Stephen King and fellow author Stewart O’Nan plan a diary of the 2004 Red Sox.
By Daniel Hartill
Staff Writer
Stephen King can learn a thing or two about horror from the Boston Red Sox.

After all, neither rabid dogs nor vampires can rip out someone’s heart as quickly or as completely as the folks from Fenway. Year after year, just when our heroes seem about to prevail, dark forces intercede.

So King, a die-hard fan, is joining with another author, Stewart O’Nan, to chronicle a season with the Sox.

The result will be a book, a diary of sorts, to be published late this year by Scribner.

King and O’Nan, who is also a Sox fan, plan to attend lots of games, sometimes together. They plan to critique the players, their plays and their new manager, Terry Francona, all from a fan’s perspective.

“Win or lose, it’s going to be dramatic because there are such high expectations for this team,” said O’Nan, who has written several books, including “Speed Queen” and “A World Away.”

The anticipation has reached a fever pitch.

According to the Red Sox, about 2.3 million tickets have been sold for the coming season, setting a pace that would break the previous record. Trades for pitchers Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke excited fans. The failure to catch Alex Rodriguez saddened them. And when the league MVP went to New York, it just made them mad.

“I think this is the best team we’ve had since 1978,” said O’Nan, who has already begun his work on the book. He has attended six spring training games. Meanwhile, his partner has been to some and plans to attend more next week.

The project grew from O’Nan and King’s friendship. The pair have attended games together before. Last year, they e-mailed each other almost daily with musings on the game.

As the season went on, they discussed publishing something but figured it was too late. As the new season loomed, they decided it was time, O’Nan said.

King, a long-time season ticket holder, will probably get to more games than O’Nan. King’s overwhelming popularity draws a dose of star treatment from the team. His book “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon” included the former Sox closer in its title and the story. (Of course, this season Gordon will be wearing Yankees pinstripes.)

King’s wealth even led him to consider joining the group that bought the Sox two years ago. He thought about it, said Marsha DeFilippo, King’s personal assistant. But he wanted to be a fan.

Ownership would have spoiled it, O’Nan said. Losses shouldn’t spoil it either, said the Pittsburgh native.

A fan of the Sox since 1979, O’Nan is familiar with the heart-wrenching defeats, but he thinks fans get too worked up about about winning and losing.

“If we don’t reach the ALCS (American League Championship Series) again, people will be disappointed,” he said.

That’s not so important, he said. People ought to enjoy the season, the 162 games and the little things that make it such a pastime.

O’Nan said the book will carry the sometimes small observations, such as who is wearing whose number, the best way to buy a Fenway ticket and the sounds of the game.

“Red Sox games are the soundtrack of our summers,” he said.

dhartill@sunjournal.com

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