As you may have noticed from my bio, I’m a Sox fan who rejoices from deep in the heart of Yanks country. It’s hard being so far away from Fenway, but I make the trip whenever I can. Also, MLB.TV is a gift from the baseball gods.
Oct 30, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Koji Uehara (19) celebrates after game six of the MLB baseball World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Fenway Park. The Red Sox won 6-1 to win the series four games to two. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
This season has been called many things including “miraculous” and “magical”. I call it “surreal”. Last season was painful. I wore my Sox hat with pride but winced whenever I was near a Yanks fan wondering when the jeers would come. When the Sox got Farrell back I was encouraged. I assumed that Victorino and Napoli were past their primes. I felt that the Yanks would be trouble and so would the Rays because they always are. I worried about the Jays and the O’s. I didn’t know what to think about where the Sox would end up in the standings. I had literally no expectations. And I think the team didn’t either and that was the key to success. They didn’t have any pressure. They had finished at the bottom and there were no where to go but up.
On April 15, I was at college wearing my Sox hat as usual. When I started to hear about the events at the marathon I was stunned and upset. I was glued to my phone desperate for information. None of the college kids around me seemed to care. Did they not know what was happening yet? Did they not care? I walked by one of my professor’s offices and heard her say “it’s nights like tonight it’s hard to have class.” At first I thought she was referring to the bombings, but then I realized there was no fear or sadness in her voice. She was referring to the fact that it was the first really nice weather day of the year. Needless to say, I didn’t learn much in class that night.
As the season progressed I enjoyed every game that I could. I was even able to take my cousin and his young son to the kid’s first Sox game! It was the one where Matt Moore threw a 2-hit complete game shutout against us. But a night at Fenway is a night at Fenway. Also, I ended up with the “Ted Williams seat” without even trying which was fun.
In the playoffs, I was still shocked that we had even made it that far. A different hero seemed to step up for each unbelievable game. I’ll admit that the fact that the Stankees didn’t even make the playoffs made me happy. Knocking those troublesome Rays out was very satisfying. I told myself that even if we didn’t beat Detroit we had still accomplished a lot and should be proud. But we might as well win the Pennant. And in the World Series I said even if we didn’t beat St. Louis we had still accomplished a lot and should be proud. But we might as well win it all. And it seems the team felt the same way.
I watched the games at home on TV. I had felt that Buck and McCarver had been shamelessly rooting for the Rays and then the Tigers. But in the World Series either I had grown accustomed to their habits or they were being more fair and balanced. When the Sox won I texted my cousin in MA and a few Sox-fan coworkers. I stayed up too late watching coverage on Fox and then switched between ESPN and MLBNetwork all the while wishing I had access to NESN.
What I wouldn’t give to have been in Boston on Wednesday night or to be there tomorrow. I’ll be watching as much coverage of the parade as I can get my eyeballs on. If you’re going have fun and tweet lots of photos for those of us living vicariously through you from deep in the heart of Yanks country.
Go Red Sox!