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The Boston Red Sox reached an agreement Friday with former first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz to display the baseball from the final out of the 2004 World Series while putting off the decision on who owns it.
The ball will be encased in a special plaque and join the World Series trophy on its victory tour.
"Doug was a key part of our stretch run and postseason victories and he won over our fans in a very short period of time," Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said. "We thank him for his many contributions and are pleased that our fans will be able to get close to the ball. We wish him the best of luck in the other league in 2005."
The Red Sox led St. Louis 3-0 with two outs in the ninth inning in Game 4 of the World Series when Cardinals shortstop Edgar Renteria grounded the ball back to the mound. Pitcher Keith Foulke fielded the ball and tossed it to Mientkiewicz for the final out, ending the team's 86-year-old World Series championship drought.
Mientkiewicz kept the ball as a souvenir, and when the team asked for it back it touched off a controversy over its ownership.
Mientkiewicz was since traded to the New York Mets. Renteria signed with Boston as a free agent.
Source: AP
The ball will be encased in a special plaque and join the World Series trophy on its victory tour.
"Doug was a key part of our stretch run and postseason victories and he won over our fans in a very short period of time," Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said. "We thank him for his many contributions and are pleased that our fans will be able to get close to the ball. We wish him the best of luck in the other league in 2005."
The Red Sox led St. Louis 3-0 with two outs in the ninth inning in Game 4 of the World Series when Cardinals shortstop Edgar Renteria grounded the ball back to the mound. Pitcher Keith Foulke fielded the ball and tossed it to Mientkiewicz for the final out, ending the team's 86-year-old World Series championship drought.
Mientkiewicz kept the ball as a souvenir, and when the team asked for it back it touched off a controversy over its ownership.
Mientkiewicz was since traded to the New York Mets. Renteria signed with Boston as a free agent.
Source: AP