By John Vellante, Boston Globe
The uniform number 18 had not been worn since that tragic day in
September of 1990, when David Boutin (inset), a catcher for the
University of Massachusetts at Lowell, lost his fight with cancer.
The number was not officially retired, but it was always understood
through the years that it would never be worn again.
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Now, 18 years after his death, the number has been sealed and
framed and presented to his family.
Boutin, who grew up in Lowell and attended Central Catholic,
played three years at UMass (1988, 1989, and part of 1990), and
Major League scouts began following him after the 1989 season, when
he batted .291 with 14 RBIs, 12 runs scored, and had a slugging
percentage of .418. He was captain-elect for his senior season.
In April of 1990, he was diagnosed with rhabdosarcoma, a rare
cancer, and died less than five months later at age 21. He left a
lasting impression on his family, coaches, and teammates, many of
whom were on hand when his number was retired prior to last week's
Northeast-10 Conference game against Pace.
"It is time to honor David's family as well as UMass-Lowell's
baseball family and the athletic community by officially retiring
No. 18," said head coach Ken Harring. "David's name and legacy are
carried on through the Boutin Award as well as the endowed
scholarship that the Boutin family has set up in his name, which
ensures his name will live on forever at UMass-Lowell."
Ken Connerty, a former Lowell assistant who is currently the head
baseball coach at Tyngsborough High, said Boutin "came from a great
family, and that rubbed off on him.
"When he wasn't playing ball, he was always in the Lowell
community doing something to help the homeless or someone less
fortunate than he was. He was a caring and giving person. He was
very well liked. He would have made a great captain. David was like
a son to [former coach] Jim Stone. When he got sick, Stoney put his
best foot forward on his behalf. He tried to make the last few
months of his life special."
Shortly after Boutin's death, the UMass-Lowell athletic department
named its annual male student-athlete of the year award in his
honor. The award goes to a student-athlete who exemplifies
excellence in sport, academics, service to the community, and
leadership. Additionally, Boutin's mother, Fleurette, created the
David J. Boutin Memorial Scholarship Fund, presented annually to a
member of the baseball team who best copies the character of her
son. This year's recipient was freshman pitcher Kyle Davis of
Rochester, N.H.
Fleurette Boutin, who attended the ceremonies along with her other
children, said the presentation was packed with emotion.
"Emotional, yes," she said, "but at the same time a very proud
moment. I know David loved baseball more than life itself. I don't
know where they found the jersey, but it was the one David wore in
his last game. It now sits in a proud corner of my home. His loss
still hurts every day, but it was so beautiful to see just how many
friends and former teammates came to support us. It was an
emotional day for the entire Boutin family, but one we will never
forget."