny Delcarmen, Mark Loretta, Matt Clement, Trot Nixon, Gabe Kapler (my personal fave!!!), Craig Hansen, Josh Beckett, Kevin Youkilis, Alex Cora, Tim Wakefield... I can't remember if that was it! Anyway, the event was for a great cause and I'm glad there was a good turn out for Tek. It was really nice to see him smiling!" Apr 15, 2007
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The Carvilles648 viewsThis picture of Jason with die-hard Red Sox fan Mike Carville and daughter Alison was taken at the Diamond Dinner in Fort Myers, Florida in 2000. The Diamond Dinner benefits the local Children's Hospital in Fort Myers. According to Mike, "Jason was great with Alison and even let me squeeze in the picture".
Mike, thank you for sharing your photo!
Apr 15, 2007
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Jason and Wendell1049 viewsSent to me by Mike Webb of his father Wendell and Jason at Tiger Stadium. Yes, Wendell is holding Jason's World Series ring!
Thank you Mike!Jan 23, 2007
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Jason and the Hicks family at the Newton branch of TD Banknorth676 viewsFan Staci Hicks had the opportunity to meet Jason at TD Banknorth's Newton branch on Friday, December 8th, 2006 and was kind enough to send me three photos from the event! Thanks so much Staci!
"I thought I'd send a couple pictures from the signing at the TD Banknorth
Newton Branch today. I'm a TD Banknorth employee located in Bedford NH. Me
and my 3 kids drove about an 1 1/2 hours this morning to get the chance to
meet him. He was friendly, sociable and great with the kids. I've attached a
couple pictures"
Dec 10, 2006
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Jason signing autographs at the TD Banknorth Newton branch office624 viewsGreat close-up sent to me by Staci Hicks!Dec 10, 2006
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Jason at TD Banknorth's Newton branch office521 viewsFan Staci Hicks had the opportunity to meet Jason at TD Banknorth's Newton branch on Friday, December 8th, 2006 and was kind enough to send me three photos from the event! Thanks so much Staci!
Staci Hicks' children wait anxiously for Jason to autograph some items.Dec 10, 2006
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Jason meets fans Sandy and Kim531 viewsSandy Martin sent me an email on August 2, 2006 to share the story of her friend, Kim and her continuing battle with cancer. Kim is a big Red Sox fan and an even bigger Jason Varitek fan. Below is an excerpt from that email:
"Kim was diagnosed with kidney cancer at the end of May, just three weeks before our adult children were married. She had her left kidney and seventh rib removed. This past Monday (July 31st), we learned it had returned to her fourth rib. That night, I took her to a Red Sox game and she had a few enjoyable hours. She noticed Jason limping right away between first and second bases. I found out that this is the first year, since she was 13 years old, that she has not played softball. Her position is catcher and she adores Jason Varitek. (Don't we all!). Tomorrow, I am taking her to Dana Farber for a consultation - but she is worried about Jason. We both hope his surgery goes well and that he can return soon."
Sandy and her family wanted to do something wonderful for Kim and thought a meeting between her and Jason would be 'just what the doctor ordered'.
That meeting happened on Saturday, September 30, 2006.
Oct 16, 2006
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Photo of Jason & Kim564 viewsSandy Martin set-up a meeting with Jason and her friend Kim (you can read the story on the Fans page) which took place Saturday, September 30, 2006.
Sandy not only sent me photographs, but the story of the meeting as well. Her story is below:
"Kim met Jason at 4:00 on Saturday afternoon. They said anyone who had tickets was invited to batting practice. So, Kim, her husband Jim, son Jimmy, daughter Alicia, my son John (Alicia's husband) and I went. We all got to meet him. My husband wasn't well enough to go.
"I knew Kim would be star struck, and the kids too, but I wasn't prepared for how I felt myself. He is so much bigger close-up. I can best describe him as quiet, kind, and professional. He definitely didn't seem the type to bask in his role as celebrity, but was willing to acquiese to those who saw him in that light.
Even though he was not catching Saturday night, he was on the field for batting practice and did some catching less than ten feet from us. When he was walking off the field, they came and got us from the rest of the group watching practice and took us over to the dugout.
"A woman named Hilary was in charge and when she introduced Kim to Jason, he asked to be introduced to the rest of us. He only spent a few minutes with us but he gave us his full attention in those minutes. He told us he was glad to meet us; he asked Kim how she was; if she had anything she wanted him to sign; and posed for a photo with Kim and another with the rest of us. He signed Kim's hat and her daughter's game ball. Kim forgot to ask him to sign her own.
"All she could do is grin the whole time. I have to say I got a little overcome with excitement myself. We were only ten feet from the entire team. He then spent an equal amount of time with another group and a man in a wheelchair.
"It was an incredible experience; a once in a lifetime opportunity.
"The timing was perfect for Kim; you might say it was a major contribution to keeping her on the trial drug because if I hadn't given her something to look forward to last Monday, she would've been off of it. She was sooo sick the first five days and this drug is her only hope. The doctors only needed a few days to identify all the side effects she might have and prescribe other drugs to treat them. Sunday though, she wanted out. Monday, on the way to the hospital, she was so down and determined to get off of the medication, so I told her about the possibility of meeting Jason."
WOW. She couldn't think about anything else. She forgot about being sick. She had lost ten pounds in five days. By Wednesday, the doctors had ALL the side effects under control.
Oct 16, 2006
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From fan Sandy Martin652 viewsSandy Martin set-up a meeting with Jason and her friend Kim which took place Saturday, September 30, 2006. Jason is posing with (from left to right) Jim, Jimmy, John, Alicia, Kim and Sandy.
Her story:
"You know Jason probably doesn't know how much he did for her and for us. Do these other players realize how important they are in the lives of hundreds of millions of us and not just for entertainment. or 'past time'. My husband has had four heart attacks in the past 18 months. The first year the games kept him going. I had a lifesize portrait of the SOX painted on the kitchen wall. Watching the artist every day for a month got him up and out of bed several times a day from February 8, 2005 until the season started. He lived from game to game all season in both '05 and '06. It's too bad they don't really know, or, maybe they do.
"I was extremely busy between Friday afternoon (when I got the call that the meeting would take place) until 1pm on Saturday when I finally managed to secure the tickets for everyone so we could get there by 4pm. I had wanted to write you two immediately and wished I had your phone numbers to call you from the Park! It was wonderful!
"Erin and Scott*, thank you soooo much. If there is anything I can ever do for you, please don't hesitate to ask. "
Sandy, thank you so much for sharing the story and photographs with all of us!
*A HUGE thank you to Scott Sawyer from www.JonathanPapelbon.com for everything!!!
Oct 16, 2006
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Sara McNally - January, 2006729 viewsAutograph Signing, Independence Mall, Kingston, Massachussetts.
Jason and Doug Mirabelli were both there. It was suggested that we reserve our tickets beforehand, which we did. The signing was held in the center court of the mall which is obviously open to the public. This was a really bad idea! It looked like a Backstreet Boys concert in there!! There were like 200 screaming teenagers with camera phones and I don't think that 'Tek was in the mood. He actually looked unhappy the entire time and I felt terrible about it (but he's a Gamer and just kept signing). It should have been more private and better organized because there were just people EVERYWHERE trying to catch a glimpse. The line for Mirabelli was much smaller and I believe we were the 35th and 36th people to get his autograph. They called people in groups of 50 so when we were standing waiting for Doug's autograph, Jason was led into the mall via the front entrance (where we came in) and I took a really great shot of him walking by me - I have it on my desk at work.
Oct 06, 2006
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Sara McNally - January, 2006514 viewsAutograph Signing, Independence Mall, Kingston, Massachussetts.
Fan Sara McNally and a friend drove two hours to meet Jason and get his autograph, here is her story:
"I was so nervous when I got Jason's autograph in January, it wasn't even funny. Jason was back in the area for his batting practice camp that I think was in Medford, MA. So SureShotPromotions was able to schedule the signing at the Independence Mall in Kingston, MA. My friend just happened to read about it in the Boston Herald. I swear, it was the coldest night of the year and we probably had a 2 hour drive. I have lived in Massachusetts all of my life, but I live 2 hours west of Boston in a small town - I had never even heard of Kingston, MA.
Oct 06, 2006
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Sara McNally - January, 2006494 viewsAutograph Signing, Independence Mall, Kingston, Massachussetts.
Photo by Sara McNally. Her story can be found in this gallery.Oct 06, 2006
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Sara McNally - January, 2006539 viewsAutograph Signing, Independence Mall, Kingston, Massachussetts.
This is also when I realized how many other people feel the same way we do about 'Tek. As much as I love him, I really just admire him for who he is as a person and I have so much respect for him. This led to me being depressed about it for a few weeks because I wanted to talk to him so much but at the same time I don't know what I would've said!! How do you act normal?"
Sara, thank you so much for sending me your story!Oct 06, 2006
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Sara McNally - January, 2006443 viewsAutograph Signing, Independence Mall, Kingston, Massachussetts.
Photo by Sara McNally. Oct 06, 2006
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2006 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt-Putt Tournament656 viewsSeptember 7, 2006 in Medford, Massachussetts -
Great close-up by Karen! Karen's story can be found in this gallery.Sep 09, 2006
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2006 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt-Putt Event595 viewsSeptember 7, 2006 in Medford, Massachussetts -
Karen gets another awesome close-up. Karen's story can be found in this gallery.Sep 09, 2006
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2006 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt-Putt Tournament666 viewsSeptember 7, 2006 in Medford, Massachussetts
Jason signing an autograph on a fan's back!
Thank you again to Merri for the photo! Her story can be found in this gallery.Sep 09, 2006
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2006 Jason Varitek Celebrity Putt-Putt Tournament613 viewsSeptember 7, 2006 in Medford, Massachussetts -
Another great photo from Merri! Her story about the event can be found in this gallery.Sep 09, 2006
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Matty & Jason967 viewsMatty Dubuc is an amazing young man. In 2004, at the age of 4, he was diagnosed with Hepstoblastoma (liver cancer). He has been fighting off this disease like a real superhero. Matty had the opportunity to meet one of his own heros, Jason Varitek, during a visit to Children's Hospital Boston in September of 2005. Below is the story of his visit, told by his mom. I have been in contact with Matty's mom since Autumn of 2005 and keep up with Matty on his own web page.
Wednesday, September 7, 2005
"What a great day! The transplant team had told us they were setting up a photo shoot and asked for our family to be in it but they didn't give many details. My parents came along too in case Zachary didn't want to cooperate. Well what a surprise they gave us. They put us in the playroom on the transplant floor and in came Jason Varitek and the Red Sox photographer and a guy taking video. Jason was great. He taught Matty a new handshake and visited with us for a bit. We took a lot of pictures and got a lot of autographs. Just so happens that I had the boys in their Red Sox shirts. I told Jason that we could possibly set his 3 girls up with my 3 boys but he said that he already told his girls they're not dating - ya, well we'll see!!!
I guess the photographer takes pictures to post on the screen during the Red Sox games. So who knows, you may see Matty sometime up on the big screen!
Update on Matty:
Matty has had a rough go of it since this story was first published on the site. Stage IV of the disease means that it has spread, in Matty's case it spread to his lungs, brain and left wristbone. Matty has had many months of chemotherapy, a liver transplant, 3 lung surgeries, 2 brain surgeries, and radiation. When his wrist tumor got aggressive with no response to chemotherapy or radiation, his left arm was amputated from the elbow down on October 13, 2006. At that time, Matty's mom wrote:
"My son is so amazing! 6 days ago, he underwent surgery to remove a very aggressive tumor, and today, he attended a full day of school! He is truly an inspiration to all! Don't Stop Believing!!"
And although his parents were told on November 20th that there is nothing short of a miracle that will help Matty beat this battle, they continue to BELIEVE, and Matty, the Super Hero continues to fight!
Sadly, on March 25, 2007, Matty Dubuc passed away at home, in his sleep. His mother wrote:
"Our sweet Matty-boy earned his angel wings last night. He went to heaven peacefully, just what we prayed for."
"I can't sleep because I used to have a little snuggly boy lying aside of me every single night. He's been in my bed for almost a year now. We had a routine, a routine that I didn't get to do with him one last time. We had a very special way of saying 'goodnight'. Oh, how I wish I had one more goodnight from him!!"
"...But I will cherish that he didn't struggle, we didn't have to call a doctor or nurse because Matty was struggling, it was just the 5 of us here in the house. The awesome doctors and nurses that were caring for Matty right til his last breath, were all here over the weekend and Matty got to say bye to each one of them."
From me: Thank you to all of the fans that prayed for Matty and his family since I first posted this story early last year. And thank you to those that went to Matty's site at CaringBridge.com and left caring messages for him!
Apr 14, 2006
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