"Best of all time? Johnny Pesky. Anybody who could still be working for the same organization 43 years after losing the manager's job is doing something right. Plus 10 years ago he ended an interview with me by giving a very warm handshake, which he promptly turned into a 'soul shake.' I am still in awe.

"I will confess I have a certain wistful regard for Jim Willoughby, who is, to my knowledge, still under the stands somewhere waiting for Darrell Johnson to tell him he's kidding and he really isn't taking him out so Jim Burton can pitch the ninth inning of game seven of the '75 series."