I know this is a political web site and not a sports site. In Boston there is no difference. Spent a few minutes before the game chatting with a former state rep, in fact.
First, congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals for an epic, at times bizarre, World Series. St. Louis is a great baseball town, one of the best. And the Cardinals are one of the great baseball teams, consistently good for decades.
And their fans are great people. Sat next to a few last night at Fenway. Why they would pay $7.75 for a warm can of Narragansett is beyond me. But, since they actually brag about making Bud Whatever, perhaps they don't know any better. Great people regardless, fun and nice even in defeat.
Twice in 10 years now the Cardinals have played a role in Boston Red Sox history. First the Curse, now a 95 year drought to celebrate a World Series victory in our lyric little bandbox.
This was a throwback postseason. Marketing BS aside. Wild card whatever aside. This was Orignal 16 baseball. Tigers. Indians. Dodgers. Pirates. Reds. Red Sox. A's. All teams with long traditions. All good baseball towns.
I can only live in a good baseball town. I have lived in two.
I grew up in Detroit. I can stlll name the '68 Tigers lineup, and remain a dedicated member of the Ray Oyler Fan Club. Ernie Harwell was the soundtrack to my summer for many years. The Tigers were my bond with my father and grandfather.
After 30+ years in New England I am as die hard a Sox fan as my native born wife's family. The Sox are my bond with my late father-in-law and my brothers-in-law. More, they are my bond with my daughters. And their pink Sox hats.
I was also at Fenway two weeks ago when Big Papi hit the grand slam that broke the Tigers back. I screamed and celebrated as Fenway shook. The next day was more difficult and I missed my Dad, who, if he was still alive, would not have been quite as pleased.
Like those '68 Tigers, the '13 Sox were a big part of a city's attempt to heal itself after a violent and tragic trauma. Like Detroit in '67, Boston spent several days gripped in fear and terror as violence flared. Twice now I have "sheltered in place", or been under curfew, as police and military units fanned out to restore order.
Detroit, despite an epic World Series win against the Cardinals in '68, never recovered from its tragedy. Never really healed. People left, then the jobs disappeared. Even the Tigers disappeared for a few years, a proud franchise becoming a sad joke.
This was not 2004. That emotional baggage of The Curse, the decades of grief, are gone. Nobody was agonizing about not winning at Fenway in 95 years. Nobody even realized it until this past week.
But winning at Fenway, just a short distance from the Marathon finish line, and the tragedy, has helped Boston and New England move on. To heal to some degree. The spontaneous crowd gathering at the finish line last night shows that.
The drunks cavorting nearby, not so much.
The way this team came together, as a team, and joined with New England to face the trauma helped. The way they played and won. Their grit, perseverance, and attitude reflected the city's attitude. This is our ^%#{#!!?%#% city. And this is our *^!?,%#^ team.
Sport (baseball in particular in my opinion), like art, music, good newspapers, culture, and history are important parts of what makes a community. The hugs and high fives with the Cardinal fans last night showed the deeper baseball community. Hell, they got to see a World Series game at Fenway Park, too.
I will end here with a few shaky pictures from Fenway Park last night.
Thanks.
A sign of the times. Not seen in Boston since 1918
Big Papi gets MVP award.
Trophy time
Three World Series wins in 10 years. After waiting 86 years. No wonder the kids are spoiled.
Insurance company celebrates Sox in World Series