Delta State University – Baseball by The Letters

Red Sox Pitcher ‘Boo’ Ferriss Shares Blessings

Tom Owens — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:13:00 +0000

From the 2001
Anniversary Set. Ferriss
keeps amazing collectors!

Boston Red Sox pitcher Dave “Boo” Ferriss hasn’t been on the mound in more than 60 years. However, he isn’t done thanking collectors and fans.

Even six decades later, he still averages “5 to 7” autograph request letters weekly. I asked him about his devotion to signing.

“If fans think enough of me to sign for them, I think I am obligated to honor their requests. Baseball would be nothing without great fans filling the park.”

I wrote to Ferriss to see what collectors could do for him. How could we show our gratitude?

“I’m not seeking paybacks from collectors and fans. I just enjoy knowing about their love of the game.

In the past, some collectors on their own initiative have sent me donations for the support of the Delta State University Baseball Program where I enjoyed coaching 26 years. I got great enjoyment of coaching young men in college baseball, greatly rewarding.

Any such donations should be made to the delta State University Foundation, designated for the baseball program that I am still closely associated with. Gifts should be sent to me and they are tax deductible.”

No regrets. No bitterness over what might have been. This is a man filled with joy and gratitude.

“I try to give back to baseball in any way I can, for the game has been good to me and has enriched my life. The game has given me endured friendships and associations that are priceless.

The Lord has blessed me in a tremendous way.

Thanks for your very kind letter.

Best regards,
Boo Ferriss”

Ferriss remains an autograph all-star, still stunning those who write the man awaiting his 90th birthday Dec. 5.

Want to know more about this amazing alum from Fenway Park? Enjoy this fine profile by Rick Cleveland, who captured Ferriss’s career and life in book form.

Write Ferriss at
510 Robinson Dr., Cleveland, MS 38732

Thank him for his service during World War II, too. This “Boo” should be celebrated all year long, not just on Halloween.

Red Sox Pitcher "Boo" Ferriss Says Thanks

Tom Owens — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 20:58:00 +0000

BOO KNOWS BOOKS!

As he approaches his 90th birthday, legendary Boston Red Sox hurler Dave “Boo” Ferriss honored me with a page of insights.

I asked about two subjects beyond the stellar stats of the pride of Mississippi. In the days before shoulder surgery, a 1947 torn labrum grounded Ferriss’s skyrocketing career. Fresh off a 25-win season that sent the BoSox to the World Series, Ferriss looked destined for greatness.

He began with a yellow Post-It note attached to my original letter.

“Tom —
Thank you for your nice letter. Glad to answer your questions. Keep enjoying our great game.
Best regards,
Boo Ferriss”

He found it waiting at Delta State University, serving as the school’s baseball coach. When the college creates a museum in your honor, you’ve had a good career!

Before his shoulder injury, Ferriss battled asthma. He wrote:

“It was difficult at times, more so in the late summers. The Red Sox saw that I got all the medical help I needed.”

Ferriss debuted in 1945, fresh from World War II service. Did he have time to think about baseball?

“Practiced on off-duty hours. In no way baseball interfered with our duties.”

More remarkable than two 20-win seasons in Boston is the upbeat way Ferriss remembers his brief time as a major leaguer.

“I’m very grateful for my years as a player and coach on the professional level and the colleged level. I don’t think I can repay baseball for all that it has given me. the endured friendships and associations are priceless.”

So are you, “Boo” Ferriss!

A great taste of Ferriss’s storytelling skills can be found in the fine SABR biography crafted by leading Red Sox researcher Bill Nowlin.

Ferriss shared a review of his biography, Boo: A Life in Baseball, Well-Lived. Does he like the book? Ferriss penned beside the name of Rick Cleveland, (the book’s author) — “Rick Cleveland, top sports columnist in Mississippi.” Find out more at http://www.booferrissbook.com/. What special connection does the coach share with famed novelist John Grisham? It’s all in Grisham’s foreward!

Red Sox Pitcher “Boo” Ferriss Says Thanks