Meet The Man With The Message

If you’ve been to a Red Sox game any time between 1993 and now, chances are you have walked past Bob Whetstone on Brookline Avenue.

At 64, he is one of the more recognizable figures in the Kenmore Square area, barring anyone in a Sox uniform. He wades in the ocean of Fenway faithful with his "Jesus Is Lord" t-shirt, oval glasses, Jesus-themed trucker hat and a sign depicting the eternal pit of fire known as Hell, handing out pamphlets about salvation in 40 different languages. He has traveled the East Coast, but frequents Kenmore Square, Hampton Beach, Old Orchard Beach in the summer months and Miami Beach in the wintertime.

A Conservative Fundamental Baptist by his own pronouncement, Whetstone “just wants to see these folks get into Heaven.” And for that reason, he is out at any sports game, major concerts, or just about anywhere in the Hub where a big crowd gathers. When there isn’t anything big going on, he tends to stick near Faneuil Hall.

Hailing from Bethlehem, Penn., Whetstone lives in Chelsea and said he was saved on July 17, 1977. Whetstone came up to Massachusetts to attend Boston Baptist College for Bible Study. Ever since then, he has been a distributor of salvation-oriented material.

He does not shout at people or draw attention to himself through erratic behavior, and by admission, Whetstone is an introverted person. Instead, he stands on the sidewalk, tall and lanky, with pamphlets in each hand, “fishing.”

“I used to fish a great deal when I was younger,” Whetstone said. “Each pamphlet is like a different lure.”

Each time the traffic cop allows a new wave to cross, crowds of eager Sox fans stare at this man with his vibrant sign about eternity. Some point. Some gawk. Some snicker. Some whisper, "I see that guy everywhere." Some take his pamphlets. Some smile. But no matter what, it is hard to miss Bob Whetstone.

He has not been employed in 27 years, but Whetstone is no beggar. Instead, he claims God brings him what he needs. He has lived in churches, vans, and claims to make his way by the charity of others, as well as Social Security.

“The hard part is that I can’t save anyone,” Whetstone said. “You hear plenty of people laugh about Hell. My body is going to the dust when it’s over; it’s my soul that I need to take care of. This is my calling.”

As it got closer to the first pitch, a young man headed to the game stopped to shake his hand and said, “I saw you at Old Orchard Beach the other day.” Whetstone replied, “Praise the Lord.”