He wrote a lot of great stories, but the greatest Sides story involved a game he didn't cover.
It was April 29, 1986, and a kid pitcher named Roger Clemens was scheduled to start against the Seattle Mariners at Fenway. On the same night, the Larry Bird Celtics were playing the Dominique Wilkins Hawks at the old Garden.
Sides was not scheduled to work and had two choices for his busman's holiday. It was an easy call. The '86 Sox were coming off a .500 season. The '86 Celtics were perhaps the greatest team in NBA history. Celtics all the way.
Still, a guy has to eat, so Sides stopped off at Fenway for dinner in the press room before going to the important game on Causeway Street. He dined, watched a couple of innings, then drove to the Garden.
In the middle of the Celtics game, the scoreboard flashed this message: "Roger Clemens has 12 strikeouts after five innings."
At the Garden, former Globe sports editor Vince Doria took note of the news, turned to Sides, and said, "Weren't you over at Fenway earlier?"
"Yeah," said Larry. "But he only had five strikeouts when I left."
That was after two innings. Veteran reporter Larry Whiteside was not easily impressed.
In the end, of course, Clemens fanned a record 20 batters, forcing dozens of photographers and reporters to drive west on Storrow Drive to get the story.
Ten years later, Clemens did it again, striking out 20 Detroit batters at Tiger Stadium. This time, Globe readers were treated to Larry Whiteside's account of the historic event. Even Clemens took note of the irony at the end of his press conference when he said, "Thanks for sticking about this time, Larry."
Like most ballplayers, Clemens liked Larry. Everybody liked Sides.
You could talk to Bud Selig, Marvin Miller, Hank Aaron, Jim Rice, or Carlton Fisk. Didn't matter. They all liked and respected Larry Whiteside.
Rice came up to me at spring training this year and asked, "How's Larry? Please give him my best."
