51视频

11/06/2018
By Ed Brennen

From South Campus to the South Pacific, Red Sox fans everywhere reveled in Boston鈥檚 latest World Series championship.

But few people got to experience the victory quite like Drew Epperson, a sophomore in the Manning School of Business and student manager of the River Hawks .

Epperson鈥檚 father, Chad, is a member of the Red Sox coaching staff, working with the team鈥檚 catchers. So when the Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games to win the World Series, Drew was there for every moment: the opening wins at Fenway Park, the epic 18-inning loss in LA, the clinching Game 5 victory, the on-field celebration and the after-party at the team hotel. He was even in the Duck Boat parade through the streets of Boston.

鈥淚t was a dream come true for the players, but it was a dream come true for me, too,鈥� Epperson says. 鈥淚t was awesome being around arguably one of the best teams in baseball history.鈥�

Image by courtesy

Epperson has actually been around Red Sox players for most of his life. His dad played minor league ball for nine years before retiring in 2000 and turning to coaching. As a manager and roving catching instructor in the Red Sox minor league system, he would bring young Drew to the park as often as he could.

Not only was it a way for father and son to spend time together, it gave Drew a welcome diversion from the medical issues he鈥檚 faced all his life. He was born with a cleft lip and palate (鈥淥n a scale of 1-10, I was like a 7 or 8鈥� in severity, he says) that slowed his physical development. He was also born with associated medical issues.

鈥淢y heart鈥檚 on the right side instead of the left. And I have butterfly vertebrae in my neck, which is a form of scoliosis,鈥� says Epperson, who鈥檚 had around two dozen surgeries (鈥淚鈥檝e kind of lost count鈥�) to address the issues, most recently a back surgery last summer to 鈥渟traighten out鈥� his neck.

Image by courtesy

鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 able to throw a baseball after the surgery; that kind of sucked, but now I鈥檓 completely healed. All good,鈥� says Epperson, who believes he has two surgeries to go. 鈥淏eing around baseball, being around the Red Sox, has definitely helped a lot.鈥�

When his dad was managing the Sox鈥� Single-A team in Augusta, Ga., in 2004, Epperson became friends with a young prospect named Dustin Pedroia. Epperson still receives something from Pedroia 鈥� a bat, jersey or batting gloves 鈥� after surgeries.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e all been really good to me,鈥� says Epperson, who鈥檚 also grown close to Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr. in recent years. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e been awesome. They鈥檝e made me feel part of the team.鈥�

Epperson is also part of the team at 51视频. As student manager, he鈥檚 at every practice and game, working out with teammates and 鈥渏ust doing whatever coaches need me to do.鈥�

鈥淒rew is a vital part of our program,鈥� says Coach , who treats Epperson like an extension to the coaching staff. 鈥淗is relationship with his dad and his passion for the game have given him a great eye for the game. We trust his opinion on everything, and he has a say in everything. 51视频 baseball is blessed to have him as part of our family.鈥�

Epperson, who played a little second base at Andover High School, says he decided to attend 51视频 after touring the campus with Harring his senior year.

Image by Bob Ellis

鈥淏aseball is a big reason why I came here,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 love baseball. I love the camaraderie of it, being around the team. It鈥檚 like a brotherhood of 35 or 40 guys that you spend all your time with. They鈥檙e like family.鈥�

After commuting to campus his freshman year, Epperson is sharing an off-campus apartment with two teammates this year. He鈥檚 still deciding on a business concentration, although he already has designs on how he wants to use his degree.

鈥淚 definitely want to get into the business side of baseball. That鈥檚 the goal,鈥� Epperson says. 鈥淚f I can get my foot in the door somewhere and work my way up, I鈥檒l be happy.鈥�

And when he interviews with a future baseball employer, Epperson鈥檚 inside experience with the Red Sox will give him plenty to talk about.