Hub fans party on with Sox
The greatest sports town in the universe kept the party going this morning on the corner of Van Ness Street and Yawkey Way.
The annual departure of the Red Sox equipment truck — loaded with everything from baseballs and bats, to bubble gum and sunflower seeds — from Fenway Park brought out a hearty crowd of New England sports fanatics who came to help launch the unofficial start of spring training, a group still reveling in the Patriots historic comefrom-behind victory Sunday night over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI.
“I come every year, and this time it is to precelebrate the 2017 World Series,” a confident Brian Reynolds of Dunstable said. “The Super Bowl last night, the truck loading today and the (Super Bowl) parade tomorrow, it doesn’t get any better than this.”
This year, fans were offered the opportunity to sign the side of the truck, and many left supportive notes to their favorite players.
Although the weather was on the cold side, fans flocked to Fenway to take in the event. For many, the day has become a tradition that is not to be missed.
“This is our second year coming,” Burlington’s Peter Sereni, in attendance with wife Shelly, said. “This is the harbinger of spring, and after last night’s (victory) how can we also not be here.”
Andrew Singleton, sporting a crisp Red Sox cap, moved from Atlanta to Boston a year ago and quickly fell in love with the Red Sox, but his rooting interest in the local football team may take a little more time.
“I root for the Red Sox, but last night I rooted for the Falcons. It was a rough (Super Bowl), but what are you going to do because it’s still nice to be in a city that wins championships,” he said with a laugh. “My cousin has always been a fan of the Red Sox, so I’ve always been a secondhand fan. They are my American League team and the Atlanta Braves are my National League team.”
Once everything was packed and before driver Al Hartz of Milford turned the keys on his 19th straight year of driving the truck to Fort Myers, Red Sox poet laureate Dick Flavin graced the crowd with a new spring training poem, while team president Sam Kennedy walked amongst the masses shaking hands.
The Red Sox ambassadors, meanwhile, stood on the back of a flat-bed tossing souvenirs to the fans.
The glow of the Super Bowl win — Boston’s 10th overall championship in the past 15 years — and the opening salvo of a highly anticipated baseball season was reason enough for one young fan to take a personal day to be part of the festivities.
“I came back in 2013 and they won the World Series, so I figured I had to come back,” said Brian Dankese of Wilmington, who took the morning off from school to partake. “I expect a lot of wins and another World Series this year.”
Spoken like a true Boston sports fan.