There are some things that haven’t changed over the last 40 years. Apart from some electronic signage and seats atop the Green Monster, Fenway Park doesn’t look much different than it did in 1967.
And, as was the case four decades ago, the local fans who fill the venerable ballpark still love Carl Yastrzemski.
It can be argued that no one in baseball has had a season like the one in 1967 turned in by “Yaz,” who threw out the ceremonial first pitch Wednesday before Game 1 of the World Series.
The left fielder won the Triple Crown, leading the American League in batting average (.326) home runs (44) and RBIs (121). No one has done it since. In the process, Yastrzemski led Boston to a 20-game improvement over 1966 and its second pennant in 44 years.
One thing that’s definitely changed is the way teams qualify for the playoffs. In a 23-year career, Yastrzemski only played twice in the postseason – in the 1967 World Series and 1975 American League Championship Series and World Series.
“I wish I had a wild card a few times,” Yastrzemski said. “It was 18 teams. … You had to win first place or that was it.”
Yastrzemski said he has been impressed by the Red Sox’s ability to consistently remain in baseball’s upper echelon.
“Money is no object,” he said. “They want to not only put a winning team on the field, they want a team that’s got a chance to win the World Series.”
Even so, he’s quick to add that the ’67 Sox are at least partly responsible for the organization’s expectations of excellence.
“Not only did it bring the franchise back to life, but I think it changed the whole attitude in the Red Sox organization,” Yastrzemski said. “I think the organization became winners.”
