Jack Sanford (2)

There is a buzz around Wellesley’s Jack Sanford

Baseball has been a big focus these past few months as we prepare for our May 5 Spring Fundraiser on May 5 (tickets now available online!). We’re preparing for Boston Red Sox President Sam Kennedy, sportswriter Tony Massarotti, and New England Sports Museum historian Richard Johnson – so naturally there is a lot of baseball talk!

One of the topics we keep returning to is Jack Sanford, a 1947 Wellesley High grad who was baseball’s 1957 NL Rookie of the Year. What an incredible story!

In a previous post we mentioned the great new book out on Jack — book: “Jack Sanford: From Blightville to the Big Leagues .”

We are getting many inquiries seeking more information about Jack.

The Swellesley Report’s Bob Brown has written extensively about Jack, including a really excellent article a few years back in the WellesleyWeston Magazine.

Here are some fun facts about Jack:
• He started 3 games of the 1962 World Series for SF Giants vs. Yanks.
• He grew up in “Blightville” – the name of the “tough” area in Wellesley around Oakland Circle
• In 1962 he finished 2nd in Cy Young voting for NL’s top pitcher
• At one point in the 1962 baseballs season, he won 16 straight decisions
• He was the winning pitcher in Game 2 of the 1962 World Series

Learn more about Jack Sanford and other historical items relating to Wellesley: @WHSociety1881 http://bit.ly/2ohmvC5