Boston ownership has decided that the team will indeed receive its World Series rings in a ceremony prior to the opener against the Yankees on April 11.

10:56 AM EST on Thursday, February 24, 2005

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Red Sox' fans' dreams have come true again.

AP photo

Jostens sales representative Ryan Ford fits Boston Red Sox first baseman Kevin Millar for his 2004 World Series ring on Tuesday in Fort Myers, Fla.

On Opening Day at Fenway Park on April 11, with the hated rival New York Yankees in the opposing dugout, the Boston Red Sox will be handed their World Championship rings on the field, gaudy evidence of the superiority they earned in 2004 by storming to their first such title in 86 years.

That announcement was made yesterday by CEO Larry Lucchino and executive vice-president of community affairs Dr. Charles Steinberg at the team's minor-league complex.

The timing of the ring ceremony, which will be accompanied by the raising of the championship banner, had been a matter of internal debate that spilled over through the media into the public domain.

Some members of the Sox' organization were leery of doing it with the Yankees in town for fear of being accused of rubbing it in their faces. Boston, of course, racked up its first dream-come-true of the 2004 postseason by stunning the lordly Yankees in the American League Championship Series, becoming the first big-league team to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first three games.

Ultimately, though, after upper-level meetings and discussions, and after receiving "hundreds" of phone calls from fans in passionate support of the initial plan, the Sox will be ringing in their 2005 home season with a ring ceremony.

But the handing out of the rings, the details of which still are being discussed, will just be part of the celebration. Indeed, it will only be one jewel of the "Triple Crown," said Steinberg.

After the April 11 game, which is scheduled to begin at 3 o'clock, there will be a fund-raising dinner for the Red Sox Foundation, an event at which the players will be in attendance, flashing their new rings for the participants to see.

And the following day, which is a day off for the Sox, several of the rings will be set up on stands in the outfield at Fenway Park so fans can see the rings, as well as the championship trophy, in an open house of sorts.

Steinberg said it's likely there will be a fee, possibly $5, and it's also likely that the hours of the viewing will be from 11 a.m.-7 p.m., giving everyone an opportunity to see them during lunch, after school or after work. Details, though, still have to be worked out.

"That way we honor the players, we put the concept to good use within the community and open it up to as many fans as we can," said Steinberg of the "Triple Crown."

Most years, Series rings are handed out at some point during the season. The Diamondbacks, though, did get their rings on Opening Day of 2002 after having vanquished the Yankees in the World Series in 2001.

Lucchino said the team had checked into the history of such occasions and, after determining that the championship banner has to be raised the first day, found that other teams have done things on their own time frames in issuing the rings.

Th Sox' decision is to issue them on April 11, which it would have been no matter who Boston happened to be playing that day, insisted Lucchino. Still, the irony that it is the Yankees hasn't escaped Lucchino's attention.

"You could argue there's something appropriate about it happening against the Yankees," said Lucchino. "(But) it should be more of a celebration of accomplishment than an in-your-face demonstration to anyone else."

The Yankees, after the pregame introductions are completed, will have the option of leaving the field and going back into their clubhouse while the ring ceremony is conducted.

Meanwhile, Jostens, the company producing the rings, will have to hustle to get them done in time. Lucchino said yesterday the design isn't quite finished, and some players still have to be sized, especially those on other teams, such as Pedro Martinez (New York Mets) and Dave Roberts (San Diego Padres).

And there will be plenty of them to make once the Sox take care of such personnel as minor league executives, managers and coaches as well as scouts and other people who have worked behind the scenes to forge a championship big-league team.

Everyone who appeared in a Boston uniform last year, including left-hander Abe Alvarez, who made one start, will get a ring, too. Published estimates that the Sox would hand out 500 rings, though, was "premature," said Lucchino, adding it would probably be "several hundred," with the list still being prepared.

The players seem pumped up about the ceremony, and didn't seem to think the ceremony might be ill-timed, given the opposition.

"Everybody's looking forward to watching the banner being raised and getting the rings in our home park," said knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.

"I don't care about the Yankees. I care about getting my stuff," cracked David Ortiz. "The Yankees know we deserve them. They are pros, just like we are. They know the feeling. They've gotten rings before."

"It's definitely not rubbing it into their faces, unless we put them on and wave them in front of (the Yankees). And we're not going to do that," added Johnny Damon. "We won the World Series."

Ortiz and Damon agreed, though, that the fans will be a special part of the ceremony, as they were last year during the run to the World Championship. The jubilation will be shared, they said.

"Even though (the fans) are not getting a ring, they have to feel like they're getting one," said Ortiz. "They deserve it. They supported us a lot through the years. It will be a great day for the Red Sox fans and the organization."

"Boston's going to be excited about it," said Damon. "This is what they've been waiting for. People who have tickets are very lucky. It's special for Boston."