On the afternoon of April 15, I was on the field coaching a baseball game. A parent told me during the game about the Boston Marathon bombing. Details were scarce, but things didn’t sound good.
On April 15, the Boston Red Sox were sitting in first place, ahead of my beloved Orioles, who were sitting ahead of the Yankees and the rest of the American League East.
We stayed glued to the television for the rest of the week, watching news coverage and praying for everyone involved. We watched the Red Sox take the field again that Saturday after postponing Friday’s game, and I knew.
While the Curse of the Bambino ended in 2004, and was laid to rest again in 2007, something was afoul last season and all was not well in Beantown. But this year, the team had a city on their shoulders and a cause to rally around.
This year would be different.
With their growing beards, the Red Sox have reminded their city and the nation that there is more to Beantown than the memories of April 15.
In Game One of the World Series last night, the cheers were electrifying at every hit, strikeout or groundout, and they were even louder with every run scored. When you score 8 runs, you give your fans a lot to cheer about.
The way the fans have sung Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” every time Shane Victorino bats shows they are behind this team, this icon, this pillar of strength.
“Don’t worry about a thing, ‘cause every little thing gonna be all right.”
Notice Victorino’s shirt in this picture: 4.15.2013.
For the Red Sox, Victorino and the City of Boston, everything is turning out alright this season. For a city needing a little inspiration, the Red Sox have delivered.
Although it pains me to say it, and I resisted all year, I’ll say it now: Go Red Sox.
