Ten years ago tonight, Jacoby Ellsbury did more than juststeal home against the Yankees at Fenway Park on ESPN’s nationally-televised Sunday Night Baseball…he also gave my 12-day old ruddy kitten his name.
We had been discussing names for the kitten, and my ex wanted to call him Jake. I thought that was a little too Cat From Outer Space (You know, like naming a Collie “Lassie” or naming a Siamese “Pyewacket,” “Tao,” or “D.C.” But the moment I saw Ellsbury steal home…I knew what the kitten’s name would be. But, as I explained, I did not name my Jacoby after the player. I named him after the amazing thing that player did that time because someday he’ll probably betray us…but that thing he did will never not be awesome. And, sure enough…in 2014, Ellsbury did precisely that: he joined the Yankees!
But back to happier times. For the 2011 April Fool’s Day post, I put Jake together with the real Jacoby, playing a little ball.
Then, in 2012 the Improper Bostonian Jacoby Ellsbury on its cover of the end of March/early April issue. How could I resist?
It would have been fun to, just once, have the human Jacoby meet the feline Jacoby…
The Daily Abyssinian...and Singapura 