By Natalie Hamil, Staff Writer, Emerson College
I was never a sports fan. I grew up in the Friday Night Lights of North Texas, going to every single home football game like everyone else did, and still I was not into sports. However, when I came to Boston over a year ago, all that changed.
To cite one team in particular, I fell in love with the Red Sox. Why? Because Boston baseball is all-too-often the underdog, and don’t we all relate to the underdog? We love the fact that the Red Sox moved from bottom of their American League division to the top of the World Series in a single season. We love the fact that the new manager, John Farrell, is worlds better than last year’s fluke of a manager, Bobby Valentine. And, of course, we love the team’s Boston Strong campaign that they played especially hard for this season.
MVP David Ortiz and the stellar 2013 team won over the hearts of thousands as they pursued this year’s World Series Championship. From the nail-biting American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers, to the nerve-racking World Series against the Saint Louis Cardinals, this year’s postseason was nothing less than exhilarating. Even at Emerson, the most liberal-arts of liberal-arts colleges, students were seen everywhere sporting Red Sox attire. And when they won? People ran into the streets, screaming and hugging and high-fiving random strangers. For the first time in 95 years, Boston won the World Series in Fenway Park, at home. Most never had seen it in their lifetime, and perhaps we never will again, but the memories from that night, and from the successive nights of celebration, will live in the memories of all citizens of Boston forever. People will remember precisely where they were and what they were doing the night the Red Sox won the 2013 World Series Championship.
The city was equally alive when Bostonians gathered together on the morning of November 2nd to watch the Rolling Rally blaze a trail through Boston. The famous Duck Boats of Boston carried Red Sox champions all through the city. They exited Fenway Park, passing over the Boston Marathon finish line in a beautiful tribute, then drove right past Emerson College on their way to the Charles River, where they paraded their Duck Boats in the water as their final hurrah. Lucky fans (including myself!) got to watch as our idols passed right in front of us, before our very eyes, grinning from ear to ear as we screamed their names. The people of Boston could not get enough.
Sports in Boston are unlike any sports I have ever seen. Sure, sports teams from all over the country have loyal and occasionally large fan bases, but there is nothing that compares to the fierce love that Boston has for its teams. The Red Sox, in particular, are the heartbeat of this city. They were there for us after the Marathon bombings occurred, taking a stand with the rest of the city and promising to win “for you, Boston.” The Red Sox did not break their promise - they showed us what Boston Strong really means.
Image: BostonHerald.com
Natalie Hamil is a Writing, Literature and Publishing major at Emerson College. She is on the pursuit of happiness. Her passions include reading, writing, crocheting and wearing interesting/colorful pants. Follow her on Twitter.
I was never a sports fan. I grew up in the Friday Night Lights of North Texas, going to every single home football game like everyone else did, and still I was not into sports. However, when I came to Boston over a year ago, all that changed.
To cite one team in particular, I fell in love with the Red Sox. Why? Because Boston baseball is all-too-often the underdog, and don’t we all relate to the underdog? We love the fact that the Red Sox moved from bottom of their American League division to the top of the World Series in a single season. We love the fact that the new manager, John Farrell, is worlds better than last year’s fluke of a manager, Bobby Valentine. And, of course, we love the team’s Boston Strong campaign that they played especially hard for this season.
MVP David Ortiz and the stellar 2013 team won over the hearts of thousands as they pursued this year’s World Series Championship. From the nail-biting American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers, to the nerve-racking World Series against the Saint Louis Cardinals, this year’s postseason was nothing less than exhilarating. Even at Emerson, the most liberal-arts of liberal-arts colleges, students were seen everywhere sporting Red Sox attire. And when they won? People ran into the streets, screaming and hugging and high-fiving random strangers. For the first time in 95 years, Boston won the World Series in Fenway Park, at home. Most never had seen it in their lifetime, and perhaps we never will again, but the memories from that night, and from the successive nights of celebration, will live in the memories of all citizens of Boston forever. People will remember precisely where they were and what they were doing the night the Red Sox won the 2013 World Series Championship.
The city was equally alive when Bostonians gathered together on the morning of November 2nd to watch the Rolling Rally blaze a trail through Boston. The famous Duck Boats of Boston carried Red Sox champions all through the city. They exited Fenway Park, passing over the Boston Marathon finish line in a beautiful tribute, then drove right past Emerson College on their way to the Charles River, where they paraded their Duck Boats in the water as their final hurrah. Lucky fans (including myself!) got to watch as our idols passed right in front of us, before our very eyes, grinning from ear to ear as we screamed their names. The people of Boston could not get enough.
Sports in Boston are unlike any sports I have ever seen. Sure, sports teams from all over the country have loyal and occasionally large fan bases, but there is nothing that compares to the fierce love that Boston has for its teams. The Red Sox, in particular, are the heartbeat of this city. They were there for us after the Marathon bombings occurred, taking a stand with the rest of the city and promising to win “for you, Boston.” The Red Sox did not break their promise - they showed us what Boston Strong really means.
Image: BostonHerald.com
Natalie Hamil is a Writing, Literature and Publishing major at Emerson College. She is on the pursuit of happiness. Her passions include reading, writing, crocheting and wearing interesting/colorful pants. Follow her on Twitter.