The Boston Red Sox have selected Jon Lester, Johnny Damon and Mike Timlin as the player inductees for their 2026 Hall of Fame class. Longtime public address announcer Sherm Feller will be honored as the non-uniformed inductee, while Bill Mueller's 2004 walk-off home run is the memorable moment. The announcement came during Fenway Fest festivities in Boston.
The Red Sox revealed their newest Hall of Fame class on Saturday morning as part of the annual Fenway Fest event, drawing cheers from a sold-out crowd at the MGM Music Hall near Fenway Park. This biannual selection honors contributors to the team's championship eras earlier this century. Jon Lester, a left-handed starter who overcame lymphoma to clinch the 2007 World Series, ranks fourth in team history with 241 starts and ninth with 110 wins. He founded the NVRQT Foundation to support cancer patients and later helped the Cubs win the 2016 title.
Johnny Damon, the leadoff hitter for the 2004 'Idiots' squad that ended an 86-year World Series drought, played center field from 2002 to 2005. A two-time All-Star with Boston, he hit .295 with an .803 OPS and delivered a standout Game 7 performance in the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees, including two homers and six RBIs. Mike Timlin, a reliable reliever for the 2004 and 2007 champions, appeared in 394 games over six seasons, leading the AL with 81 outings in 2005. He holds the team record for postseason appearances with 28.
Sherm Feller, Fenway's public address announcer from 1967 to 1993, is the non-uniformed honoree, known for his welcoming introductions during three World Series at the park. The memorable moment is Bill Mueller's two-run walk-off homer against Mariano Rivera on July 24, 2004, following a benches-clearing brawl in a rivalry game. Mueller, who joined Timlin on stage, quipped, “First off, my company line is I always shut my eyes at the right time against [Rivera]... So I had a lot of luck. That's all.”
Timlin, present for the announcement, reflected, “It’s actually kind of overwhelming... this is my second home. I feel way more at home here in Boston [than] I do in a lot of other places, and it's all because of y'all.” The committee, led by curator Sarah Coffin Ottinger, included executives, media, historians and fans. Inductions are set for spring 2026, followed by first-pitch ceremonies at Fenway.
