The Red Sox "suffered a deep loss yesterday when longtime media relations man DICK BRESCIANI lost his battle with cancer and died at the age of 76," according to Michael Silverman of the BOSTON HERALD. Bresciani "worked for the Red Sox for 42 years," with his most recent title being VP Emeritus & Team Historian. The "walking, talking institutional memory for nearly all Red Sox history and even trivia since 1972, the loyal and spirited Bresciani assumed a central but mainly behind-the-scenes role in the franchise during a tumultuous span." He "received the Robert O. Fishel Award for Public Relations Excellence, the industry’s highest honor," in '97. Bresciani in '06 was inducted into the Red Sox HOF. In his later years, Bresciani "oversaw the club’s historical archives and alumni relations, and he helped select the winner of the annual Tony Conigliaro Award, a national honor," along with serving on the Red Sox HOF selection committee (BOSTON HERALD, 12/1). In Boston, Nick Cafardo notes before coming on board with the Red Sox, Bresciani was UMass SID "for 11 years." There "was nobody who had more depth of knowledge of Red Sox history than Bresciani, who also helped adopt the current rules for which a Red Sox player’s number is retired" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/1). In Massachusetts, Garry Brown writes nobody "knew Red Sox history better" than Bresciani, who for Red Sox beat reporters was "their 'go to' guy for facts, figures and historic details about the team and the franchise" (SPRINGFIELD REPUBLICAN, 12/1).
TWITTER REAX: Boston Globe's Bob Ryan: "RIP Dick Bresciani. The Red Sox, UMass and the Cape League never had a better friend. We media guys will miss him." Baseball HOFer Wade Boggs: "Sad news on the passing of Red Sox P.R. Man Dick Bresciani. RIP my friend. You'll be dearly missed." ESPN.com's Howard Bryant: "Just heard longtime Red Sox executive Dick Bresciani passed away last night. Good man. Loyal as they come to the Red Sox. RIP..."
