A POWERFUL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

April 12, 2007 ... About an hour before today's scheduled 4:05 first pitch, the most famous cackle in Boston sports history filled the Red Sox dugout.  It was just coincidence that no one in that moment had asked NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell what he thought of the Sox' chances of playing baseball. But considering Russell, who was being escorted around by Sox executive vice president Dr. Charles Steinberg, was at that moment observing rain, sleet, and hail blowing sideways across the diamond, while keeping his feet dry by not stepping into 2 inches of water on the dugout floor, that celebrated laugh would have been an appropriate answer.

An official announcement that the game against the Seattle Mariners had been postponed because of inclement weather was posted on the video scoreboard at 4:21 p.m., sending the few hearty souls sitting in the stands and the hundreds of fans huddled in the concourse homeward. Beginning at least 20 minutes earlier, word had circulated through the park the game had been called.

Fans who had not yet entered the park were being turned away at the gate, and players were pulling out of the Sox parking lot before ticket holders were informed of the postponement, as well as the announcement that the game had been rescheduled for 7:05 p.m. May 3, previously an off-day for both teams.

The Sox had been scheduled to wear green uniforms yesterday in honor of the late Red Auerbach and the Celtics. The NBA's most successful franchise today celebrates the 50th anniversary of its first NBA title. The team's 16 championship banners were briefly hung over the left-field Wall yesterday afternoon, but were quickly rolled up in the heavy rain and sleet.

Devern Hansack had his second straight eye-opening start for Pawtucket, striking out 10 in five scoreless innings in a 5-3 win over Durham Wednesday. Hansack has now whiffed an International League-leading 20 batters in just 10 2/3 innings, while allowing just one earned run. Manny Delcarmen whiffed four in two scoreless innings to get his first win for the PawSox.

Top prospect Jacoby Ellsbury is off to a great start with Double A Portland, with six hits in his first 14 at-bats (.429).