I was working an overnight at a prison so I didn’t see it until midnight that night. I was devastated.
I was 12. I cried.
I don’t remember where I was, but it was one of the smartest deals the team ever made. He started slumping in August 2003, and was never the same player after that. He was angry at the team’s unwillingness to pay him a signing bonus, and was likely to leave in free agency at the end of 2004.
Sad day but one of many little moves that all added up
I read it on my phone while sitting around a fire circle at a summer camp reunion (which would have been on the old mobile text-only browsers).
I was sad but also kind of knew it had to happen.
I remember the cover of the Globe sports page the next day. There was a photo of both incoming guys with the captions, “Gold Glove 1B Doug Mientkiewicz” and “Gold Glove SS Orlando Cabrera”. And that filled me with optimism.
I was only 15 but I was sad.
It got us a world series but I was sad. Nomar was the sacrifice for it
lol I was ringing a register at Bob’s Stores (RIP) and my buddy working in the stockroom ran up front screaming
I was at the free Dispatch show at the Hatch shell. The news reverberated through the crowd as people found out via word of mouth
Impossible to overstate how crushing this was at the time. Just a few years earlier you had Ted Williams literally stating that Nomar will one day be considered the greatest player of all time, and it seemed plausible. Add to it the fact that of course none of us really knew that it would lead to a World Series title. In hindsight it was of course the correct move, but fucking painful as hell at the time.
Nomar was my favorite player growing up. I was heartbroken when he was traded.
My Dad had a business trip in Boston and took me with him so I could see him play. Nomar didn’t play that game and Pedro gave up 6+ runs lol
I made a sad post on mlb.com forums because that’s the way it was back then.
He was my favorite player at the time, and I was sad to see him go. But he didn’t want to be here anymore, and the peds were starting to wreak havoc on his body.
Certainly worked out for the best for the team!
I was a sophomore in college. I remember thinking that he was becoming a liability and it was the right thing to do even if it was a bit shocking. He was taking games off because of his Achilles injury (that had him out til June mind you) and even though he was hitting well, his bat was frequently out of the line up. There was also the looming odds he was going to walk after the season. Theo rightfully knew we needed defense to have a shot at winning the WS and Orlando Cabrera was excellent. We went 42-19 after that trade.
right outside of north station, Boston had just “reopened” after the DNC. I just got in on the train and was heading to fenway for an open house tour type of thing they were having, and then looping back around to catch some of the dispatch show
I was 14 at the time. Started watching Sox games in ‘97 aka Nomar’s RoY campaign, he was everything to me as a kid. I was absolutely devastated when he was traded, had a pit in my stomach that whole day.
I remember being shocked, but knowing I shouldn’t be shocked.
Ya I remember. My head was in my hands and my heart was in my stomach…
In bed crying probably
Nomar signed a baseball for me in 3rd grade. Became a sox fan that day. When he was traded I cried.
It was like Kennedy got shot man.
I was 17 years old in vacation in the Dominican Republic and I cried when I saw the news. I love nomar man
It felt inevitable to me. He had already checked out of Boston by that time. Prime Nomar was a great player. But, no trade=no world championship.
I was at the Metrodome watching this series when it happened. Went before and after the trade. Sox fan, but have lived in Minneapolis for a long time so follow the Twins closely… Equally jarring seeing Cabrera at short instead of Nomar and seeing Dougie in a Sox jersey.
I was down the cape heading to Falmouth heights beach when I heard it on the radio. Was surprised & glad @ the same time. Nomie was becoming a distraction, had to go
I was a kid. I was very upset. It ended up working out in hindsight, of course, but I wish he was able to win one with us. He was and still is probably my favorite Red Sox player ever.
There were tears of sorrow in July and tears of joy in October. That’s sports for ya.
Bickford’s
They had a couple of TV’s up in the dining room on NESN and I remember being surprised more than anything else.
My dad took my sister and I to Olympia Sports to buy #5 shirseys the night before without telling us why. Then we were just sad in our new shirts the next day when we found out he was traded
Was on the way to coach my sons baseball team. The deadline passed . In the car on the way they said we traded Nomar. It was crushing. We lose game 4 to the Yankees and it goes down as 2nd worst trade in history. One last thing: Nomar was Better!
It’s fascinating how memories of this trade are generational. I was in my late 30s when the trade happened and remember it as “Well, Nomar was so good until the contract and injury stuff turned him sour. Sad, but inevitable.” But younger fans remember being totally crushed. I guess if you’re 11 or 12 you just see a player you idolize leaving and weren’t following how much the off the field stuff was getting ridiculous. Bottom line: they don’t win it all in 2004 without making this trade.
17 years old on summer vacation, and very sad.
Second tour in Iraq
Driving through California with my family on vacation. Radio was getting weaker and weaker. But we hit the deadline and no trade. Then radio and cell were out. A few minutes later we were back in range and the family cell phone had a voicemail from an uncle: nomar was traded.
I was at a music festival…it turned out great for the Sox but I was bummed When the trade happened!
I was a baby laying in a crib when I heard Nomar Garciaparra was traded. When I heard the news, all I could think was “googoo gaga”
I was at a race track and they announced it over the loud speaker. There was a collective gasp from the entire grandstand area. People were pretty pissed in the moment thinking that it meant the Sox were toast for the year.
Greatest decision the Sox ever made. Brilliant trade
Yeah. I was 10 and getting picked up from a friend’s house when my mom told me lol. I can’t believe I remember that.
38 comments
I was working an overnight at a prison so I didn’t see it until midnight that night. I was devastated.
I was 12. I cried.
I don’t remember where I was, but it was one of the smartest deals the team ever made. He started slumping in August 2003, and was never the same player after that. He was angry at the team’s unwillingness to pay him a signing bonus, and was likely to leave in free agency at the end of 2004.
Sad day but one of many little moves that all added up
I read it on my phone while sitting around a fire circle at a summer camp reunion (which would have been on the old mobile text-only browsers).
I was sad but also kind of knew it had to happen.
I remember the cover of the Globe sports page the next day. There was a photo of both incoming guys with the captions, “Gold Glove 1B Doug Mientkiewicz” and “Gold Glove SS Orlando Cabrera”. And that filled me with optimism.
I was only 15 but I was sad.
It got us a world series but I was sad. Nomar was the sacrifice for it
lol I was ringing a register at Bob’s Stores (RIP) and my buddy working in the stockroom ran up front screaming
I was at the free Dispatch show at the Hatch shell. The news reverberated through the crowd as people found out via word of mouth
Impossible to overstate how crushing this was at the time. Just a few years earlier you had Ted Williams literally stating that Nomar will one day be considered the greatest player of all time, and it seemed plausible. Add to it the fact that of course none of us really knew that it would lead to a World Series title. In hindsight it was of course the correct move, but fucking painful as hell at the time.
Nomar was my favorite player growing up. I was heartbroken when he was traded.
My Dad had a business trip in Boston and took me with him so I could see him play. Nomar didn’t play that game and Pedro gave up 6+ runs lol
I made a sad post on mlb.com forums because that’s the way it was back then.
He was my favorite player at the time, and I was sad to see him go. But he didn’t want to be here anymore, and the peds were starting to wreak havoc on his body.
Certainly worked out for the best for the team!
I was a sophomore in college. I remember thinking that he was becoming a liability and it was the right thing to do even if it was a bit shocking. He was taking games off because of his Achilles injury (that had him out til June mind you) and even though he was hitting well, his bat was frequently out of the line up. There was also the looming odds he was going to walk after the season. Theo rightfully knew we needed defense to have a shot at winning the WS and Orlando Cabrera was excellent. We went 42-19 after that trade.
right outside of north station, Boston had just “reopened” after the DNC. I just got in on the train and was heading to fenway for an open house tour type of thing they were having, and then looping back around to catch some of the dispatch show
I was 14 at the time. Started watching Sox games in ‘97 aka Nomar’s RoY campaign, he was everything to me as a kid. I was absolutely devastated when he was traded, had a pit in my stomach that whole day.
I remember being shocked, but knowing I shouldn’t be shocked.
Ya I remember. My head was in my hands and my heart was in my stomach…
In bed crying probably
Nomar signed a baseball for me in 3rd grade. Became a sox fan that day. When he was traded I cried.
It was like Kennedy got shot man.
I was 17 years old in vacation in the Dominican Republic and I cried when I saw the news. I love nomar man
It felt inevitable to me. He had already checked out of Boston by that time. Prime Nomar was a great player. But, no trade=no world championship.
I was at the Metrodome watching this series when it happened. Went before and after the trade. Sox fan, but have lived in Minneapolis for a long time so follow the Twins closely… Equally jarring seeing Cabrera at short instead of Nomar and seeing Dougie in a Sox jersey.
I was down the cape heading to Falmouth heights beach when I heard it on the radio. Was surprised & glad @ the same time. Nomie was becoming a distraction, had to go
I was a kid. I was very upset. It ended up working out in hindsight, of course, but I wish he was able to win one with us. He was and still is probably my favorite Red Sox player ever.
There were tears of sorrow in July and tears of joy in October. That’s sports for ya.
Bickford’s
They had a couple of TV’s up in the dining room on NESN and I remember being surprised more than anything else.
My dad took my sister and I to Olympia Sports to buy #5 shirseys the night before without telling us why. Then we were just sad in our new shirts the next day when we found out he was traded
Was on the way to coach my sons baseball team. The deadline passed . In the car on the way they said we traded Nomar. It was crushing. We lose game 4 to the Yankees and it goes down as 2nd worst trade in history.
One last thing: Nomar was Better!
It’s fascinating how memories of this trade are generational. I was in my late 30s when the trade happened and remember it as “Well, Nomar was so good until the contract and injury stuff turned him sour. Sad, but inevitable.” But younger fans remember being totally crushed. I guess if you’re 11 or 12 you just see a player you idolize leaving and weren’t following how much the off the field stuff was getting ridiculous. Bottom line: they don’t win it all in 2004 without making this trade.
17 years old on summer vacation, and very sad.
Second tour in Iraq
Driving through California with my family on vacation. Radio was getting weaker and weaker. But we hit the deadline and no trade. Then radio and cell were out. A few minutes later we were back in range and the family cell phone had a voicemail from an uncle: nomar was traded.
I was at a music festival…it turned out great for the Sox but I was bummed When the trade happened!
I was a baby laying in a crib when I heard Nomar Garciaparra was traded. When I heard the news, all I could think was “googoo gaga”
I was at a race track and they announced it over the loud speaker. There was a collective gasp from the entire grandstand area. People were pretty pissed in the moment thinking that it meant the Sox were toast for the year.
Greatest decision the Sox ever made. Brilliant trade
Yeah. I was 10 and getting picked up from a friend’s house when my mom told me lol. I can’t believe I remember that.