Pulling the Youkah’s cawk

Jasper the Wonderdog and I just returned from a mutual scamper through a beautiful fluffy snowstorm, shuffling whitely down the middle of unplowed and untraveled streets. Baseball season seems far away. But there is no escaping the fact that New Hampshire is Red Sox country, big time. (Yet another reason to feel at home here.) On my way buy some wine Friday evening, I sat at a traffic signal behind a car whose license plate read “GOSAWX,” approximating the regional pronunciation.

Then, perusing Sauvignon Blancs on the shelf, I came across one that made me laugh.


SAUVIGNYOOUUK BLANC (from what is certainly the fictional Longball Cellars) is named after the Red Sox’s popular first (and sometime third) baseman, Kevin Youkilis, generally called “Youk” or “the Youker,” which comes out of Boston (and many other New England) mouths as “Youkah.“ He’s admired for his great fielding, clutch hitting, intensity, and for being what old-timey baseball guys call “a red ass,” a guy who can get really angry really fast—in Youk’s case, often at himself or the baseball fates, but sometimes at opponents. This makes him especially popular to Sox fans, who endured decades of talented players who regularly had their heads handed to them by teams that simply cared more .

I bought a bottle, of course—income benefits Youk’s fund for yoouuth health and fitness. And it was just fine with corn chips and salsa.

Pitchers and catchers in a month. GOSAWX! Go Youk!