As the Boston Red Sox and WEEI/NESN work together this week on the annual 'Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon', many Sox fans may not realize there is a direct Maine connection to the Jimmy Fund.

The original 'Jimmy' was a young boy named Einar Gustafson from New Sweden, Maine in Aroostook County.

Einar was in a Boston hospital as a 12-year-old in 1948 being treated by Dr. Sydney Farber when Boston Braves players visited him as part of a nationwide Ralph Edwards radio show in 1948. Back then the stigma of having cancer was so different from today that it was decided Einar would be called 'Jimmy' for the radio show.

The show raised money for research and the 'Jimmy Fund' was born.

When the Braves left Boston, the Red Sox became partners with the Jimmy Fund.

Einar passed away in 2003 after suffered a stroke. He was 65.

Today the Jimmy Fund continues to help folks battling cancer, like young Hannah Wertens who sang 'God Bless America' during the 7th inning stretch last night at Fenway...

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