Red Sox

“Schill not being here is his decision. It wasn’t anything that we asked for.”

When the Red Sox honor both their iconic 2004 World Series championship team and the life of Tim Wakefield at Fenway Park during their home opener on April 9, Curt Schilling will not be in attendance.

The ace of that 2004 rotation who wove himself into the fabric of Red Sox history by sporting a bloody sock during a gutsy October run, Schilling turned down the invitation to be at the pregame ceremony, according to Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe. 

Schilling has largely become persona non grata with the Red Sox, its fanbase, and his ex-teammates over the last few years — especially after the former All-Star righty chose to reveal that both Tim and Stacy Wakefield were battling cancer. 

The Red Sox issued a statement on behalf of the Wakefields shortly afterward noting that, “Unfortunately, this information has been shared publicly without their permission.”

Tim Wakefield passed away less than a week after Schilling’s public reveal on Oct. 1, 2023 after battling brain cancer. He was 57. Stacy Wakefield passed away on Feb. 28 after battling pancreatic cancer. She was 53.

Speaking to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo during the Worcester Red Sox’s home-opening game at Polar Park on Tuesday, former Red Sox outfielder and 2004 World Series champion Trot Nixon said that Schilling wasn’t coerced into skipping the ceremony. 

“Schill not being here is his decision. It wasn’t anything that we asked for. I didn’t know until (Red Sox senior VP) Sarah McKenna told me,” Nixon told Cotillo. “I’m going to come up and enjoy the time and reflect with this team on the great times that we had. There will be some guys who probably won’t be here. I know Wakey will be here with us in spirit and so will Stacy.”

Nixon added that Schilling’s presence at Fenway on April 9 wouldn’t have ruined his own enjoyment of those home-opener festivities.

“I don’t think that would have affected me,” Nixon said. “I know what Timmy meant to me and what Timmy’s teammates meant to him. Everything that happened with that was very unfortunate and could have been worded differently. Hopefully there was no ill will towards that.”

Last month, Schilling acknowledged that he’ll “forever regret” how he openly discussed the Wakefield family’s health while replying to a fan on his Facebook page who said he should attend the festivities at Fenway Park.

“No I don’t. Not this time,” Schilling wrote. “It’s about the 04 team and Wake, and we all know the media, [The Boston Globe‘s Dan Shaughnessy] in particular, will be writing things that have nothing to do with either of those things, even more were I to attend. Let the focus be on 04 and Wakey and [Stacey].

“I’ll forever regret what happened but I cannot in good conscience put my self in a position that would detract from the recognition that team and the Wakefields deserve. FWIW I wrote a letter to all the people whose opinion matters to me, so the people I care about know.”