Impossible to Forget

The Thursday screening of "Impossible to Forget: The Story of the '67 Red Sox" went well as many Thom's regulars came in to watch the 45 minute documentary that was partly filmed at Thom's and featured Thom's regulars.

The film told the story of the 1967 season through the words of well known Red Sox fans like John Kerry, Tom Werner, Ted Kennedy, and some lesser known New Englanders who were big fans of the Olde Towne team.

The film's director Brett Rapkin, "Spaceman: A Baseball Odyssey" was on hand for what was Impossible's New York premier.

The scheduled Red Sox game against Chicago was postponed, so after the movie we played the Sept 29, 1967 Sox game versus the Twins that came with the DVD to the delight of the remaining Sox faithful.

To Fight the Unbeatable Foe...

We all have our dreams. For me it's sitting on the beach with a radio, an endless supply of shellfish, and listening to the Sox go 400 innings while pitching every ace they've ever had: Pedro, Tiant, Wood, Grove, Ferriss, Young, Ruth, Parnell. (I know I'm leaving someone out, but I just can't put my finger on it.) For some it's getting a seat at Thom's for a Sox/Yankees game. But, for many the dreams began in 1967 with the "Impossible Dream" season.

Yes, ultimately, the Sox lost the battle with the Cardinals, but '67 is often thought of as the beginning of Red Sox Nation. It was when New Englanders around the globe united in their morbidly Calvinist tendencies and found hope from a potato farmer, a dentist, and a kid from Revere. (Talk about Perseverance of the saints!)

It was 40 years ago that they made this run and tonight at Thom's at 7pm we're going to bring you the 40th anniversary documentary: "Impossible to Forget". Behold the Irresistible Grace of Thom's. We'll even have the filmmaker, Brett Rapkin, there. And, afterwards we'll put on the accompanying DVD of the penultimate game of the '67 season versus the Twins! Dare to dream again.

And speaking of Red Sox Nation, Professor Thom's has been named the home of the Red Sox in New York in the 2007 Red Sox Nation Annual. All card carrying members of RSN get this mag in the mail for joining. Flip through to read about Thom's and many of it's regulars including the omnipresent John Quinn. (If you don't have a copy ask to read the bar's copy.)

On Deck

Next week it all begins anew when the first place Boston Red Sox invade the Bronx. Start your day at the BLOHARDs luncheon with Castiglione and a Red Sock to be named later. Then head down to Thom's early. Because you can forget about saving seats unless you're in the BLOHARDs or member of the NYCBRSMG. And even those seats are limited.

On September 6th come on by for our first annual New England Chowder cook-off featuring chowder from you, the regulars. Enter your chowder for prizes or just come to eat. Email for details.

To right the unrightable wrong,

To love pure and chaste from afar,

To try when your arms are too weary,

To reach the unreachable star.

-Joe Darion

Red Sox Film Project To Be Named Later

A fine time was had by all Tuesday, August 21 at Professor Thom's as Bombo Films, the makers of "Still We Believe", continued shooting for their next big Red Sox fan documentary. This was their fourth time at Thom's this summer recording New York's most eloquent Sox fans giving their version of play-by-play during a Sox game.

The exact plot of their next film is not yet laid out, but most of the shooting will reportedly involve Boston personality Mike Barnicle discussing the Olde Towne Team with other notable Sox fans like Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jack Welch, and even some Hollywood types and footage cut in of what Sox fans are doing around the country.

Two by two eager fans signed up and sat in for an half of an inning providing colorful commentary and witty asides. It's a baseball version of karaoke, or as it's called at Thom's, Ka(y)reoke in honor of the Yankees' broadcaster Michael Kay who inspired the whole thing.

John Quinn, Thom's regular and host of Ka(y)reoke said, "We figured that if he could do it, we could too. Besides, we just couldn't stand listening to him anymore."

The "broadcast booth" consisted of two tables pushed together and draped with a bunting borrowed from Busch Stadium following the 2004 World Series, two microphones, and various Red Sox desktop idols like Wally the Green Monster, Jerry Remy and Don Orsillo, and a Roger Clemens bobble head adorned in a cowboy outfit made from dollar bills holding a sign that read "Will work fer money".

The fan favorite this evening was Fitzy from "Townie News". Fitzy makes a living commenting on the Boston sports scene, vivisecting both undeperformers and opponents with his "GFY" stamp and making gods of it the great ones like Tom Brady whom he calls simply "TFB".

The folks from Bombo will be back at Thom's several times more this season starting with the August 28 game versus the Yankees. As for Ka(y)reoke, that just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Says John Quinn, "Even the Red Sox owners have been here to see it."