This cache is part of the growing "Gnome Series".
**** For information on how you can expand the Gnome series by Leonards193 please get in touch with them for a number through their profile****
Nomar (pronounced Gnome-R) Garciaparra played Shortstop for the Boston Red Sox from 1996-2004. After a short call up in 1996, we has the league Rookie of the Year in 1997. His best years were from 1997-2000, where he was one of the best players in the game, and looked to be a future "hall of famer". He led the league in batting in 1999 and 2000.
In spite of an all-star season in 2003, in 2004 he was traded late in the season. The Red Sox would go on to win their first "World Series" since 1918 that year without him.
After the trade, Nomar's career went into a steep decline. He had one more good season in 2006, and left the game in 2009. He finished with 229 career Gnhome Runs.
In 2015, Nomar appeared on the baseball Hall of Fame ballot for the first time (per the rules, this is 5 years after retirement), and received 5.5% of the vote. This was far short of the 75% vote needed to be elected to the Hall. In 2016, his share of the vote dropped to 1.8%, and so, per the voting rules (<5%), he is removed from the ballot for future elections.
Nomar is married to Olympian and World Cup Champion soccer (football) star Mia Hamm.
The Puzzle
The puzzle is straightforward. You just need to do a bit of research. For each question below, you need to identify the famous former (and in one case current)* Red Sox player, and his jersey number when playing for the Red Sox.
1. I am the player this cache is named after. Let my number be A.
2. I am one of the most famous baseball players in history. I started out with the Red Sox. Unfortunately for Red Sox fans, I was sold to the rival New York Yankees early in my career, and it would be as a Yankee that I became famous. That sale was responsible for the "Curse of the Bambino" which lasted until the Red Sox finally won the World Series in 2004. Let my number* be B. (See *note below).
3. Arguably one of the best hitters in history, I was the last player to have a batting average of > .400, as I hit .406 in 1941. Let my number be C.
4. Like players 2 and 3 above, I am in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The peak of my career was 1967, when I led the Red Sox to the American League pennant. I was voted the 1967 American League MVP, and I also won the Triple Crown that year. Let my number be D.
5. Also a Hall of Famer, I'm most remembered for my game winning Home Run in game 6 of the 1975 World Series. I later left the Red Sox and signed with the White Sox, and had to reverse the 2 digits of my jersey number as my old number was already taken. Let my number be EF.
6. I played my entire career as a member of the Red Sox, from 1974 to 1989. I was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on my 15th and final ballot in 2009. Let my number be GH.
7. I was one of the current (2016) Red Sox best young players. I was selected to the 2016 All Star team, where I was the starting Right Fielder. Let my number be 5J. (I was also the starting Right Fielder in 2018). *Sadly I was traded to the L.A. Dodgers in 2020.
*Note: Wearing of numbers in Major League Baseball wasn't universal practice until 1937. The New York Yankees started wearing numbers in 1929. The Red Sox have worn uniform numbers since 1931. The player in question 2 was sold to the Yankees before either team was wearing numbers, so he didn't wear a number at all with the Red Sox. But this isn't meant to be a trick question; in this case, use the only number this famous player wore. Also of interest, he did end his career playing for Boston (and wearing this same number), but not the Red Sox!
The cache can be found at N 51 EF.(B-1)DH W 002 GC.(C-J)FA
The Container
You are looking for a "regular" sized box. The reason I put the container size as "other" is that Gnome-R himself takes up most of the space in the box. There is room for small trackables or other small items inside. Whilst Gnome-R would love to come out for some fresh air and doesn't mind photos, when you are finished please leave Gnome-R in the container! Also, please don't disturb his "air mattress". He's not particularly fragile, but the "mattress" keeps him from bouncing around when the box is handled.
The Route
You can approach from either the North or the South. As you will see on the map from the South is the shorter walk. However, access and parking is easier from the North. I prefer the North!
You can validate your puzzle solution with certitude.