The Red Sox-inspired
hearing before the City Of Boston Public Improvement Commission took place on Thursday. It drew speakers from
both sides of the controversial issue—i.e, whether to expunge the Yawkey Way name and replace it with Jersey Street. In addition to the Red Sox attorneys,
Walter Carrington spoke in
favor of the change. Carrington had led the 1959 hearings into charges of racial bias held by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. He stated,
"It was clear from those hearings that the Red Sox policies were the policies of Tom Yawkey himself. During the time he was president of the Red Sox he was, if not an absolute racist, generally an enabler of racism." On the other side, former Red Sox pitcher
Jim Lonborg argued
against taking away the Yawkey name from the street in front of Fenway Park. Said Lonborg,
"I personally saw a change in Mr. Yawkey from the 1966, '67, '68 seasons. I would like to see his legacy move forward from the time when I think he became a better man. I'd like you to consider keeping the name for all the good things he did later in life." There was no ruling given at the Thursday hearing.
