The “Live Free or Die” state has produced many talented Major League Baseball players. Though the odds of making it to the major leagues are extremely low, making it to the majors and having the opportunity to play for the team one likely grew up rooting for as a child is even more of a rarity. For the following eight individuals, however, against all odds, they were able to make it to the majors and wear that favorite color of socks that New Englanders all know and love. Here are the eight players from New Hampshire who wore red socks for the Red Sox.
New Hampshire Red Sox Players
Ray Dobens
The southpaw from Nashua saw only 11 major league games, all for the Red Sox in 1929. In those 11 games and 28 1/3 innings, Ray Dobens did not figure into a decision. He did have a 3.81 ERA allowing 12 runs (all earned), on 32 hits while striking out four and walking nine.
Bernie Friberg
Hailing from Manchester, Bernie Friberg had a long major league career (14 seasons). However, his Red Sox tenure was relatively brief. In his final major league season in 1933, Friberg suited up for the Red Sox 17 times. The utility man had a .317 average over those 17 games. In 49 plate appearances, Friberg had 13 hits while driving in nine and only striking out once. It seems Friberg wanted to play for the home team, and in his final season, he was able to do just that.
Rich Gale
Much like the aforementioned Friberg, it appears Rich Gale wanted the opportunity to play for the home team as well. Also, like Friberg, Gale would spend his last major league season in Boston. Gale spent seven seasons in the majors (1978-1984). The right-hander from Littleton appeared in 13 games (43 2/3 innings) for the Sox in 1984. Gale was 2-3 with a 5.56 ERA for those 1984 Red Sox. He allowed 27 runs (all earned) on 57 hits while striking out 28 and walking 18, in what would be his final season in the Major Leagues.
Phil Plantier
Like Friberg, Phil Plantier hailed from Manchester. Plantier spent parts of his first three seasons (out of his career total of eight) as a member of the Boston Red Sox. The outfielder batted .237 with 18 home runs and 68 RBI from 1990-1992, a span of 175 games for the Red Sox. Plantier would be traded before the 1993 season to the San Diego Padres. He is currently the assistant hitting coach for the Los Angeles Angels.
6-15-1992, the Red Sox beat the Yankees 1-0. Phil Plantier homered off Scott Sanderson in the 5th for the games only run. John Dopson pitched 8 shutout innings for the win. Jeff Reardon finished it off, surpassing Rollie Fingers all-time saves mark. pic.twitter.com/Cv8Acf7aQE
— Scott F (@TheFrizz87) June 15, 2023
Kevin Romine
In a seven-year MLB career (1985-1991) the utility outfielder from Exeter played all seven of those seasons in a Red Sox uniform. Over those seven seasons, Kevin Romine slashed .251 with five home runs and 55 RBI. His most productive season was in 1989, when he played in a career-high 92 games. During that season, he batted .274 with a career-high 23 RBI and one home run.
Bob Smith
Bob Smith was born in Woodsville in 1931. The left-hander would make his major league debut and only Red Sox appearance in 1955. In that one appearance, Smith did not figure in the decision. He pitched 1 2/3 innings, not allowing a run on one hit while striking out one and walking one. Smith would not see the majors again until 1957 when he was drafted from the Red Sox via the Rule Five draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. Smith would go on to see two more seasons with the Pirates and Tigers.
Rob Woodward
The Lebanon-born, Hanover-raised Rob Woodward pitched in a total of 24 games from 1985-1988, all with the “Boys from Beantown.” During that span, he was 4-4 with a 5.04 ERA. In 100 innings Woodward allowed 68 runs (56 earned) on 118 hits, while striking out 45 and walking 36.
Stan Williams
Stan Williams could be considered the best player from the Granite State. Williams was born in Enfield in 1936. His tenure with the Red Sox was very brief. Williams decided to spend his final big league season with his home team. He appeared in just three games for the Red Sox in 1972. Williams did not figure in any decisions over 4 1/3 innings. He allowed three runs (all earned) on five hits while walking one and striking out three. Before his brief time with the Red Sox, Williams had a 12-year major league career. He was an All-Star in 1960 as a starting pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His best season as a pitcher overall came as a reliever with the Minnesota Twins in 1970. During that season, he posted a career-best 1.99 ERA while going 10-1 in 68 appearances (113 1/3 innings).
Stan Williams – Pitcher
Boston Red Sox – 1972
3 Games Played #EveryRedSox pic.twitter.com/CJELtTcbag— Red Sox Daily (@EveryRedSoxEver) June 11, 2022
Takeaway
The dream of making it to the Major Leagues is a tall order. The opportunity to do so, and wear the home team’s uniform (for however long or brief the duration), is a dream on top of the dream. For the eight aforementioned Red Sox players born in New Hampshire, they can say they got to “have their cake and eat it too.”
Photo Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
