"I shined shoes outside the Hotel Somerset. The doorman was from South Boston, and he let one kid from 'Southie' work the front every year.
I was that kid for a few years.
Ted Williams lived at the Somerset, and the Yankees also stayed there when they came to town.
One afternoon, the Yankees all were coming down from their rooms, heading to Fenway.
They were waiting out front for cabs.
I got a piece of paper and an old pen, and I went up to a couple of the players and asked for their autographs.
The pen didn't work!
Jerry Coleman reached into his suit jacket and takes out a gold pen.
He signs and hands the pen to someone else, and now Joe DiMaggio is there.
For some reason, he thinks I'm Jerry Coleman's nephew or something, and he smiles and takes the gold pen and signs. While he's signing, Ted Williams comes down. He comes over to Joe and me. He takes the gold pen and signs. They're talking, Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio, how are ya, back-and-forth, and for some reason Williams thinks I'm DiMaggio's nephew or something.
Jerry Coleman says:
'Hey, it's getting late.
Let's get to the ballpark.'
We get into the cab, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, and me.
I leave my shoeshine box right on the street because that would be a giveaway, you know?
I ride in the middle of the backseat.
I have Joe DiMaggio on one side of me.
I have Ted Williams on the other side.
I have both of their autographs.
And I also have Jerry Coleman's gold pen in my pocket.
Who ever has made out better than this? Williams and DiMaggio figure it out by the time we get to Fenway that I'm nobody's nephew, but for that short time...."
Raymond Flynn.
51st Mayor of Boston.
Later United States Ambassador to the Holy See from 1993 to 1997.
DiMaggio and Williams.
1941 All-Star Game.