The RemDawg was always in Don Orsillo’s corner. The beloved former Red Sox play-by-play man, whose uncontrollable laugh fests with Jerry Remy served as New England’s summer soundtrack for 15 years, says Remy is the main reason he landed at NESN.
In a recent interview with the Globe’s Chad Finn, Orsillo says Remy pushed for him to get the NESN gig when Bob Kurtz left to announce Minnesota Wild games. At the time, Red Sox games aired on Ch. 25 and NESN. Sean McDonough called the games on Ch. 25 alongside Remy.
“Jerry was so much more than just an analyst to me,” Orsillo said. “He was largely the reason that I got to the big leagues.”
Remy, 68, passed away Oct. 30 from lung cancer. Since then, scores of former partners, and national broadcasters, have paid tribute to his iconic career.
Orsillo’s career is synonymous with Remy’s. After calling Pawtucket Red Sox games on the radio for five years, Orsillo jumped to the big leagues in 2001. Once he got there, Remy pushed him.
“He was tough on me my first few years,” Orsillo said. “It was tough love. It really was. But I realized it even at the time that he was teaching me everything I needed to know. That was just him. He was the most real person I knew. You knew where you stood with Jerry instantly.”
The pair called countless classic games and three World Series runs, but their most memorable moments came when they were just goofing around: “here comes the pizza;” the lost tooth; the air guitar. These exchanges are indelible to millions of Red Sox fans.
They are to Orsillo, too.
“I’m going to miss that so much,” he said. “There’s such a void there now. There was no one like Jerry. I’m so grateful for having had him in my life and in my corner.”
The public paid its respects to Remy last Thursday in Waltham.