I was born and raised in Massachusetts, and, therefore, a Red Sox fan. Shout out to my parents for raising me to love a team with such a storied history and devoted fan base. I may not have suffered through the Curse of the Bambino for nearly as long as the generations before me, but I have the deepest appreciation for all the work the team puts in the year after year to keep the fans engaged and proud of our city.
Picture yourself driving into Boston, Mass., to attend a baseball game at historic Fenway Park. After driving for some time, finally, the John Hancock and Prudential Towers are peaking over the trees in the distance as you drive along the Massachusetts Turnpike. The Boston skyline coming into view is just the beginning of the incredible experience you are about to have while seeing a game at Fenway Park as a Red Sox fan. You've parked and probably paid about $40 to do so (unless you got lucky and found a meter), but you have made it. You can already smell the grilled sausages, onions, peppers and peanuts, and are eager to enter the stadium through the thrilling Yawkey Way entrance. You and your friends walk through the concourse and grab a few Fenway Franks and beers and are ready for your shining moment of entering the stands.
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To this day, the feeling of entering Fenway Park and seeing the field for the first time is one of my favorite things about being a Red Sox fan. The suspense builds up as you walk up the ramp and begin to feel the rays of sun on your skin and finally see the Green Monster. At this moment, you truly feel like you are a part of the history itself. Each and every one of us Red Sox fans has endured the losses in order to relish the magical wins. Moments like when Johnny Damon hit a grand slam in the 2004 American League Championship Series against the Yankees or when Boston police officer Steve Horgan celebrated as Torii Hunter of the Detroit Tigers failed to catch a grand slam just don't happen as often as we would like, but these moments are what makes being a Red Sox fan exceptionally special and memorable.
I haven't even mentioned the feeling of coming together with the other 37,000 people in the ballpark to do the wave or sing Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" during the middle of the eighth inning. There is just no feeling like being a Red Sox fan, and you do not even need to be at Fenway to be proud of this team and enjoy the game. Any good restaurant or bar in Massachusetts will have the game playing when it's on. I am the type of fan that even gets excited just seeing people wearing a Red Sox hat or T-shirt in public.
Many of us dream of seeing a game from the Green Monster, meeting David Ortiz, throwing out the first pitch or yelling at Yankees fans. There are so many great moments to be had as a Red Sox fan, and I wouldn't want to root for any other team (unless they are playing the Yankees).
Being a Red Sox fan means being a part of something bigger than yourself. We are all a part of a worldwide community of fans who love to watch America's pastime sport and love the players who put on a show for us each game. Hopefully, this season will be one for the history books.
As much as I hope the New York Yankees have an unsuccessful season, I am looking forward to my competitive nature coming out when the Sox versus Yankees games happen. Hating the Yankees is a perk of being a Red Sox fan, and we do not take the responsibility lightly. So to my fellow Red Sox fans, we have a responsibility to root for our team through the good times and the bad. Let's do our duty and support our team from wherever we are and whenever we can. Go Red Sox!
