We're going to try to compose a sort of scrap book in Jim's memory here. If you have an anecdote, a picture, an audio clip, whatever, why not email it to us and we'll add it?




Dr. Charles Steinberg, the Red Sox' Executive Vice President/Public Affairs and a staltwart friend of the BLOHARDs writes:

I only had the pleasure of knowing Jim in recent years, but what an American Original he was. I was so fond of him—and his wonderful, unique style. I switched from looking forward to our series in NY because of Yankees games to looking forward to our series in NY because of BLOHARDS luncheons. Really.

I will start to think of ways we might immortalize him.

I really, really enjoyed him, and will miss him with a heart mixed with sadness at his passing and smiles as I picture him and think of him saying, “That Dr. Charles loves that open mike!”

May he rest in peace after a rich, full, and impactful life.

Our sympathies from the Red Sox to the Powers and the entire BLOHARDS family.


Jim with former Sox skipper Eddie Kasko and Henry Berry


I loved my Grandpa so much and was devastated when I found had he had passed away. I remember my Grandpa with wonderful memories we shared. One of my favorites is when he and I sat on the back porch when I was about 3 and we would just talk for a long time and then we would go inside and sit on his chair and watch a Red Sox game on television. I loved how he dressed up in bright colors and sang in church. I loved when he would always make me smile and I would always laugh at his jokes. He is a great man and a great Grandpa but most of all he was a die hard Red Sox fan. I use to be a Yankee fan, sad to say, but I converted to a Red Sox fan just because of my love for my Grandpa. I miss him dearly and I will always have him in my heart. He was a great man.

~Alex Killian~
His granddaughter



"Jimo" Powers, Uxbridge High, class of 1946
Thanks to his friend of many years, Frank Pechulis.


Ed Randall, media personality and longtime BLOHARD favorite writes:

One of the painfully few facts I remember through 16 years of Catholic school education was this: there were seven colors in the rainbow (even though there never seems to be much call for indigo).

Back in the time when I went to school as the Earth's crust was still cooling, those Irish Christian Brothers, may have been right. But, ultimately, they were off by one.

There was an eighth color I discovered far too late in my life: Jim Powers.

He was preppy on Prozac.

Those pants! Surely, he and Lindsay Nelson must have shared a closet.

However, I must admit, having spent some of my Wonder Years around people WHO DRESSED LIKE THAT (and, admittedly, having enthusiastically owned a pair of madras pants purchased in a storefront in Westerly, Rhode Island in the summer of '74, which, incidentally, I STILL own and keep in storage, but regrettably, can't fit into, because, had I, surely would have worn them to the last place on the planet you could: to a meeting of the BLOHARDS), I hardly noticed.

Among a million of them, here was one of his countless gifts: a Rizzuto-like ability to stand behind a live mike and be completely unpredictable. Cora Rizzuto once mentioned that there was a little trap door inside everyone's brain that things you shouldn't say would escape from and that her husband's frequently was shut tight when he was on the air.

This was Jim, comic relief. Like a pitcher with no control, and the Red Sox, in the life of the BLOHARDS, have had 785 of them by my official count, you never knew where the next salvo would land.

That made him delightful, unforgettable, and, Runyonesque, larger than life.

He and co-conspirator Henry Berry walked into HBO Studios on East 23rd Street on August 18, 1988 and became show #22 of 530 shows for a newly-minted television series entitled "Ed Randall's Talking Baseball."

They were, of course, hysterical, feeding off each other, and needed the host only to get them to the commercial breaks roughly on time.

For years thereafter, through on my Sunday morning show on WFAN, Jim was more consistent than Ted, any player who ever played the game, or his beloved Foxx. He was always available, consistently entertaining, a certain 5-for-5.

I made it a point to have him on my MLB-Radio show as the Sox reached each mile post of the 2004 post-season still standing, after the Angels, after the Yankees.

Jim was the first person I thought of when Renteria grounded back to Foulke. Had to have him on the air. And, when I did, very late at night and, I suspect, with his trusty companion, Jim Beam, sitting silently somewhere in the room, the answer to each question was the same: "Unbelievable."

Blohards? Now THERE'S a name that certainly seemed to get people's attention! Excuse me, WHAT'S the name of this 'organization'?

Here are the final totals and highlights: Jim Powers treated me far, far nicer than I ever deserved. Actually speak at the luncheon? Follow that act?

I loved him and love his family.

As sad as we all are, the thought of him makes me smile and that, I think, that is the greatest enduring tribute of all.

P.S. THANK GOD they won in his lifetime.





Sean Daley writes:

Having grown up with the Powers Family in Weston there are many stories to tell but the one thing that always stands out to me was during the eulogy at Sunday mass he always ended his speech with "God Bless the Red Sox".

To this day I cannot go to mass without thinking the lector will utter those words no matter where I am.

God Bless, glad you could live to see the comeback, championship and subsequent celebrations throughout the past year.

Sympathies to the Powers Family

Here's a picture of Bloomberg Radio's Ray McNally interviewing Jim at our November 2004 trophy viewing.



Listen to the interview.

Jim died at Bridgeport Hospital shortly before scheduled open heart surgery. His daughter Julie recalls the days prior to his death:

We feel lucky that our family got to spent two fabulous days with him prior to surgery laughing, having cocktails and red wine, lots of stories and a few more cocktails, more stories and lots more laughing...He was such a great man--most definitely larger than life--all your calls, stories and words confirm that!

Only hours before going to the hospital, Jim sent an email to BLOHARD brass entitled "Season's End". It read, in part:

Will be away for awhile. Having open heart again in the morning. Not looking forward to it, but what will be, will be. Hope the doc did not drink as much as I did tonite.

It was a fun year and the pitchers and catchers will be off and running in 100 days.

Thanks for all your help this year.

Good luck. God Bless. Go Sox in 0Six.

Jim Powers






Prolific author and long-time BLOHARD Bill Nowlin writes:

From an interview I did with Jim back in 2001, an indication of just how far back Jim's fandom stretched.. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, raised in Uxbridge, but a transplant to New York since 1954, he was still present when Ted Williams had his first at-bat ever in New England, at Fitton Field in Worcester, shortly before he made his debut in Boston.

Jim told me: "I first saw Ted Williams at Fitton Field, back in 1939. The Sox used to play Holy Cross the day before Opening Day because of Jack Barry and Eddie Collins. Jimmie Foxx was my hero at the time, and he played, and Williams played. There was a big hill in right field. He must have put it on top of the hill. That's where I first saw him. Of course, I was there to see Jimmie Foxx. I didn't know what the hell Ted Williams was going to turn out to be. But I can still see him, with that head bobbing up and down, coming around the bases."





My husband, Gilbert Wintering, long time - dare I say?- Yankee fan, knew Jim Powers in the heyday of New York City advertising. Jim invited my Yankee-loving husband to several BLOHARDS luncheons. Jim must have brought Gil in via the back door, because who would want any Yankee fan attending those great good times? Gil married a Red Sox fan, and I wish Jim knew that happened. The revenge would be so sweet. Jim: know this - there is nothing like The Joy of Sox and you had the greatest joy when we won the 2004 World Series. Gilbert Wintering sends you an Irish bouquet and knows you will meet some other Sox up there. Red ones of course!

With affection,
Diane Wintering
Gilbert J. Wintering

This from BLOHARD SVP Joe Cosgriff:

In later years I thought that Jim's performances were becoming more entertaining than ever. To his barreling, Uxbridgian announcer's voice he had added Popeye-under-his-breath observations that knocked me over.

After Jerry Trupiano completed a gushing interview with Bruce Chen in 2003 Jim returned to the podium and muttered, "C'mon, Jerry. Seventh team in two years, and suddenly he's Mel Parnell?"





With Jim's passing, no living person has contributed more to the vitality of the BLOHARDS than Red Sox Vice President/Publications and Archives Dick Bresciani. Jim used to refer to him as "our hero". Dick writes:

Early in the 1972 season, my first with the Red Sox, I brought Bob Montgomery, John Kennedy and pitching coach Lee Stange to my first Blohards Luncheon in the Lexington Hotel. There I learned from the Big 3, Jimmy, Walter Teitz and Henry Berry, about this irreverent, but fiercely loyal group. Over the years Jimmy used to remind me: “The BoSox Club is good but never forget we came first (Blohards came into existence in 1963 during Johnny Pesky’s first yr. as mgr., BoSox Club began in 1967).”

We met in many places and had all sorts of guests and it was usually a raucous event. A young Roger Clemens told me he would come in June 1986 if he could bring his family (I called Jimmy and he said bring them all!). He was pitching the night before and I prayed he would do well. He won a complete game vs. the Yanks and brought 10 family members. In 1991 Mike Greenwell and Jeff Reardon said they would come the day after Memorial Day. On Memorial Day at the Stadium, Reardon gave up a 3-R HR to Mel Hall in the last of the 9th for a crushing 6-5 loss. In the clubhouse they told me they wouldn’t go to the luncheon since they would probably get a rough welcome. I called Jimmy and he said he would make sure everyone behaved – and they did with great respect for Greenwell and Reardon.

Jimmy stories are legendary and should be preserved: his Uxbridge boyhood, his disdain for the NY Times sports section, his friendly battles with Henry B., his mispronunciations of names like Castiglione and Trupiano, his advice to mgrs. (in 1981 he gave suicide squeeze bunting info to mgr. Ralph Houk!). When Ralph got up to speak he began, “I’m glad I came, I’ve already learned a lot of baseball, such as how and when to use the suicide squeeze.” The day when Jimmy’s “camp followers” marched through the cocktail reception into the luncheon room with placards reading “Let women on the bus to opening day” was a classic and really took him by complete surprise!

I know so many of the members have better stories than I do. We need to preserve them to give us remembrances of a remarkable man, husband, father and Red Sox fan. It was always, “this will be the year, Let’s Beat the Bastids!” They will give us a needed chuckle during the moments of distress that we all experience.





Additional information about the "camp followers" is provided by Donald Harris:

This photo, taken at the Yale Club on May 27, 2005, is of the original camp followers, Mary Chamberlin and Marilyn Harris. Jim invited them to join the Blohards. In so doing they broke the gender barrier and became the first two women members. They are shown here with Jim and their husbands, Jack Chamberlin and Donald Harris, both of whom were invited to join at a much later date. The four of them and Jim shared many memorable Blohard meetings, much Red Sox nostalgia, and more than a few tall ones. Jim will be sorely missed. No one can replace him.

Our sincerest condolences to Patty and the family.



Joey Reynolds did a great interview with Jim(and later) Bill Lee. You can hear it here.

Jim and I were members of St. Francis of Assisi parish and one of my fondest memories of him is when as the lector one Sunday he read the following:

..." Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing." (Ephesians)

Jim then paused and said, "that deserves repeating" and then he read it again.

Marty McMahon




Communique from the Palm to one of the minions. Jim is immortalized on the Palm's walls.

Although my Dad (Leon Martel) and I (Christopher Martel) have been Red Sox fans all our lives, we are relatively new to the BLOHARDS having only first heard about the organization about 6 or 7 years ago. However, at our first visit, my Dad, who is a Boston native having grown up in nearby Newton, MA, quickly identified with the true authentic Boston charm of Jim Powers. So, for the past few years, we have been regular attendees at the luncheons and have always enjoyed Jim's introductions, remarks, witty comments, and most of all passion and optimism for the Red Sox at these infrequent meetings. We will miss Jim Powers very much. I've attached a picture that I was very fortunate enough to have had taken at last year's Trophy celebration (almost exactly a year ago) of me, my Dad, and our fearless leader.

Go Sox 2006 and beyond and our prayers and best wishes go out to Jim's family.

Christopher Martel



On the Death Of Jim Powers

I’m bereft and painfully sad to hear of the loss of Jim Powers, this charming, generous, and good hearted man, the very Soul of the Blohards.

Jim, through both his personality and his creation the Blohards made it possible for me and so many others to endure the unendurable: the life of a Red Sox fan in New York City. And this was no minor achievement just for sports fans. This was a special person who developed something deeply spiritual, the nature of which is expressible only in words such as these:

“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down,
yea we wept when we remembered Fenway.
We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
For how could we sing the Boston song in a strange land?”

That’s what Jim did, he lifted up our spirits in a strange land, through his humor and passion for the Red Sox, and through the virtues of Faith and Loyalty which he exemplified. My deepest sympathy to his lovely family.


Herb Wyman


Uncle Jim was my godfather, he will be truly missed. My thoughts are with him ..."Love ya cuz"

Attached is my favorite picture of him with my father (Henry Smith). They were quit a pair.

Mary E. Frye



Your webmaster would like to offer a list of ten things he loved about the recently-departed Mr. Powers.

10.	Those pants. Lime green, fire engine red, canary yellow - Did Jim ever wear a color of slacks that didn't require an adjective?
9.	The appellations. "President-for-Life, at least"; "Beloved Helmsman"; "Maximal BLOHARD"; "Farseeing Father". None measured up to the man's magnificence.
8.	The jokes. Especially the one that ended "Yeah, we're doing great. The O'Reilly brothers are tying one on."
7.	Those loopy letters he'd send out before each of our lunches. Packed with humor, insight and bile, they were Joycean in their opacity. A couple of excerpts follow. Describing this year's bus trip: "Depart Westport RR 10:00 AM. Return sometime to Mario's for Victory Bash. Call Ray Duffy-XVP & BUSMEISTER-914 763-5210. Total package includes bus, game ticket, beer -at least one to share with your guest- as many pretzels or Doritos as you can hold in one hand, recounting of past Bus trips which will tear your guts out. Joe Cosgriff and George Bolton will do a Gallagher and Sheen routine. Bring earplugs. But above all there is BLOHARD Bonding. What more could one ask? Lent will be over. Nevertheless, no Grape will be partaken until we pass Southport town line." From a 1989 lunch invitation: Dick Bresciani and Ken Coleman and their ever faithful entourage will endeavor to entertain. And as usual, with A Plomb. Do not know which Plomb. Both Artie and Andy have a lot of Pizzazz. The Pizzazz boys played for Brewster in the Cape League. Unfortunately, Rich Gedman will not be with us. Has a hangnail." And, finally, from a 1991 communique: "We will overcome, even though it is an odd year. Prayer helps. Also, pitching and hitting."
6.	Mario's. Anybody that ever ate there with him - and that's probably just about everybody he ever met - has a fondness for the place. Maybe they have especially good spaghetti sauce, but I think it's something else.
5.	Uxbridge. How could you not laugh when Jim referred to, for instance, Cambridge as being an outpost of the greater Uxbridge metropolitan area? Exactly where is Uxbridge anyway?
4.	"Bronx Bastids". I can hear his inflection as I type the words. The phrase encapsulates the defiant humor that Jim brought to his fellow members of the Red Sox diaspora. It sustained us until we reached the promised land. If you like, you can listen to him say it here.
3.	The hats. They'll never get to the bottom of this. Let's say he got his first Red Sox hat when he was six years old, in 1934. If he wore it 16 hours a day - 15 hours on Sunday, to allow for mass - he might in the course of a lifetime have been able to get it as "broken in" as one of his hats actually was. But he had dozens, each seemingly worn for decades to the exclusion of all others. It's a mystery is what it is.
2.	HoJo's. It wasn't opening day unless (i) it was meat-locker cold and (ii) Jim led the old-timers in a mid-game evacuation to the Howard Johnson's on Boylston Street for some fortification. Fortunately it always was and he always did. They're talking about tearing the HoJo down. No wonder Jim's heart gave out.
1.	The family. Patricia, Susan, Julia, Byrne, LuLu, Sarah and Molly. Their love for him, and his for them, warmed everybody who came into their orbit.

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