Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Ex-Sox John Kennedy Turns 72 Tomorrow

'Super Sub' John Kennedy
John Kennedy is a name that's tough to live up to in Massachusetts. After all, at least once a year somebody named 'John Kennedy' runs for Middlesex County Register of Deeds—and always gets 95% of the vote. And, to add more pressure, this John Kennedy was born 24 years to the day (May 29th) after his more famous presidential namesake. The John Kennedy who turns 72 years of age on Wednesday became known in the Hub as "Super Sub" for his uncanny ability to have an impact on games in a bench role. He toiled for five years in Carmine Hose (1970-1974)—missing a pennant-winning season by a year. But in those five years, Kennedy was about as clutch as you can get—despite hitting just .243 over his Boston career. He never played in more than 74 games in any of his five years here, but always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Happy birthday, John!