The casual observer who stumbles across broadcasts of <a href="http://thenational.ae/sport/north-american-sport/a-world-series-title-may-be-in-the-cards">baseball's World Series</a>, which begins on Wednesday, likely will be impressed by the beards cultivated, as a team-building exercise, by <a href="http://thenational.ae/sport/mlb/red-sox-finish-tigers-take-spot-in-world-series">the Boston Red Sox</a>. Paul Oberjuerge examines five of the most impressive. 1. <strong>Mike Napoli</strong>: The burly catcher reminds Americans of photos of 19th century Civil War generals. Napoli's luxuriant growth seems to have a life of its own, and may even get some of the credit for his two game-deciding home runs in the American League Championship Series last week. 2. <strong>Jonny Gomes: </strong>The outfielder was Napoli's co-conspirator at the start of the Boston beard trend, even before the current season began. Gomes said facial hair is about sending a message. "Guys with beards and beards in general are pretty tough," he said. 3. <strong>Dustin Pedroia: </strong>The diminutive second baseman and 2008 American League MVP has worn a beard for several years, but it appears longer now. A writer at the website bostonmagazine.com wrote: "The Red Sox's record improves with the length of Dustin Pedroia's beard." 4. <strong>David Ortiz: </strong>The veteran Dominican known as "Big Papi" has worn a beard most of his career, during which he has hit 431 home runs. Ortiz is known for tugging on the beards of teammates who have made key plays. Said Gomes: "It doesn't hurt as much as you would think." 5. <strong>Clay Buchholz: </strong>Gomes said teammates with lesser beards can blame their parents for not passing on "the facial-hair gene", but Buchholz is making do with a sparse-beard/long-hair package that brings to mind Gary Sinise as the deranged Lieutenant Dan in the film Forrest Gump.