Where He Belongs by Jared Carrabis
Jim Rice honored with his number retired at Fenway Park


After 20 long years, Legend Status: achieved.

On Tuesday, Jim Rice became the eighth player in Red Sox history to have his number retired by the storied franchise. It was Johnny Pesky, the last player to have his number retired by the Sox, who raised the red banner to unveil Rice's number 14 for all of Red Sox Nation to see.

In his sixteen-year career, in which he spent all 2,089 games in Boston, Rice amassed 382 career HR, 1,451 RBI and a .298 career batting average. The right-handed slugger who took over for the legendary Carl Yastrzemski, collected 406 total bases in 1978. It was the first time anyone had rounded up over 400 bases since the great Joe DiMaggio had done so decades before. Rice would go on to win the American League MVP in 1978, while playing in all 163 games that season (including the one-game playoff against the Yankees).

After leading the league in total bases in his MVP season, Rice went on to lead the AL in total bases for three consecutive seasons ('78-'80). Only one other player in the history of baseball had ever done so, Ty Cobb. Pretty good company to be in if I do say so myself.

His 2,452 hits, 1,451 RBI and 4,129 total bases are all Red Sox records for a right-handed hitter and have been untouched since his retirement in 1989. When Rice finally decided to hang up the spikes, at the time, his 382 career home runs ranked tenth in American League history. That, of course, was before the dark days of the steroid era.

Rice may be known for his power numbers, but this guy could just flat out hit. He eclipsed 200 hits four times in his career with Boston, batted .300 or better in seven different seasons, drove in 100 runs or more in eight different seasons, belted 20 home runs or more in eleven seasons and also led the American League in home runs in three different seasons. His list of accomplishments go on and on, and now that the eight-time All Star is a member of the Hall of Fame, his legend will live on forever here in Red Sox Nation.

Rice was the most feared hitter of his generation. It may have taken fifteen years on the ballot and twenty years since the day of his retirement, but the day has finally come. Jim Rice will be forever immortalized on the right field facade at Fenway Park.

Just like my dad did with me, when kids all across New England come to Fenway Park for the very first time and they look up at their fathers and ask what those numbers are out in right field, the legend of Jim Rice will be told over, and over, and over again. And each time, that father will look down at their son and say, "Son, that number 14 up there, that's Jim Rice; the most feared right-handed hitter to ever put on a Red Sox uniform."

Congrats, Jim Ed. It's an honor long overdue,
-Jared Carrabis

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Published on July 29, 2009

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