He’s been called the consummate ballplayer. He came walking through Fenway’s storied doors without fanfare and left without anyone really noticing. He gave me and hopefully many other Red Sox and Major League Baseball fans, three wonderful and productive years as the Red Sox third baseman.
There are very few professional athletes that I would hold up as a role model for my sons or any other youngster and Bill Mueller is one of the selected few. He was instrumental in helping the Red Sox win a World Championship in 2004. Many remember Dave Roberts’ steal of second against the Yankees in game 4 of the playoffs, but few remember that it was Bill Mueller who singled up the middle off Mariano Rivera to drive Roberts home.
How many will remember Bill Mueller hitting a walk off home run off Mariano Rivera in the infamous A -Rod- Varitek brawl game. That homer sparked Boston’s second-half comeback and rendered the once invincible Rivera as beatable. Will anyone remember that Bill Mueller hit .429 in Boston’s first World Series win since 1918? He was the American League batting champ in 2003 and also hit two grand slams in one game. He wasn’t Brooks Robinson but was an above average fielder.
He was overshadowed by the likes of Curt Schilling, Johnny Damon and Kevin Millar who needed to be in the limelight. Bill Mueller seemed to like being in the background. I loved to hear him being interviewed, because he was very articulate and always gave thanks to the Lord for giving him the talent and ability that made him the ‘professional’ that he was.
I want to thank that curly top reporter for writing a column about him today. It’s nice to see someone as humble as Bill Mueller given his dues and brought to the attention of the masses that are worrying about the future of Manny or Theo.
Bill Mueller, I wish you continued success as you don your Dodger blues.
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