pes-ky? [pes-kee]
?adjective, -ki?er, -ki?est. Informal.
annoyingly troublesome
The right field foul pole at Fenway Park has been called the Pesky Pole ever since I can remember. With Fenway’s funky configuration in right field and the foul pole being only 302 feet away from home plate, balls hit in that area are definitely annoyingly troublesome to deal with, but according to Red Sox lore that is not why it got that name.
It is named for 40’s Red Sox infielder Johnny Pesky after an ex-Sox pitcher and Club broadcaster, Mel Parnell, supposedly remarked that it seemed as if a number of Pesky’s homers were hit out near the right field foul pole. Johnny was a solid .300 hitter, but didn’t with a lot of power, swatting only 13 homers while with the FRS and only 6 of those came at Fenway Park.
Today is Johnny Pesky’s 87th birthday and the Red Sox will be honoring him tonight by making it official and dedicating “Pesky’s Pole” with a bronze plaque in pre-game ceremonies.
Other famous people born on this date are Samuel Adams, Marvin Lee Aday and Brian Bogardus.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/06: 406
Hope you had a good b-day 🙂
Happy Birthday, Brian! Looks like I was born 5 days before you (in a small town in just outside of Boston, called Winthrop) – as they say, “it was a very good year”!!! BTW, the ’67 Red Sox were the best! 🙂
Hope Donna is all well and feeling great by now.