Really saddened to see this news - I wondered when this was going to happen. I think he missed three other times over the years when this lung cancer came about (he was a heavy smoker).
His banter with Don Orsillo, and then with Eckersley, made the Red Sox must-watch TV for me. I loved that late 70s/early 80s era of baseball, and those stories of playing during that time for my favorite team were gold. And of course there was the whole pizza-throwing incident during Patriots Day 2007, and falling off the chair doing air guitar … loved it.
My enduring memory of him was during the ‘78 playoff game. He led off the ninth with a hit off Gossage and then came around to score to make it 5-4. When he crossed home plate, he yelled to the batter on deck something (I think Burleson had the RBI? Memory is foggy on that) and it might have been Rice? Would have loved to have known what he said. What a great game that was. Knee injuries ultimately derailed his career.
RIP to a true Red Sox.