Tuskegee Airman honored for community work, throws out first pitch at Fenway Park

BOSTON — At 95 years young, Ret U.S. Air Force LT. Col Enoch “Woody” Woodhouse still knows how to get the crowd going. On Friday he was presented with the Living Legend Award by the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Area Church League.

“It’s awe-inspiring. It’s one of those things that you wake up and think this is all a dream,” said Woodhouse.

He grew up in Boston in the 1930s. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted and became a member of the distinguished Tuskegee Airmen, the nation’s all-Black combat flying unit. He later went on to become a successful lawyer and on Sundays, could always be found worshipping at Trinity Church in Copley Square. He’s spent much of his adult life inspiring Boston youth to achieve greatness, and that’s why he is being recognized.

“To maintain and keep our young children, no matter what their background, on the straight and narrow road and become good citizens”

As part of winning the Living Legend Award, Woodhouse now has the honor of throwing out the opening pitch at Fenway Park, a place that had significant meaning to him. 

“When I was a youngster, we could not get into the Boston Red Sox,” Woodhouse said. “I along with a couple of other lawyers, we had to demonstrate and picket Fenway Park.” 

“You think of the irony of this, of someone who picketed Fenway park to say hey you don’t have any person of color on my team, every other team does in Major League Baseball,’ it’s now time. And here he is throwing out the first pitch,” said Ret. Rev. Thomas Kennedy of Trinity Church. 

Even at his age, Woodhouse is ready to throw out the first pitch. 

“I’ve been loosening up for the past month and I’m looking to get hired. If I don’t get hired I am going to press a claim of discrimination against the Red Sox,” he joked. 

All joking aside, Woodhouse said there’s only one thing he wants to be remembered for: “[loving] people, all people.”