Last night, the Boston Red Sox sat on the brink of elimination as the Cleveland Indians looked to clinch their first pennant on their home turf since 1743. Like every other member of Red Sox Nation, I was desperate and afraid. I knew I had to do something. So I called my friend, former co-blogger, radio host and best-selling author Hugh Hewitt. Hugh is perhaps the most famous of all Cleveland Indian fans. In a moving sign of the graciousness that characterizes all Boston sports fans, I had helped Hugh get four tickets for Monday’s Game 3 right behind home plate at Jacobs Field. Hugh enjoyed Game 3 so much, I knew his desire for more Indians post-season tickets would blind him to certain undeniable sports fan realities. Yesterday afternoon, I offered to put Hugh in touch with a friend of mine, a Colorado Rockies season ticket holder who will have access to extra World Series tickets. My friend agreed to take Hugh as his guest to Game 3 of the World Series which would undoubtedly be a match between Hugh’s Indians and the Rockies. Hugh leapt at the opportunity. In so doing, he fell into my trap. By acting in advance of the Indians winning the pennant, Hugh jinxed his favorite team. It’s not like he didn’t have any warning. Again showing the graciousness and sense of fair play that animates Red Sox Nation, I cautioned Hugh that if he proceeded with arranging for World Series tickets before the Indians had actually won the pennant, he would put a hex on the Indians. Hugh responded, and I quote, “Please! Your jinx won’t work.” A few hours later, the Indians’ likely Cy Young winner C.C. Sabathia turned in his second supremely mediocre performance of the series. Meanwhile, Red Sox ace Josh Beckett cemented his reputation as the best big game pitcher of his generation, thoroughly embarrassing the Indians’ powerful lineup. The series now returns to Fenway Park, where a reenergized Red Sox Nation will greet the Sox. The Red Sox overcame the Curse of the Bambino in 2004. Now anxious Cleveland fans must ponder: Can the Indians rise above the Curse of Hugh Hewitt?
