Red Sox And The Jimmy Fund Release A Charity License Plate

2023 marks the 75th anniversary of The Jimmy Fund. To honor this milestone, the Red Sox Foundation with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Jimmy Fund have announced a special license plate.

“The Red Sox Foundation and the Jimmy Fund have had a tremendous impact on the lives of countless individuals and families affected by cancer across Massachusetts and greater New England,” said Governor Healey. “I encourage the people of Massachusetts to proudly display these plates, knowing that their support will make a real difference in the lives of those facing the challenges of cancer.”

Furthermore, Bekah Salwasser, EVP, Social Impact & Executive Director of The Red Sox Foundation states in their press release, “This co-branded charity license plate serves as a powerful symbol of unity and hope, reflecting the many years of collaboration between the Red Sox Foundation and one of our core partners, the Jimmy Fund. Together, we will make an even greater impact in supporting cancer patients and their families and building a community of support.”

Larry Lucchino, who is President/CEO Emeritus of the Boston Red Sox is also Chairman of the Jimmy Fund and Trustee of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Lucchino shared in a press release, "The license plates are an easy way to make a meaningful impact in the fight against cancer."

By visiting RedSoxFoundation.org/Plates you can learn more about these custom plates and order yours. They are available for Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. The cost for the charity plate is $40 in addition to any applicable registration fee in Massachusetts. $28 of the purchase price will be evenly distributed between the Jimmy Fund and the Red Sox Foundation. The remaining $12 is retained by the state of Massachusetts to cover the one-time-only cost of manufacturing the charity plate.

Regardless of the state, the license plate features the Red Sox logo with the blue heart. Dana-Farber and The Jimmy Fund are also labeled on the bottom.

Boston Red Sox left fielder Alex Verdugo wears number 99. Closer Kenley Jansen wears number 74. At first glance, you may think these are not typical baseball uniform numbers. The organization has 11 options that are immediately unavailable. The Red Sox retired numbers include 10 players that are forever Yawkey Way legends, and one player who is forever a MLB legend.

The Red Sox first retired a uniform number in 1984. It was #4 which belonged to Joe Cronin, who spent 48 years in baseball. The nod was to honor the fact that Cronin was a player, manager, and executive with Boston. Five days later (May 29, 1984) the Red Sox retired Ted Williams' #9. It would be four years until another number was retired with Bobby Doerr.

In April of 1997 all of Major League Baseball retired #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson.

Walking into Fenway Park you will see banners draped along the outside walls of the stadium honoring each player who has their number retired. You will also see them displayed high above right field inside the park, complimenting the Pesky pole.

So, if you are catching a game this year and wondering why a starting pitcher like Nick Pivetta is sporting #37, it's important to know what his options were to select from. Here are the Red Sox retired numbers.