Seekonk Man’s Incredible Airport Run-In With Pedro Martinez

They say never meet your heroes. However, if your hero is Pedro Martinez, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

The former Boston Red Sox pitcher is a legend on the mound. He's an eight-time All Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, his No. 45 has been retired at Fenway Park and he's a nice guy. Like, very nice.

Don't just take my word for it. Take it from Jeremy Abreu, a Seekonk resident who had an unexpected run-in with the power pitcher himself.

A Chance Meeting at Logan Airport

On Tuesday, November 11, Abreu arrived at Logan Airport to catch a flight to Seattle.
"I'm just like, here's another work trip, and then wouldn't you know, you meet one of the coolest people ever," Abreu said.

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The night prior, he was informed of a three-hour delay. What seemed like an inconvenience to his travel plans actually worked in his favor, as he found himself checking in right next to Pedro Martinez.

"I looked toward him and when I saw it was him, I couldn't even believe it," Abreu said. "I felt like a 12-year-old kid seeing their idol."

Why Pedro Martinez Means So Much to Fans

Memories of the good ol' days came flooding back to Abreu. "The Don Zimmer incident, the 17-strikeout game against the Yankees in '99. All of these memories are etched in my brain, especially 2004," he said.

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For Love of the Game

Abreu introduced himself and struck up a conversation with Martinez. Not only did the Sox win the World Series in 2004 (breaking an 86-year-old curse), Abreu and his wife tied the knot that same year, just two days after that memorable win.

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"If it got to Game 6, it was going to be the night of our wedding," Abreu said. "We had actually planned with the DJ that if the series got extended, he was going to bring in a couple of TVs."

He shared that story with Pedro. "He thought it was pretty funny," Abreu said. "It was just like I was talking to my buddy."

More Than a Quick Hello

After a great chat, he said goodbye. However, it was one of a handful of run-ins he'd have that morning.

"I head to the TSA line, and what do you know, I looked to my left and he's standing right next to me again," Abreu said.

An Unforgettable Baseball Fan Moment

He owes it all to his flight delay.

"If I was on time, I would have been at the airport three hours earlier than I was and wouldn't have met him when I ran into him," Abreu said. "I'm still smiling because it was such an awesome meeting."