⚾ The legend of Pesky’s Pole

Good Morning, Boston.

😈 Joe Mazzulla’s at it again. It takes a special coach to tell Jayson Tatum he’s happy that his star player didn’t win Finals MVP or shine in the Olympics. Tatum’s response? “If you know Joe, it makes sense.” Never change, our favorite “The Town” connoisseur.

What’s on tap today:

• Jayson’s new jumper

• Sun sweat out the Fever

• The rookie QB who got away?

Let’s get into it…

LEADING OFF

The peculiar history of Pesky’s Pole

“Pesky’s Pole” is old enough to vote. The Fenway right-field foul pole’s nickname officially turns 18 today (still can’t buy a Sam’s Octoberfest, though). But here’s what you may not know:

It allegedly started off as a strategic ploy … The Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy wrote that former Red Sox owner Thomas Yawkey abruptly decided to change the right field dimensions and move the foul pole in by 23 feet in 1940. Why? To help a young left-handed slugger by the name of Ted Williams hit more home runs. Two years after that, Yawkey got Williams another gift: a scrappy teammate named Johnny Pesky.

Then Pesky turned into the butt of the joke. A lifetime .307 hitter, Pesky wasn’t known for his pop at the plate. He only hit 17 home runs – just six at Fenway – in his 10-year career. But Sox pitcher Mel Parnell, who later became a team broadcaster, invented the nickname “Pesky’s Pole” to praise Pesky for tucking one of those rare homers around the pole to win Parnell a game in 1948 (and to give his buddy a hard time). To this day, though, no one can corroborate Parnell’s story. Nonetheless, the legend was born.

And thus, the Pesky’s Pole lore begins … The affectionately named foul pole later had several iconic Red Sox home runs hook around it, like this one from Carl Yasztremski during a one-game playoff with the Yankees in 1978.

Even Tom Brady snuck one over the fence down the right-field line.

Others bounced off of it, like Mark Bellhorn’s famous tie-breaking blast in Game 1 of the 2004 World Series. 

Years later, David Ortiz famously hit a batting-practice pitch so hard the ball got stuck in it. Through it all, the nickname grew so popular the Sox officially commemorated the foul pole in Pesky’s honor on this day in 2007.

It’s a perfect symbol of sports culture. Nicknames and sports go together like Boston and duck-boat parades, and the best ones have great stories behind them. Think former Red Sox pitcher Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd, whose name apparently comes from his fondness for drinking whiskey out of … you guessed it. Even if “Pesky’s Pole” was born out of a tall tale, it’s still fitting that “Mr. Red Sox” himself has such a lasting monument at Fenway – a place where fans sign their names to prove they visited the iconic park.

BOSTON SPORTS

Quick hits & headlines

🏀 Jayson Tatum unveils new shooting stroke. Tatum’s jump shot failed him in the NBA playoffs and Olympics, so he went back into the lab to fix it. Reporters got their first glimpse of the reworked mechanics at Celtics training camp practices this week. It might not seem that different to the naked eye, but Tatum appears to have slightly sped up and smoothed out his release. Most importantly, the work shows the Celtics superstar is hungry to take his game to another level. NBA, you’ve been warned.

😆 Bill Belichick still hates the Jets. The Hoodie couldn’t resist jabbing New York while praising former Jets QB Sam Darnold for excelling with the Minnesota Vikings: “Everybody has liked Darnold except the Jets.” The coach has dominated the franchise he left at the altar for the Patriots: his 39 wins against the Jets are the most by any coach against a single team in the Super Bowl era. Some beefs last forever. This is one of them.

⏭️ Red Sox officially will miss the playoffs. Boston’s loss to the Blue Jays means Fenway’s gates will be closed in October. The Sox have now missed the postseason three years in a row, their longest drought in 30 years. Fortunately, the future's still bright. They have one of MLB’s best farm systems led by Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell. Craig Breslow suggested some consequential trades are coming. Better days are ahead. Hopefully.

BEYOND BOSTON

Out-of-town report

Derrick Rose hangs ‘em up. He burst onto the scene with an epic 2009 playoff series against the Celtics as a rookie — leaving Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in awe. The youngest MVP in NBA history, Rose suffered a devastating knee injury in 2012 that robbed him of his prime but still played 11 more seasons. A one-of-a-kind career for a singular star and sports icon.

LAST CALL

Connecticut sends Clark to Cancun

Thank goodness the Sun beat Caitlin Clark’s Fever. This isn’t at all a knock on Clark, who had one of the best rookie seasons in WNBA history. But everyone needs a break from the collective sports media hive mind that couldn’t highlight Clark’s brilliance without belittling her peers. Clark is “box office.” The Sun were just better. Connecticut’s semi-final round against Minnesota Wild and Napheesa Collier, who’s averaging 40 points in the playoffs, will be a slugfest.

POLL

🤔 Are you happy the Sun beat Caitlin Clark?

THE BEST THING I SAW IN SPORTS

Drake Maye’s classmate shows out

🌟 Jayden Daniels lights up the Bengals. The No. 2 overall pick put up one of the best games you’ll ever see from a rookie QB, torching Cincinnati for 293 total yards and three total TDs. If Chad Ryland hadn’t made that meaningless game-winning kick in Denver last Christmas Eve, Daniels could’ve been doing this in Foxborough.

🗞 That’s a wrap. I’ll be counting down the days until Maye takes over and steals Rookie of the Year hype from Daniels.

🏆 We asked, you answered: 62% of you who responded to Monday’s newsletter said you think the Celtics will smoke the NBA for all the disrespect they’ve gotten since raising Banner No. 18. What will they say if No. 19 goes up in 2025, we wonder?

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