SALEM — Sam Kennedy never imagined he’d reach the pinnacle of Major League Baseball.
“No way, not a chance,” he said. “But I did know this — I knew I wanted to work in baseball, and I knew I would do whatever I possibly could do to work in baseball.”
Kennedy, the president and chief executive officer of the Red Sox, talked about his path to Fenway and a number of other topics Tuesday night at James Twohig Gymnasium as the latest guest of Salem State’s Speaker Series.
The event was moderated by Steve Burton, the sports anchor at WBZ-TV News. Salem State President John Keenan kicked off the event with a brief welcome speech, thanking longtime donor Dennis Drinkwater, a Salem State graduate, and Cynthia McGurren, who retired last Friday as the school’s vice president of Institutional Advancement. Kennedy gifted McGurren tickets to next Tuesday’s home opener.
Kennedy spoke of his upbringing in Brookline, his relationship with former Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein (they were classmates at Brookline High), plans for future additions to Fenway Park and surrounding areas, Boston’s recent wave of success in sports and the team’s slow start.
Kennedy was adamant that the Red Sox are focused on turning the page from last year’s World Series championship. The last team to repeat as World Series champion was the New York Yankees (they won three in a row from 1998 to 2000).
“Despite the 1-4 start there’s a great spirit in that clubhouse,” Kennedy said. “There’s a focus, an energy, and a motivation to try to do something that a Red Sox team hasn’t done since 1915-1916, and that’s repeat as World Series champion.
“‘Turn the page’ has a negative connotation. We want to keep ourselves in the same fantasy novel we’ve been operating in. We just want to write a new chapter.”
And Kennedy believes the Red Sox have the right man leading the charge in manager Alex Cora. Kennedy said the Red Sox knew Cora was destined to be a skipper from his playing days as a utility infielder in Boston.
“Alex had that kind of insight into the game, that kind of natural ability,” Kennedy said. “Not just with people but in strategic thinking, short term and long term. He played for us from 2005 to 2008. He was a go-to guy during his time with us as a veteran guy, a leader on the team.
“When we had the job opening it was a slam dunk, a natural fit. I’ve had the chance to travel to his hometown of Caguas, Puerto Rico twice. When you meet his family and see where he’s from, you realize how special a person he is.”
Kennedy also offered advice to those who hope to follow in his footsteps.
“Follow your passion,” Kennedy said. “Whether it’s baseball, broadcasting, sports, teaching or medicine. Any type of industry, if you’re passionate about it you’re going to be better in that industry. And do whatever you can to get started as early as possible.”
Kennedy started his career in baseball operations through an internship with the Yankees.
“Getting into the industry is really difficult,” Kennedy said. “I did it through writing letters. At that time there were 28 MLB teams. I was peppering those organizations with letters. Just to see the rejection letters in my mailbox was pretty cool. And then I got a letter from the Yankees saying ‘come in for an interview’ and that was my big break.”
Dick Flavin, poet laureate of the Red Sox, recited a pair of his poems to conclude the event.
