Front row seat as Red Sox make history

Many Bermudians have close ties with Boston — and many are avid followers of the sports-mad city’s  teams.

But it didn’t matter whether you were inside the stadium as I was lucky enough to be, as close as the iconic Citgo sign around the corner from Fenway Park or at your home in Pembroke, Bermuda — everyone was focused on the historical significance of Wednesday night, hanging on every pitch.

Boston won the World Series Wednesday night after a 6-1 win over St Louis Cardinals in a lop-sided Game Six – the first time the team has clinched a baseball championship at famed Fenway Park since 1918.  In truth, and certainly inside the ballpark itself, the celebrations began long before the final play.

At the end of the crucial three-run fourth inning, from an overcrowded restroom, at least two-dozen men spontaneously began the “let’s go Red Sox” clap at a time when it might be expected their hands would be consumed doing something else.

It didn’t matter.  The excitement could not be contained, not even in there.

A Shane Victorino double saw three runs home in that third inning before the Cards were crushed in the bottom of the fourth. Stephen Drew kicked things off with a single home run before a Mike Napoli RBI saw Jacoby Ellsbury in. Then, in what was the final nail in the coffin for the Cards, Victorino got his fourth RBI to allow crowd favourite David Ortiz to score and make it 6-0.

St Louis clawed one back but a dramatic turnaround was never likely and starting pitcher John Lackey left the field at the top of the seventh to a standing ovation from the vociferous Red Sox fans.

The historical significance on the Series win was not lost on Bermudian Jeff Baron, at the game with his young son Jack, age four.  

Mr. Baron, an OBA Senator, has a parent from Massachusetts and his heart has been with the Red Sox since he was a boy.  Soon his own offspring will follow suit, evidenced by the well-worn Red Sox hat on his head.

“To have them win at Fenway, for the city — particularly after this year and the tragic events of the marathon – to have this city celebrate a win, in Boston, is so special to live through that and to be here for it.  This is pretty amazing.”

All of Red Sox nation, as they are known, celebrated mightily in 2004 and 2007 when the Red Sox were crowned best in baseball, but if the atmosphere before, during and after Game Six at Fenway Park is any indication, those two victories combined will not come close to the celebrations that will continue for days and weeks yet.