It is a story that enraged Red Sox Nation. Josh Beckett, pulled from his last start due to a lat injury, and also unable to help the team during Sunday's 17 inning marathon, reportedly went golfing during an off-day when he should have been rehabbing the injury. He was subsequently shelled in his next start and booed mercilessly.
But last night, as he gently dabbed at the tears in his eyes with a handkerchief, Beckett adamently denied that he was playing golf. "Yes, I was on a golf course," he said, voice cracking with emotion. "But it is only because that particular golf course has the most amazingly diverse selection of birds in the Northeast region. I was simply walking though with my bird-watching group and enjoying a pleasant day of watching some of God's creatures."
Some questioned Beckett's sentiments, since the avid hunter usually spends a good amount of time killing God's creatures. But Irma Mendovich, an 87 year old great grandmother and president of Beckett's bird-watching group, defended the pitcher. "He was absolutely with us the whole time and never picked up a golf club," she said, then paused. "Of course, if I had known he was going to pitch like crap last night, I'd never have let him come with us."
