On Jon Lester, Surviving Cancer, and Winning the World Series.

[WilliamPitt]

Survive and Strive
By Thomas Boswell
Monday, October 29, 2007; Page E01

DENVER -- As Boston Manager Terry Francona approached the World Series mound and firmly, but gently, took the baseball from Jon Lester's left hand, he smacked his pitcher on the back so firmly you almost felt it yourself. First baseman David (Big Papi) Ortiz practically hugged the 23-year-old. Rookie second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who's known Lester throughout their trip up through the Boston minor leagues from Portland to Pawtucket, added his slaps.

Finally, the entire Red Sox infield and proud Boston captain Jason Varitek gathered around Lester like a band of big brothers, unashamedly giving him perhaps the most emotional round of congratulations that you will ever see for a pitcher that has, technically, just been knocked out of the game. But, when you pitch 5 2/3 shutout innings to win the clinching game of the World Series just 13 months after you get cancer and spend a winter doing four rounds of chemotherapy, emotions will erupt.

As Lester strode to the dugout here in Game 4, head up and calm, he made a gesture that seemed like annoyance, perhaps because he walked the last batter he faced, rather than the pride bordering on joy that he might justifiably have felt. Behind him, the huge Coors Field scoreboard told the story of one of the most moving and excellent pitchers' duels of any World Series. Boston led Colorado 2-0 with two outs in the sixth inning. Lester had brought his team -- bereft of any other plausible starting pitcher after an injury to Tim Wakefield -- to the brink of its second World Series sweep in four seasons.

And he had done it 13 months after learning last September, in the midst of a fine rookie season, that he had anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

The story of this night will be retold for many a year, not only because of Lester's excellence but because of the distinguished work of the losing pitcher, Aaron Cook of the Rockies, another emergency starter, who himself returned to baseball after a life-threatening blood clot in his lung three years ago. And if hyperbole's arm is twisted in the process, so be it. The cause is good.

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/29/AR2007102900072.html?hpid=artslot

[flvegan]

1. An amazing young man.

Yes, indeed.

[abq e streeter]

2. Mike Lowell also--beat testicular cancer

I'm out here in the mountain west and was rooting for the Rockies, but Boston was a juggernaut and congratulations to em. The Rockies had an exciting run and should be damn proud of what they accomplished. Both teams seem to have a lot of classy players, and I for one have no problem with any evangelicals on that team...they don't try to force it on anyone and that's all I ask of people of that persuasion. Plus don't forget the equal world series share that's being given to Mike Coolbaugh's widow. Another classy act. I hope Cook, Lester and Lowell all continue in good health.