Nomar comes full circle

You know those moments when people will ask, “Where were you when …. ?”

The JFK assassination and the 9-11 attacks are two popular ones, but the most in my life have to do with sports. I remember where I was when the Patriots beat the Rams to win the Super Bowl, and I remember exactly where I was when Nomar Garciaparra was traded.

It was a Saturday afternoon, and I was at my desk at The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass. I remember checking the AP wire relentlessly, waiting to see what the Sox were going to do before the trade deadline. And just when I figured they’d do nothing, BOOM, it came over right before the 4 p.m. deadline.

Truth be told, Nomar was my favorite player, and I was sad to see him go. He’s the reason why I wore No. 5 in college. He was the ultimate fan favorite in Boston, and when he healthy, he could produce with the best shortstops in the league.

Nomar was a member of the “Holy Trinity” of shortstops along with Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. Nothing added more fuel to the fire of an intense rivalry than screaming, “Nomaaah is bettah than Jetaaah!” at a Yankees fan. And for a small window of time, it was true.

Soon to be a member of the ESPN staff, Nomar had a tough end to his career. He played for the Cubs, the Dodgers and the A’s in his final years, posting one decent season in 2006, when he hit .303 in his first season with the Dodgers. But injuries took their toll and never allowed him to be the player he was earlier in his career.

It was obvious that although fans were irritated that he forced his way out of Boston (by turning down a 4-year, $60 million deal), he was always beloved here. When he returned in an Oakland uniform in 2009, he was given a great ovation. Retiring as a member of the Red Sox was Nomar’s way of coming to peace with the team and the fans.

And most likely are glad he did.