A fairly boo-free evening
I don't think I've ever gotten so emotional at a baseball game.
Last night, 36,000 people showed up at Fenway Park to see the Red Sox take on the New York Mets for the first time since the 1986 World Series. The Sox invited the 1986 team for a pre-game ceremony, which recognized the efforts of those AL Champs. Oil Can Boyd showed up. So did Dwight Evans, Jim Rice, and Wade Boggs. The organization even paid tribute to those who could not be there. And here's where it got interesting:
The fans came to their feet and cheered Bill Buckner for a good minute or so.
Apparently, old wounds heal and people forget grudges. A World Series title will do that to you, I suppose.
Then in the first or second inning, it got REALLY interesting.
The Sox played a montage of vintage Pedro, flashing words of welcome on the jumbotron... and the fans started cheering, louder and louder, until virtually the entire park was participating in a rousing standing ovation. And Pedro, looking visibly touched (and giddy), came out of the dugout to show his own appreciation.
Kind of a surreal situation. This all-star pitcher who I (along with thousands of others) naively thought would always be on the Sox sat in the opposing team's dugout. He waved to the fans. He smiled that Pedro smile and looked like he genuinely missed the Fenway faithful.
"I can't believe this," I said to my friend. "This isn't how it was supposed to be." People around us nodded. Amidst the cheering, there existed a kind of quiet bemusement, as fans attempted to absorb it all. The drunk guy in our section shut up for a few minutes. The kids to my left stopped fidgeting in their seats. The loud guy behind us could only muster a "Damn."
As difficult as it was, I'm glad I could be there. Red Sox fans often get a bad rap but they truly rose to the occasion last night and saluted those deserving. It's rare not to hear a single boo in these types of situations, but that's what happened. Sports loyalty is fierce.
(And in regards to that: Yes, I was the lone fan in my section heckling Julian Tavarez. Someone had to do it.)
Last night, 36,000 people showed up at Fenway Park to see the Red Sox take on the New York Mets for the first time since the 1986 World Series. The Sox invited the 1986 team for a pre-game ceremony, which recognized the efforts of those AL Champs. Oil Can Boyd showed up. So did Dwight Evans, Jim Rice, and Wade Boggs. The organization even paid tribute to those who could not be there. And here's where it got interesting:
The fans came to their feet and cheered Bill Buckner for a good minute or so.
Apparently, old wounds heal and people forget grudges. A World Series title will do that to you, I suppose.
Then in the first or second inning, it got REALLY interesting.
The Sox played a montage of vintage Pedro, flashing words of welcome on the jumbotron... and the fans started cheering, louder and louder, until virtually the entire park was participating in a rousing standing ovation. And Pedro, looking visibly touched (and giddy), came out of the dugout to show his own appreciation.
Kind of a surreal situation. This all-star pitcher who I (along with thousands of others) naively thought would always be on the Sox sat in the opposing team's dugout. He waved to the fans. He smiled that Pedro smile and looked like he genuinely missed the Fenway faithful.
"I can't believe this," I said to my friend. "This isn't how it was supposed to be." People around us nodded. Amidst the cheering, there existed a kind of quiet bemusement, as fans attempted to absorb it all. The drunk guy in our section shut up for a few minutes. The kids to my left stopped fidgeting in their seats. The loud guy behind us could only muster a "Damn."
As difficult as it was, I'm glad I could be there. Red Sox fans often get a bad rap but they truly rose to the occasion last night and saluted those deserving. It's rare not to hear a single boo in these types of situations, but that's what happened. Sports loyalty is fierce.
(And in regards to that: Yes, I was the lone fan in my section heckling Julian Tavarez. Someone had to do it.)
posted by Pam at 11:49 AM
1 Comments:
That's awesome, I wish I could have been there for that, if only to join you in heckling Tavarez.
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