42 days until pitchers and catchers… (observation and a bit of theory)
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By ChuckG
- 42 days until pitchers and catchers… (observation and a bit of theory)
- Created: Dec 29, 2007
- Last updated: Oct 11, 2008
- After episode: 3.22: Through The Looking Glass
- Status: Current
- Flag this theory:
Could these two men be playing out the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry with the baseball references in Lost?
— ChuckG
We all know the references to the Red Sox in lost — Jack and his father would say “That’s why the Red Sox will never win the World Series,” when, in fact, the Red Sox won the World Series just over a month after the crash.
People have also theorized that one relationship among “The Numbers” is that they are all retired numbers in the New York Yankee system…
The retired numbers are 4 (Gehrig), 8 (Berra and Dickey), 15 (Munson), 16 (Ford), 23 (Mattingly), 42 (Robinson and probably Rivera) - there are other retired numbers on the Yankees that are not part of the Lost mythos. Additionally, Ford (Sawyer) and Munson meet in prison in “Everyman for Himself.”…
So here is a little more: Carlton Cuse was raised in Boston and is a Red Sox fan. Damen Lindelof was raised in New Jersey and was a Yankee fan (and apparently worked at Yankee Stadium at some point in his youth).
Could these two men be playing out their Yankees/Red Sox rivalry with the baseball references in Lost?
Latest connection, the Lost - Missing Pieces episode “Artz and Crafts” — directed by Lindelof — opens with Jin and Sun going through clothing from the luggage and Jin is holding up a Rivera jersey! — the number isn’t shown clearly — but Rivera is, of course, #42.
Key characters
| Short Name | Full Name | Episodes | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Christian | Dr. Christian Shephard | 336 | |
| Jack | Jack Shephard | 1.1, 1.5, 2.11, 1.11, 1.16, 1.20, 3.9, 3.22, 3.1, 4.10, 4.12, & 3” href=”/episodes/theres-no-place-home-parts-2-3/”>4.13 | 1451 |
| Sawyer | James “Sawyer” Ford | 3.4, 2.3, 2.6, 2.13, 1.16, 3.10 | 451 |
Key episodes
| # | Title | Aired | Central character | Theories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.4 | Every Man for Himself | 10-25-2006 | Sawyer | 96 |
| 3.2 | The Glass Ballerina | 10-11-2006 | Sun, Jin, Jae | 198 |
| 1.18 | Numbers | 3-2-2005 | Hurley | 113 |
| 1.16 | Outlaws | 2-16-2005 | Jack, Kate, Sawyer | 67 |
You are probably right and they are throwing in some trivia of their interests to incorporate into the shows. I don’t know whether or not it will play into the actual plot of the show, though. But interesting.
Chuck, This has been made mention of before, and I would tend to agree with Ozzig. Good eye!
I figured it was here somewhere already — I was just watching the Missing Pieces mobisode (or whatever they call it) and saw the Rivera shirt… although it would be call if Yogi Berra was Jacob…
(Also, Thurman Munson died in a plane crash — so there is another connection that may or may not actually be there.)
Good, damn, you are worse than me with details! Good catch and you maybe on to something. They said the mobisodes would get better, but its up to us to determine how they get better. You did a great job! +1~
CG—it has been mentioned, but I don’t remember some of those details (like Munson) coming up before. As a fataslistic Red-Sox fan I always think the first world series win must be evidence that we’re in an alternative universe.
Jazprof — and as a Yankee fan, I always think the world series win by the Red Sox is evidence that we are in purgatory (or worse!)
;-)
Chuck, is it really only 42 days until the pitchers and catchers report to spring training? Wow, times flies!
Nice catch, (no pun intended!) +1 I expect, since the writers are fans of the best rivalry in baseball, that they would throw a few things in now and then. Stephen King is a Red Sox fan too and his work is noted thoughout Lost as well.
As for full disclosure, being from Rhode Island, I’m also a longtime Red Sox fan, like jazzie!!
Hey Annie, It is actually 47 or 48 days until pitchers and catchers (I think it is February 14th) — I took some poetic license to use 42 instead (for obvious reasons)… I could have waited another six days, but I don’t have the patience.
Ah well, CG, I wouldn’t want you to feel like you Yankees fans are in Purgatory or anything…so if it makes you feel better to consider this a permanent rather than just a temporary state of affairs…(hee hee ;-)
Heh, poetic license, I like it. I don’t have any patience either, so understood!
Good one, jazzie! I wouldn’t want Chuck to feel like he’s in Purgatory either, it’s better to know where one stands permanently! And he’s probably not feeling so good about last night’s Patriot perfect season win against the Giants either!!
Talk about rivalry with New York! So sorry, Chuck. :( hehehe
I think we have gotten a little off course here… but to summarize (1) the Red Sox are pure evil (i.e., Smokie is the Red Sox and Curt Schilling is Ben); (2) I don’t hate the Pats (can’t hate Brady — he is a Yankees fan); and (3) back on point, I unfortunately found this quote from Lindelof after posting my theory/observation yesterday:
“To me, it’s always more interesting to not take away any legitimate theories from the audience. I would not say that the numbers definitely do not refer to Bible verses, but I wouldn’t say that they do either. Some people look at those numbers and say that they’re all numbers of retired New York Yankees baseball players, which if you look it up, is true. That’s not why we chose them, but then again, that is a pretty strange coincidence. Maybe the numbers have a life of their own.” Lindelof adds, “To answer why we chose those numbers would give up a big chunk of mythology that we are not ready to reveal yet. All I’ll say is that the selection of those numbers was not arbitrary.”
So back to the drawing board for me…
Great info, Chuck! At least we know now that the numbers will mean something. I was beginning to think that was one of the mysteries that wouldn’t get solved. Thanks! I wish I could +1 you again!
btw, thanks also for getting us back on course, we tend to wander on these threads, but it’s all in fun. :-)