Birth of a new Nation

Nine months after World Series win, newest Sox fans are coming to life

July 01, 2005|Stan Grossfeld, Globe Staff

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But the baby boy will not have a Red Sox name. ''We settled on the name Nick," said Kent. ''I offered up the name Trot, she shot that down. I offered up the name Tek, in honor of our captain, Jason Varitek. She shot that down. She gave consideration to the name Manny for about 30 seconds before she declined."

In Fort Worth, Andy Thompson, a gas and chemical technician, is reached on his cellphone after his last Lamaze class. He says he is 100 percent sure that conception took place after the Sox won the World Series. ''We celebrated like any red-blooded Americans are going to," he said. ''It was one of those miracle nights where we ended up sweeping out the Cardinals, and we brought our man into the world."

His wife, Stephanie, 38, who has family in Connecticut, said they made a vow that night. ''We said if we get pregnant tonight, we're naming him Damon Mientkiewicz Thompson." They have since dropped the Mientkiewicz part, partially because they couldn't spell it, partially because former Sox first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz kept the baseball from the last out of the World Series. ''It's one of those things. If it was me, I would have tossed it back to Foulke, but what can you do?" said Andy.

Both Thompsons are certain there will be a spike in births over the next month in Boston. ''I think so, just because of the jubilation of it all," said Andy.

But doesn't all that drinking and celebrating cause a lot of fans to just pass out? ''Well, you know, some of them find their way," said Stephanie, giggling.

At Isis Maternity, some of the dozen parents-to-be in an educational class said the Red Sox games were too long and too late to think about lovemaking. But Kevin Cooney of Newton interrupted them. He said the late nights were nothing compared to the suffering he has endured as a lifelong Red Sox fan. ''We had a bottle of champagne from the year before unpopped, and another from '86 unpopped, so we popped 'em and things happened," said Cooney, as his wife, Jennifer, eight months pregnant, blushed redder than Curt Schilling's sock.