Alt: Wearing a stern expression, Jim Rice cradles a child bleeding profusely from the head. The side of the child's face is covered in blood.
A post containing this photo has been circulating among my Facebook friends. Somehow I've never heard this story -- not from my dad, who calls Jim Ed his favorite. Not during Rice's Hall of Fame candidacy or induction. Not from decades of listening to Jerry Remy on TV, who played in this game. And not during the discussion of putting up netting at Fenway. It's quite likely that I haven't been paying attention, but I wonder if anyone has stories about this to share.
Why isn't this story told more often? Is it simply that it's a traumatic memory for all involved, and all would rather move on? This seems like the type of "star player does something heroic" tale that sportswriters would have immortalized.
Here is Shank's column from that night.
Here is a short retrospective from SIJim Rice acted quickly. He darted to the railing and the child was passed into his arms. Rice carried the youngster through the dugout runway, into the Red Sox clubhouse and into the trainer’s room. Red Sox physician Dr. Arthur Pappas, who’d been watching from his customary box seat, beat Rice to the trainer’s room, called Children’s Hospital and ordered an ambulance. Pappas estimated that the child was in the ambulance less than two minutes after being hit.
That event is best remembered for Jim Rice’s heroism. He sprinted out of the dugout, scooped up Jonathan and rushed him into the Sox’ clubhouse for treatment and then transport to Boston Children’s Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery to relieve pressure caused by swelling in his brain. The moment was immortalized by an image of Rice, the future Hall of Famer who was known as much for his orneriness as his bat, cradling the bleeding child. “Jim Rice likely saved Jonathan’s life,” says Tom. “If he hadn’t reacted so quickly, god knows what might have happened.”