Ring Day At Fenway by Jared Carrabis
Sox Finally Arrive Home To Raise Championship Banner

Finally, after a grueling nineteen day, 1,600 mile, three country world tour for the Boston Red Sox, the day that we have all been waiting for finally arrived and boy was it well worth the wait. The road to this day didn’t begin nineteen days ago when the Sox left Fort Myers for Japan, no. The road filled with anticipation leading up to this day began the second that Jonathan Papelbon blew a fastball by the bat of Seth Smith into the mit of Jason Varitek this past October sealing the deal on Boston’s second World Series title in four years. Many of us were still in disbelief that this team had even won one World Series and before we knew it, we were celebrating another. It didn’t sink in for most until Tuesday in Boston when Fenway Park opened it’s gates for the ninety-sixth time to begin a season.


Red Sox Nation was treated with one of the most memorable days that one can experience as a fan of this team. With so many moments that surely brought tears to the eyes of Boston fans from all over the globe packing the hour-long ceremony. The festivities began with the unveiling of the World Championship banners representing all the championships Boston has won in their past being draped across the Green Monster. First 1903, then 1912, 1915, 1916, the season we had become all too familiar with, 1918 and then a gigantic 2004 World Champions banner was dropped taking up the entire wall much like it did on Opening Day 2005. Finally, the 2007 World Champions banner fell from the top of the Green Monster covering that of the 2004 banner and the Fenway Faithful began to erupt in appreciation for what their hometown team had accomplished this past October.


To commemorate the World Champions, the Boston Pops played loudly as the 2007 squad lined up for their World Series rings. Leading the way for the Red Sox was none other than their captain, Jason Varitek. With nearly the entire 2007 squad back in a Red Sox uniform for the 2008 season, there weren’t as many surprise guests as their were back in 2004. Royce Clayton was on hand to claim his free World Series ring, Bobby Kielty could not make the ceremony and one of the loudest and certainly one of the warmest receptions was for that of Doug Mirabelli. Mirabelli was cut from the club last month but still showed up to receive his ring and to say his goodbyes to the best fans in baseball.


After the champs were rewarded with their rings, it was off to center field to raise the 2007 World Champions banner to the top of the flagpole. The team stood tall and walked together, united as one out to center field. Long time Red Sox legend, Johnny Pesky, stepped forward alongside David Ortiz to raise the banner in front of 36,567 fans in the stands along with all-time greats representing all the New England teams such as Bobby Orr, Bill Russell and Tedy Bruschi, a moment that surely choked up any diehard fan with a pulse.


The ceremony would be capped off with yet another memorable moment when Red Sox great Bill Buckner emerged from the Green Monster in left field and began walking towards home plate to an extremely loud and receptive standing ovation. Buckner was deeply touched by the reception that he received from the Boston fans as it was a very emotional experience for him. His ceremonial first pitch was the start of the Boston Red Sox season at home in 2008. Boston was victorious against the New York Yankees the last time they received their World Series rings back in 2005, in 2008 they would be looking to do just the same.


Daisuke Matsuzaka took the mound for Boston looking to build on his last outing which was a very impressive line of six and a third, one run, two hits and nine strikeouts. To say the least, Matsuzaka impressed us all once again as the now 0-7 Detroit Tigers never had a chance. Matsuzaka cruised through six and two thirds scoreless innings against Detroit racking up seven K’s. His second consecutive dominant outing in a row helped lower his ERA to a miniscule 1.47 and raised his strikeout total to 22 through three starts this young season.


The Red Sox, who have not lost a game on American soil yet this season going 3-0, had this game won from the very start. With a dominating performance from their starter and a lights out bullpen, all Boston needed to do was scrap a few runs together and that’s what they did. Kevin Youkilis led the way collecting three hits on the day with two runs batted in. A sac fly from Coco, a triple by Manny and an error by Polanco in the same play, and a bases loaded walk to JD Drew would be all the Red Sox would need as they managed to throw together runs any way they could take them. With a strikeout to end the ninth by Hideki Okajima, the Red Sox were undefeated at home in 2008 well on their way to repeating. Let’s hope they do because we’ve still got eight fingers left to cover with rings for this generation of Red Sox Nation.


Final Score: Tigers 0, Red Sox 5

Published on April 08, 2008

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