The Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago Cubs by a humiliating score Friday night in their first meeting at Fenway Park since the 1918 World Series.

Losing, even 15-5, is something the Cubs have gotten used to these past 100 years or so. But what happened during one of Boston’s home run trots truly was something the Cubs won’t get over for a long time.

Team president Crane Kenney, sitting in the coveted Green Monster section that rises above Fenway’s famous 37-foot high left-field fence, caught a home run hit by Jarrod Saltalamacchia(notes) in the bottom of the fifth inning. The blast ricocheted off an advertisement high above Kenney’s seat and pretty much fell right to him. How’s that for bemusing happenstance?

To make matters worse, Kenney — in clear violation of widely accepted Cubs fans programming — did not throw the opponent’s ball back onto the field. Instead of acting like one of the Bleacher Bums, he sought a young fan and tossed him or her Salty’s dinger ball. Well, harumph!

Get a load of this guy

It’s one thing for a clever ball hawk perched in the Wrigley Field bleachers to defy protocol and keep the souvenir homer. To deflect the peer pressure, some even treacherously switch out the homer ball for a ringer and throw that one back.

But the team’s own president — not quite at the Ricketts ownership level, but close — acting oblivious to bleacher tradition? And in front of Red Sox Nation, the more successful junior franchise? Unacceptable. Scandalous!

Watching him, it’s doubtful Kenney thought for even a nanosecond of throwing back the ball. The guy wouldn’t last three innings in Chicago’s bleachers. He’s just so hard to figure.

Hey, it’s time for a confession: If I ever catch a home run ball at Wrigley, or any park, I wouldn’t be one of the sheep who throw it back. I’m keeping that sucker. Literally rejecting the opponent’s home run ball is perhaps the weakest fan tradition in sports. For example, imagine a Cubs fan telling his grandson he once caught a home run by Jason Heyward(notes) who, in 25 years, is about to be inducted to the Hall of Fame.

“What did you do with the ball, grampa?”

“Uh … I threw it back.”

See how silly it is? And it’s not like the umpires are going to be fooled by the ball bouncing back on the field and so they wave off the homer. OK, maybe some umpires would get fooled.

Like an infection, the practice of tossing back the home run ball has spread to other major league parks. Some folks even throw back foul balls hit by the enemy. Cardinals fans, you know who you are. Admiring Cubs fans for their loyalty, patience, persistence, blind devotion — whatever — is OK. But wanting to ape some of their worst behavior is unconscionable.

Fans in some parks still can be thrown out by security for throwing a ball on the field. But it’s a shrinking minority.

And now that Kenney — who already was unpopular among many Cubs fans — has ignored tradition, there’s little chance that throwing back the ball will ever go out of style soon.

It will continue, if for no other reason than to spite the suit in the front office who refuses to lead by example.

I have a crazy feeling that what happened at Fenway was a missed opportunity. Perhaps, if Kenney had thrown back Saltalamacchia’s homer, Cubs fans would have seen how uncool the act was, and a seed would have been planted. It could have been the beginning of a counter revolution. Inside of a decade, we could have wiped out the exercise entirely.

But Kenney’s pseudo-thoughtful and charitable action in flipping the ball to a child ruined any such remote possibility. They’ll be shouting “Throw it back!” at Wrigley — and elsewhere — for a long time to come.

Thanks for nothing, Crane Kenney.

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Related: Jason Heyward, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Ballpark Giveaways, Ballpark Mischief

The Chicago Cubs plan to reach out to VCU coach Shaka Smart and Butler coach Brad Stevens after the NCAA tournament to invite them to sing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch at Wrigley Field.

“

My grandfather unfortunately is probably in his last days with us. But some of my fondest memories are with him going to Wrigley Field, sitting on the first base side trying to catch some foul balls.

” – Shaka Smart

For Smart, the experience likely will tug at his heartstrings as he remembers the times his grandfather, Walter King, took him to Wrigley as a child. Smart said that King, who is reportedly hospitalized in Chicago with failing kidneys, may be in his last days.

“My grandfather unfortunately is probably in his last days with us,” Smart said Monday on “The Waddle & Silvy Show” on ESPN 1000. “But some of my fondest memories are with him going to Wrigley Field, sitting on the first base side trying to catch some foul balls.”

Those memories made Chicago feel like a second home to Smart, who is from Madison, Wis.

“Chicago is my favorite city in the whole country, and I’ve spent a lot of time in the city of Chicago as a kid,” Smart said. “It was kind of a second home for me.

“I’m a big Cubs fan, probably been to — conservatively — 50-60 Cubs games over the years. I once caught a Ryne Sandberg foul ball at my grandfather’s feet. So I’m a big Cubbies fan.”

Smart and Stevens face off in an NCAA semifinal on Saturday, and Smart is under the impression he may have to win to earn an invite to throw out a first pitch or sing at Wrigley.

“I would never turn that opportunity down, but I think we have to win a little bit more to get that offer,” he said. “I would love to do it. I love Wrigley, there’s no place I’d rather be to watch a ballgame.”

Cubs spokesman Peter Chase told ESPNChicago.com that Smart already has earned the invitation, and for Stevens, it will be an encore performance after singing last year following a NCAA title game appearance for the Bulldogs.

“We are aware of Coach Smart’s love for the Cubs and plan to reach out to him after the tournament,” Chase said. “VCU alum [and Cubs reliever] Sean Marshall has been keeping in touch with the athletic department as well.

“It will be cool to see two Cubs fan coaches face off in the Final Four on Saturday, as Butler Coach Brad Stevens is a Cubs fan as well.”

The Cubs won’t have to wait long for Smart’s answer.

“Well I will be there if I get the invite,” Smart said. “You can book that.”

MESA, Ariz. – The Cubs are searching for the next public-address announcer at Wrigley Field.

The team said Monday that applications can be submitted through March 7, including audio or video samples.

Finalists will be selected for auditions at Wrigley Field by March 14 and the final selection will be hired by March 25.

Applications can be submitted through CareerBuilders.com.

CHICAGO — How does “The Voice of Wrigley Field” sound as a new job title?

The Chicago Cubs announced Monday they are searching for a new public address announcer at the Friendly Confines, and they are opening the job search up to anyone, posting the ad on jobs site careerbuilder.com.

Candidates are invited to send in their applications — including an audio or video sample — by March 7. Finalists will be chosen for live auditions at Wrigley Field by March 14 with a final decision to be made by March 25.

The online job ad says experience working as a public address announcer in college or professional sports is preferred, but candidates “of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.”

“This is a dream opportunity for someone to be the voice at Wrigley Field and to leave a lasting impression on more than 3 million fans each season,” said Wally Hayward, executive vice president and chief sales and marketing officer of the Cubs.

The new announcer will replace Paul Friedman, who held the position for 16 seasons. Friedman left the Cubs to become Director of Corporate Sponsorship and Business Development at Chicago Public Radio.

The Cubs open the season at Wrigley Field against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 1.