Story by Lisa E. CrowleyBrockton Post
BROCKTON--Red Sox Hall of Fame pitcher Bill “The Spaceman” Lee will return to Brockton for a start on the mound with the Rox and he will wear an old Brockton Cardinals senior league uniform #45 in honor of Kitty Perry, a teacher at Brockton High School who died after hitting his head on a set of bleachers during a pickup game of basketball in the gym.
“He was our shortstop with the Cardinals. He died instantly. It was really tragic,” Lee, 63, said during a telephone interview from his home in Vermont Friday.
Lee, usually joking and effusive, became almost somber as he recalled playing for the Brockton Cardinals from 1993 to 1999 when he, Perry and a host of others took the diamond on a senior league baseball team that merged with another from Saskatchewan, Canada that went on to win the league championship in 1999.
“We won the championship and then we retired,” Lee said with a chuckle.
However, sadly, Lee said, Perry, who he described as a great guy, died in 1998, a year before the team won the title.
“This is my way to remember him,” Lee said.
Lee takes the mound for a 1:05 p.m. start Sunday, Sept. 5 when the Rox play the Worcester Tornadoes for the final game of the season before the playoffs.
Lee said fans should keep an eye on where the pitcher’s mound is because it might not be in the usual spot because he wants to move the mound back about 1 foot.
“They said I would be taking the mound, but they didn’t say where I was going to take it,” Lee said.
Lee said his reasoning was to neutralize the fastball of the opposing pitcher, but some might take it as preparation for his lobbing, high-arching softball-like pitch called an “eephus.” Lee reiterated it’s about the fastball.
At 63, Lee seems as tireless and flamboyant as in his pro days in Boston where he played from 1969 to 1978, setting the team’s record for most games pitched by a lefthander with 321 and was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008.
In 1979, Lee was traded to the Montreal Expos. He said he loves Montreal because, unlike Boston it is open until 4 a.m.
“You always knew you could get a 4 a.m. shower because the guys came out to clean the streets,” Lee said.
A California native, Lee was—and still is--as known for his powerful lefthand as for his let-it-all-hang-out attitude and penchant for outspoken liberal politics.
Lee said he can’t stand the rightwing, bible-thumping ultraconservatives, like the Tea Party group--who he said has distorted history.
"There's only one Tea Party," Lee said.
Among other things and, in part, Lee said he blames the conservatives for selling and marketing aluminum bats to youngsters—bats that can’t be used in Major League Baseball and he believes slows the growth of potentially good players.
“Wooden bats make them stronger,” Lee said.
Advice he would give youngsters on breaking into the big leagues is "move to California" or some other state that ball can be played year round, and find a mentor like Raoul Martial "Rod" Dedeaux, from Marseilles, France, who tutuored him to a draft pick out of high school.
Lee has formed a business called The Old Bat Company with a group of baseball bat-making craftsmen from the Appalachian Mountain region that sells “rock-hard” bats out of Rock maple and birch lumber.
One of their customers is Red Sox slugger David Ortiz.
Lee said at 63 he is not a role model for the senior set.
“No,” Lee said emphatically. “I’m a role model for 12-year-olds,” he said.
His advice to old, grumpy seniors is to have two shots of Tequila and stop being grumpy.
“You know those people who are over 100-years-old? You know how they got there? A glass of vodka,” Lee said.
After Sunday’s game, Lee will appear at Mulligan’s at Joe Angelo’s Café on Main Street with Rox pitching coach Ed Nottle and the Peter Jay Band for an event to raise money for the Children’s Autism Program. The cost is $25 and includes raffles and prizes.
Lee said he is looking forward to the game with the Rox and “for sure” wants to win.
Keeping a tab on the weather forecast, Lee said, before the game he will spend time at a Hurricane Earl party with friends in the Rockport-Ipswich area.
He said he has fond memories of Brockton and listed numerous names and places he holds dear.
“I know all about Brockton: Taymor Shoes; Rocky Marciano; George’s Café, Charlie Tartaglia, Billy Rodenbush--a Brockton police officer…my accountant…,” Lee said. “Brockton’s a great city and I’m looking forward to coming back,” he said.
Tickets are still available for Sunday's game and can be purchased by calling the Rox at 508-559-7070 or on the Rox website. (Top photo courtesy of Brockton Rox via Boston Globe; middle two photos from 1978 official Boston Red Sox yearbook; bottom photo courtesy The Old Bats)
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