Just thought I'd say hello. I have been a Sox fan since 1966 when my family moved to the Boston area from Louisville. My father moved us here to teach at BC, be near the Cape, and to be back in a NHL city. I was introduced to baseball at this time. I learned to play and was just in time for Tony C. (listened to the bean game on a Panasonic AM radio I received for my Birthday), and The Impossible Dream season.
I saved money from mowing lawns and shoveling snow to take the bus from Newton Corner to Kenmore Sq. A short walk from the center field bleachers where I paid $1 to enter the park. I'd watch the game from the bleachers for three innings at which point I would pay $2 more to enter the right field grandstands and gain access to just about any unoccupied seat in the house. Eventually I was able to make enough money (working at my first real job) to attend about 40 games a season through high school. I was on a first name basis with the Baltimore bullpen at one point. This happened when I made a lasting impression on them by smoking one of their cigars. It was funny to them. I was 16 or 17 but looked 12. They thought it was hilarious.
I saw Sonny Siebert face Vida Blue in a rain delay game. Fortunately, I was under cover in the right field grandstands. Sal Bando stuffed a pillow under his jersey and amused the crowd by using the base paths as a giant slip&slide. He'd run half way from one base to another, then slide head first on the tarp the rest of the way to the bag. It was really funny. I stood next to Carlton Fisk on the right sideline before a game. He was walking in from the pen with Roger Moret. Fisk was attempting to translate for him. That was funny.
I sat in the left field grandstands just once. I came to a double header to see my (then) favorite player, George Scott play for the Brewers . Cecil Cooper was the Sox 1st baseman. A pigeon crapped on my head. It was awful. Not to mention the Sox lost both games (I believe). Someone told me I would have good luck because a bird crapped on me.
No such luck!
Here's hoping the Sox get on track soon.
Later.
