Dear friends,

We are pleased to announce the return of the Great Fenway Park Writers Series, sports’ most celebrated literary forum originally conceived by our good friend George Mitrovich. George loved baseball–not only as a fan but as a still fiercely competitive player into his ‘80s–and he loved great writing. In the Great Fenway Park Writers Series, with the support of his good friend Larry Lucchino of the Boston Red Sox, George found a way to couple his two abiding passions. Over the course of nearly two decades he provided a platform for scores of distinguished authors to discuss their works with audiences that shared his love of sports and literature.

We lost George last July, five days short of his 85th birthday. His hometown San Diego Union-Tribune, in the headline to his obituary, called him “the man who knew everyone,” and so it seemed. His larger-than-life presence cannot be replaced, but in honor of his legacy and with the encouragement of the Mitrovich family, we have undertaken the mission to revive the writers’ series.

The relaunch of the Great Fenway Park Writers Series began with a free ZOOM event on Thursday evening, June 25, 2020, fittingly enough with a New York Times best-selling book co-authored by a man widely regarded as the greatest player in baseball history, Willie Mays. The book is 24: Life Stories and Lessons From the Say Hey Kid, and we were thrilled that Mays’ co-author, award-winning journalist John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle, joined us in a conversation with Red Sox historian Gordon Edes.

We all wish, of course, that we could have been together at one of George’s favorite places on earth, Fenway Park. But even on a computer screen, we all felt at home among kindred spirits and like-minded lovers of baseball and books–welcomed with his usual flair by Dick Flavin, Red Sox poet laureate, great Mitrovich friend and one of the driving forces behind this revival.

All told, over 400 people from across the nation registered for the event, and here are a few of the comments we received:

Thank you Donna Eden Cohen, it was wonderful but hard for me to watch especially Larry.  I am going to try to get the book.  George would have loved it.

LaVerle Mitrovich

Fabulous!! Dad is smiling no doubt!!

Tim Mitrovich

Thank you so much for this.  I have ordered the book.  I actually got to see Mays play.  I have been a baseball fan for over 70yrs.  I am a diehard Padres fan and of course I [am] attending because of George Mitrovich.

Caryl

Thank you so much for the insightful answer and for doing this! I’m only midway through the book, so I look forward to that chapter. I wish we had more footage of Willie playing at the Polo Grounds, but that’s what makes these stories so profound…

Jason

This is exceptional – thanks to the Red Sox for hosting this, to Gordon’s great MCing, and to John Shea on a fabulous work.

Daniel

I agree, Daniel :o) A great way to spend the evening! I don’t want it to end.

Kate

George would have loved it …

Jim Parker | BoSox Club President

As the vice president of the BoSox Club I wish to thank all for their efforts in continuing this special program and we are honored to be co-sponsors

Rick Leco | BoSox Club 1st Vice President, Asst. Treasurer

We look forward to many more events in the future. Happy reading!

The Great Fenway Park Writers Series Steering Committee

Paul Boghosian, President, HarborSide Films
Donna E. Cohen, Attorney and Principal, Donna Cohen Strategies
Gordon Edes, Freelance journalist, former Boston Red Sox Historian
Dick Flavin, Boston Red Sox Poet Laureate