With Josh Beckett hanging it up, I will like to reminisce about the now former pitcher. Sure, he’s had some moments that were memorable (no-hitter this year) and some not (fried chicken), but the only moment that really holds any value to me is what you see above.

During that time in 2003, I was a still young baseball fan. I had invested time in watching baseball for about five years now and my disdain for the Yankees was at an all-time high.

The 23-year-old on three days rest threw masterpiece. Manager Jack McKeon was asked about saving Beckett for Game 7. He said he didn’t want to wait for Game 7, he wanted to win the World Series now. He gave this young kid the ball on short rest. And he was magnificent.

This performance is one of the biggest moments I can trace back to my foundation of being a baseball fan. It made me remember and believe that even the underdogs can come out on top.

That team was great. Josh Beckett was magnificent. Thank you for being a huge part of my love for the game. I am lucky to have seen him pitch live in person.