When the ‘Spaceman’ comes to town

Red Sox legend Bill Lee lands at Boys & Girls Clubs in Manchester

Bill Lee, right, responds to the audience at a luncheon talk March 11 at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Manchester. Ernie Yerrington, left, conducted an interview with Lee at the event. (Courtesy of BGCGM)

As songs about baseball go, “Bill Lee” stands alone — just like its subject.

The ballad from Warren Zevon’s “Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School” album from 1978 barely alludes to the Red Sox pitcher’s profession.

And I’m standing in the middle of the diamond all alone.

I always play to win when it comes to skin and bones.

But the snippet of a song — it’s only a minute-and-a-half long — capture’s Lee’s essence with what it doesn’t say, such as any of the crazy stuff that endlessly flows when the left-handed ace opens his mouth.

But sometimes I say things I shouldn’t like …

Instead of words, Zevon inserts a harmonica riff here, as if anything “The Spaceman” says might be questionable for a family audience.

CEO Diane Fitzpatrick might have wished she had a harmonica to play over some of Lee’s off-the-cuff remarks during his March 12 luncheon talk to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Manchester. In fairness, Lee would probably rate only a PG-13, but he’s like one of those dinner guests who commands the table and makes the host sweat. What’s he going to say next? Will we make it to dessert?

Fitzpatrick dined with Lee and other guests the night before so she knew what to expect: a lot of talking.

“Throughout his career, his life, Bill reminds us that success is not about the stats, right, Bill? Not about winning and not about losing, but it’s about creativity, about curiosity, about resilience and having the courage to be yourself,” Fitzpatrick said while introducing Lee.

“Those qualities are exactly the kind of lessons that we want our young people here at the Boys & Girls Clubs to see and experience.”

While interviewer Ernie Yerrington had the chance to squeeze in a few questions about baseball, once Lee had a mic in his hand, he took control of the room.

Bill Lee talks with Ernie Yerrington, who interviewed the Red Sox pitching star during a luncheon talk at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Manchester on March 11. (Courtesy of BGCGM)

Lee made sure to talk about the song the club used to bring him to the stage — “Spaceman” by Harry Nilsson. He praised Nilsson’s 1970 soundtrack and animated children’s film, “The Point!” A film Lee said every child should see.

“It’s about diversity and inclusion, and it was on CBS until it was taken off the air,” Lee said.

From there, the audience learned that Lee:

• Used a Montreal Expos baseball card from his tenure on the team as a form of ID at a Manchester hotel.

• Has never owned a cell phone.

• Lives on a 47-acre farm in Vermont.

• Gets his back-end heavy Toyota Prius up the long, steep hill of his home in the winter by driving it in reverse. (“I think that’s called physics.”)

• Once told baseball legend Ted Williams that Williams was the “greatest hitter” who ever lived because Williams flirted with all three of Lee’s wives.

• Played his final minor league game at Gill Stadium in Manchester before being called up to the majors.

• Co-owns a vineyard that produces the wine Spaceman Red (17% alcohol).

• Won 17 games each year in three consecutive seasons (1973-1975) while playing for the Red Sox.

• Believes in aliens.

• Quotes poetry.

During the Q&A, I asked Lee about his relationship with Warren Zevon, best known for writing eclectic rockers like “Werewolves of London” and “Lawyers, Guns and Money.”

“It’s weird, the connections I had with him,” Lee said, adding that the song “Bill Lee” was inspired by a poem Lee had written. “He read it and made a song about it. He kind of really liked me. And he was a riverboat gambler. He was tough,” said Lee, who met Zevon when the songwriter was battling alcohol and drug addiction.

The rock star also gifted Lee a book of poetry by E.E. Cummings.

“It’s signed by him (Zevon) to me, and I’ve got it in my library,” Lee said.

Lee took a moment to praise the work of the Boys & Girls Clubs, whose mission in Manchester has greatly expanded over the years to include education, nutrition and other services.

“I love the whole procedure here because I was a gym rat,” Lee said. “And I think about the kids. I hear about all the people you feed. You got to be proud of yourselves.”