Patriots’ Day holiday has deep roots in US history
For Patriots’ Day on Monday, people in New England and beyond were planning to commemorate the start of the American Revolution.
The third Monday in April recognizes the battles of Lexington and Concord as well as the aftermath of the “shot heard ’round the world.” The day is celebrated with historical reenactments, sporting events and parades.
Patriots’ Day was first celebrated in Massachusetts in 1894 and was proclaimed by then-Gov. Frederic Greenhalge.
The holiday was created to defuse a rivalry between the cities of Lexington and Concord, which had dueling celebrations to mark the beginning of the American Revolution.
The holiday was originally observed on April 19, the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, but was moved to the third Monday of the month in 1969.
While the holiday is not a federal holiday, it is most associated with Massachusetts. It is also celebrated in five other states, including Connecticut and Maine.
Marathon run on Patriots’ Day
The Boston Marathon has been run on Patriots’ Day since 1897. It is currently organized by the Boston Athletics Association.
The race was scheduled to start at 9:02 a.m. ET with the men’s wheelchair field with the professional men starting at 9:37 a.m. Eastern and the professional women starting at 9:47 a.m.
The race’s only cancellation came in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 version was postponed to Oct. 11 for the same reason.
In 2013 three people were killed and hundreds were wounded when two men detonated homemade bombs at the race’s finish line.
Red Sox recognize history
The Boston Red Sox have scheduled a game on Patriots’ Day since 1959.
This year, the first pitch for the game against the Cleveland Guardians was set for 11:10 a.m. Eastern.