No, Johnny, you did not need to go elsewhere, dammit!
Damon thanks Boston with newspaper ad after heading to Yankees
February 8, 2006
BOSTON (AP) -- Johnny Damon, the former Boston Red Sox center fielder beloved by fans until he defected to the rival New York Yankees in December, is trying to mend fences with a full-page newspaper advertisement thanking Red Sox nation.
The ad, which ran inside the sports section of The Boston Globe on Wednesday, reads, "Many thanks to the great fans of New England and the city of Boston. It was a privilege and an honor."
The message, displayed in the form of a letter with Damon's signature, is superimposed over a photo of the Red Sox' former leadoff hitter in action.
Damon incurred the wrath of legions of Red Sox loyalists in December when the former free agent agreed to a $52 million, four-year contract with the Yankees, a team with a long history of enmity with the Red Sox.
A two-time All-Star, Damon in 2004 helped the Red Sox win their first World Series title since 1918.
His appeal in Boston extended beyond his hitting and fielding abilities. Damon's long locks and facial hair earned him a cult-like following in Boston, where he helped symbolize the free-spirited team that dubbed itself the "Idiots" and won it all in 2004.
After Damon's move to the Yankees was announced, Damon sounded sad to leave the Fenway Park faithful.
"Those fans were very loyal to me," he told reporters in December. "It took some thinking, but I realized that the organization did not hold me at that level. I understood that I needed to go elsewhere."
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