CENTRAL ISLIP, NY – Every career has an ending. For Butch Hobson, 2005 could be his last in professional baseball.

"It’s quite possible that this might be it," a reflective Hobson said. "I have two young sons who are playing baseball. They are good ballplayers and I want to see them play more. I also have a baby girl who is 15 months."

If this is indeed the end, Hobson has had a long and interesting journey.

As a major league player from 1975-82, the 55 year-old hit .238 with 98 home runs and 397 RBI. Most of that output was in 1977 when he hit .265 with 30 homers and 112 RBI.

"I was on a great team," said the 55-year old Hobson, referring to his career season. "I had a lot of really great hitters in front of me. I hit ninth in that lineup - behind (Dwight) Evans and George Scott. Before that you had Pudge (Fisk), Yaz, (Fred) Lynn and (Jim) Rice. It was a tremendous team. I worked very hard. I was a mediocre talent, but I worked very hard to get there."

And that made him an important part of the Red Sox success of the late 1970s, which put in the middle of Boston’s old rivalry with the New York Yankees.

"Back then, the rivalry was intense and it was a way," he said. "That’s the way it’s now. When I managed and when I went over to New York, I didn’t see the intensity that I seen in Boston. But today, it’s back because of the Wild Card. The Red Sox have played the Yankees a couple of times in those situations and that rivalry has seemed to come back."

Which also made last year’s victory by the Red Sox all the sweeter.

"For all us Red Sox fans, it was special," Hobson said. "It was a long time coming and I am very happy for Terry Francona for being the guy that finally got it. It was a magical year, being down 3-0 to the Yankees and finally winning. I am very proud of them."

His time in Boston was an up and down one. Because of the way he played, Hobson was often injured and he also had a reputation of living a hard lifestyle off the field, which was checkered with substance abuse problems.

"I had a football mentality as a player and I have a football mentality as a manager," he said. "That’s the only way I could ever play. If I haven’t ran as hard off the field, my career probably would have been longer."

Because of his off-field transgressions, Hobson views himself as a role model to players and fans.

"My biggest focus and biggest thing I can pass on with them is that when you are an athlete, people want to see you fail," Hobson said. "There are people out there that will put you in a position to fail, if you are not smart. I was not smart. I was one of those guys who thought in order to fit in, this is what I should do and it probably cost me a few years on my career."

After his playing career ended, the manager moved into coaching and was the manager of the Boston Red Sox from 1992 through 1994. His record during that span was 207-232, but he enjoyed his time there, even with the infamous Boston media on his tail.

"I didn’t have a problem with the Boston media," he said. "I gave them what they wanted and when they needed it. I got along with them. If you don’t win in Boston you are going to get criticized and you are going to get fired. That’s just the way it is and it comes with the territory."

After his time running the Fenway bench, Hobson became manager of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barrons, but that was short-lived when he was arrested for cocaine possession in 1996. He got a one more chance when he became the third manager of the Nashua Pride in 2000. The manager is able to be close to home and use his life experiences with the players.

"I try to teach life after baseball," Hobson said. "I try to talk to like experiences. Some of these guys go on to be coaches and managers. I try and show them some of the mistakes I made. What I would do differently. I just communicate on a daily basis."

Hobson’s first job is managing baseball games and he has put a competitive team on the field every season. Under his guidance, the Pride won the Atlantic League championship his first season and last season won the second half after signing a well known player.

"Dante Bichette called and actually wanted to try his hand a pitching," Hobson said. "But he did DH for us and had a big bat, which was one of the reasons we won the second half. He was a true professional."

This season, Nashua has started slow with a 10-12 record. The manager does feel that the team has played better than its record, but still has a lot of work to do.

"We have been pitching pretty well as of late, but we aren’t hitting consistently," Hobson explained. "My number one catcher has been out for ten days and he runs that pitching staff. We have to hit we have to hit consistently, but we’re just swinging too hard."

No matter what happens with the Pride this season, Hobson will still have many memories to look back upon.