The King family has a dad who is an avid Red Sox fan. But his dearest son is in the Yankees’ ranks and one of their top relief pitchers. The line dividing them based on their loyalties blurred on Fathers’ Day, the very day when the Yankees battled the Red Sox in a Boston doubleheader.
Father asked Michael King about his Red Sox past
Jim King, addressed his son Michael King from the Red Sox booth at Fenway Park and asked if it was true that he shared support for the Red Sox with his father until the age of 8.
“Hey, so I heard your dad was a big Red Sox fan, and you were too, until you were about 8 years old. What happened?”
He posed this question during a Fathers’ Day segment, which took place unexpectedly in the ESPN broadcast booth on Sunday night’s Red Sox-Yankees series finale in Boston.
Reflecting on the past, though it is now a humorous anecdote one can only imagine the initial surprise and disbelief, Jim must be finding it tough to see his young son had transitioned his loyalty from the cherished Red Sox to the Yankees two decades ago.
It all began with a very important baseball game in 2003 between the Red Sox and the Yankees. The game was supposed to happen on a Monday night, but it got delayed because of rain from a previous game. Because of this change, Jim, who is Michael King’s dad, couldn’t take him to the game because he had to work during that time.
Michael King recalled that his dad insisted that it was a unique opportunity to witness the Red Sox-Yankees matchup, describing it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. He mentioned that his dad urged his mom, Michelle, to take him to the game despite her being a huge Yankees fan and having Mariano Rivera as her favorite player. Michael King reminisced about attending the game as an 8-year-old, watching the Yankees emerge victorious with Mariano Rivera closing out the game, while he sat in the stands.
From that point on, it can be understood what occurred next. Michael King possessed $20 that his dad had provided him to purchase a keepsake, and when Jim encountered his son afterward, he noticed that the boy had chosen to wear a Yankees cap.
Father accepted Michael King’s love for Yankees
It was unknown to them back then. But it’s quite surprising to think that twenty years later they would be reminiscing and sharing laughter about that particular moment. And now, as Father’s Day approached, Michael King found himself wearing a Yankees cap once again, only this time it was slightly larger and had a touch of blue to commemorate the special day. What’s even more remarkable is that he was wearing it in the same park where his love for the Yankees first ignited all those years ago.
However, things had changed this time around. Michael King wasn’t seated among the crowd in the stands; instead, he found himself positioned in the Yankees’ bullpen, giving him a unique perspective of the game. From there, he had a clear view of his dad, who was filled with joy and pride, occupying the broadcast booth.
Jim related his feelings to Mikey, letting him know how proud he was too see him in the Yankees colors. He emphasized that pride extended beyond just Mikey’s accomplishments in baseball, highlighting their strong friendship.
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