Boston Red Sox

First-Time, Long-Time: The day John Henry surprised ‘Felger & Mazz'

NBC Sports Boston's new mini-documentary recounts the Red Sox owner's invasion of 98.5 The Sports Hub's studios;

Share
NBC Universal, Inc.

The story of the 2011 Boston Red Sox is well-documented. The star-studded group that was dubbed the "Best Team Ever" on the cover of the Boston Herald spiraled out of control in the final month of the season and missed the playoffs.

From the chicken and beer controversy to manager Terry Francona's messy departure, it was a disastrous ending to a season in which the Red Sox -- who added stars Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez before the campaign -- should have been contending for a World Series title. But it wasn't just the team's collapse that caused a stir throughout Boston. It was how the organization handled parting ways with Francona that struck a nerve, especially on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Felger & Mazz program.

Hosts Michael Felger and Tony Massarotti ripped Red Sox owner John Henry -- also owner of The Boston Globe -- for a piece written in the newspaper that highlighted serious issues in Francona's personal life as a reason why he was let go by the club after eight seasons and two championships. Eventually, Henry had enough of the criticism and took matters into his own hands.

Henry invaded 98.5 The Sports Hubs' studios and confronted Felger and Massarotti live on air. The result was a tense exchange that lived on in Red Sox and sports talk radio infamy.

NBC Sports Boston's new mini-documentary "First-Time, Long-Time," recounts the bizarre event through the perspectives of Felger, Massarotti, Marc Bertrand, Jimmy Stewart, and others involved at 98.5 The Sports Hub. You can watch the full mini-documentary in the video player above, or on YouTube below:

Contact Us