Al and the Cleveland Indians: Ted and Pete offer a Red Sox Apology

As the main remaining Red Sox fans in the family, Ted and Peter would like
to take this moment to officially apologize to Al for the defeat of his
beloved Cleveland Indians by our Beloved Boston Red Sox in the 2007
American League Championships. As most everyone probably knows, Al was a
passionate, lifelong fan of the Cleveland Indians. But what most people
probably don't know is the extent to which Ted and Peter were deeply
conflicted, emotionally torn, and ultimately quite guilty during this
series. We loved our Boston Red Sox, but we also loved our grandfather.
And given our long history with the Red Sox, we knew what it was like to
spend most of your life awaiting your team's victory only to see your
hopes crushed again and again. The Indians had last won it all in 1948!,
and suffered painful World Series defeats in 1954, 1995 and 1997! This,
Ted and Pete knew, was Al's best and probably last hope for an Indians
world series title, and our own team stood in the way.

The 2007 Indians and Red Sox finished the season tied for the best record in baseball. Whoever won would almost certainly defeat the lesser national league opponent and win the World Series. As the Indians took a commanding 3 games to 1 series lead, Ted and Pete set their sights for the Red Sox on
2008, and called Al frequently to enjoy the series with him--modern
playoff baseball is played insanely late, and games are routinely very
long, but Al was up every game watching--often with his close family, and
with those of us far from Rhode Island, calling in frequently to cheer him
on. Alas, since 2004 the Red Sox are a playoff comeback monster and
quickly erased the Indians commanding series lead, and obliterated the
Indians in a final 2 games at Fenway. At first, Ted and Pete were ecstatic
with yet another Red Sox comeback and World Series. But as soon as we
talked to Al on the phone, all joy dissipated. Al seemed to take the
defeat particularly hard. He could not understand what happened to the
Indians pitching--as their two top starters, the best in the American
league over the season, both were ineffective against the patient red sox
playoff offense. The Sox won the world series of course, bringing great
happiness to Ted and Pete, but as 2008 rolled on and Al's health declined,
and the Indians incidentally faded to one of Baseball's worst teams in
2008, Ted and Pete felt worse and worse about their Red Sox defeat of Al's
beloved Indians. Why of Why could the Indians not have won it all in 2007
for Al, setting the stage for a Red Sox return in 2008. Afterall, Al's
sister Erma had waited all those years to see her beloved Red Sox win in
2004, and she passed away just as baseball returned in 2005, why not one
last victory for the Indians?? In a perfect world, Pete and Ted would have
suffered defeat, and Al one last great victory.
With love for Al,
Pete and Ted

Editors Note: As numerous people have spoke out on his behalf, and as we would of course known already, after Erma W's passing in 2005, Mike Wheeler is the family's other great Red Sox fan. However, a couple of points: Mike Wheeler made it known during the 2007 post-season playoff between the Indians and the Sox that he was rooting for the Indians to win! I have the email still as proof somewhere! Secondly, this post was meant as a personal note to show how conflicted Ted and I were, and how we were in daily contact the entire time, expressing both our hope for the Red Sox, and our hope the Indians on behalf of AL. Mike apparently went over completely to the other side in the course of his support for Al, which I hope the post shows, looking back on it now, both Ted and I agree was the smart and honorable ting to do, which of course, Mike W would do! Ultimately the post is an apology to Al, which Mike doesn't have to do. I will amend the above statement for the memorial book though!