Red Sox Banner Day one generation to the next
The Red Sox celebration could not have been scripted better by those that made the “Fever Pitch” movie. First to meet Larry Lucchino on Yawkey Way, and for him to say, it was his pleasure to meet me, was a great way to start it off. Then to speak with Dr. Charles Steinberg by the player’s parking lot, and to have him say to me “Thanks for reminding me that tomorrow is the boss’s birthday, that is a good one to remember.” To enter the park and stand by the field, and have Johnny Damon come over shake his hand, and talk to him was really special. He graciously signed my son’s program, and just made everyone feel like they knew him personally. Then to have a TV crew interview me, and ask if we paid a lot for the tickets. I just said I’m just the luckiest fan in the world, just to be there with my sons. All this and we hadn’t even reached our seats yet. The ceremony was something every Red Sox fan has waited for since they were old enough to crawl to first base. It was when the ceremony began, that I began to reflect upon my life as a Red Sox fan. From the first game my father brought me to in 1957, I can recall Ted Williams hitting a home run in the last of the ninth to tie the Yankees, and remember that joy, only to have it end in pain, as NY scored 3 in the tenth to win. I remembered my father in July of 67 saying we should get tickets for the last game because it might mean something this year, and it turned out to mean the pennant. Or when we were lucky enough to have someone offer us 2 bleacher seats for game 7 Gibson vs. Longborg, 5 minutes before the game was about to start. At that moment another fan offered my dad $200 for something we just paid $40 for. He thought about selling until I said. “Dad it is the 7th game of the World Series, the Red Sox probably will never get this close to winning in our lifetimes, why would you sell these tickets to make $160?” He said “you’re right lets go to the game.” We did, they lost, but we were there. Then in 1975 he went to Boston at 4 in the morning and got SRO for game 2 and 6 of the World Series. Then in 1978 he took me and 5 friends to the playoff game, that was lost on a pop up that went into the screen. Then during the World Series of 1987 on the night of the 4th game, he died. Today was a day to remember him, and when the banner rolled down the green monster, tears began to roll down my cheeks. It was a combination of euphoria, and sadness rolling down at the same time. Standing next to my two boys, I felt like the luckiest fan in the whole park. Seeing the joy on their faces, will remain in my heart for all eternity. There are some riches in life that can’t be measured in dollars and cents. With me, my riches are the Red Sox. Many are just as much fans as I am, but I am so much richer compared to everyone else. Back in the 60’s and 70’s when my father took me to games, even when you bought a scalped ticket it wasn’t a week’s pay. The playoff game of 1978 only cost $20 for a $2 bleacher ticket. Today anyone can get a ticket. I checked at stub hub yesterday, and one grandstand for Opening Day at Fenway would cost you $999. Why then have I become so lucky to just write email to the leaders of my favorite team, and they go out of their way to let me go to a game? Not only today, but playoff games in 2003 and 2004, and the World Series. To be able to stand and cheer with my sons when Ortiz hit that home run at 1:22 AM less than 50 feet from where I sat with my Dad when Fisk hit his home run at 12:22 AM in 1975 made me feel like not many fans could have experience both of those thrills. Thousands must write email to leaders of their team, but for some unknown reason my request always seem to be answered. So even though my father, Earl Swanson didn’t last on this earth until Boston finally won it all, I’m positive that he was smiling down today, on his son, and grandchildren which he never knew. To paraphrase the words of the immortal Lou Gehrig “Today I feel as though I am the luckiest fan on the face of the earth.”
I am the Fan’s Commish
Rick Swanson
but really one lucky Red Sox fan