HOWEVER...I had a FABULOUS time at game one, despite the blowout (which is not so fun, no matter which team you want to win. Blowouts suck.)
I got to Fenway just as the gates opened. Instead of going in, however, I decided to walk down Lansdowne Street to the studio of WEEI Sports Radio to catch the pregame show. Glenn Ordway was taking calls, and of course everyone was talking about how the Rockies stink and the Red Sox are perfect. There wasn't a Rockies fan to be seen on the street.
I had on a black pullover, so I took my Rockies cap out of my backpack and put it on. Just because. As much as I'm a Red Sox fan, I thought the conversation was a bit one-sided.
Well, Ordway stopped the caller, pointed at me out the window, and said, "Wait a minute! I think we have Miss Colorado out here! She's actually wearing a Rockies hat!" (I'm telling you, there were NO other Rockies fans in sight. I was taking my life into my hands.) Ordway said something else about me maybe being on his flight to Denver on Saturday, and something about how he couldn't stop the show to do _____? I couldn't hear what he said, because the people around me were booing my hat. (Little do they know I'm also a Sox fan.) Wish I knew what he'd said!
After watching for a while longer, I decided to go around to Yawkey Way and see what was happening inside the park. As I went through the turnstile, Larry Lucchino shook my hand and welcomed me to Fenway Park. Must say, I felt really, really wrong shaking his hand while wearing a Rockies hat.
Once inside, I made my way past the Rockies' dugout to stand behind the Fox broadcast platform, just down the third base line. Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Eric Byrnes was broadcasting alongside Kevin Kennedy and the rest of the Fox News anchors. But check out Eric's shoes:
Yep, he was wearing ripped up jeans and Vans. They were giving him a hard time pre-broadcast, and I loved every minute of it.
I counted a grand total of eight Rockies fans inside the ballpark (this was my count during the entire game), but one--who'd flown in from Denver--was down watching the Fox broadcast with me. I took a picture of him with his friend (a Red Sox fan), then he took a picture of me, just so I could prove I was there. (Plus, I doubt any Sox fans would have been willing to take my picture.)
The Rockies were catching balls in the outfield if they weren't in the batter's box. My next future husband, Matt Holliday (after Jacoby Ellsbury...but there's a whole 'nuther blog on that) was chatting with Brad Hawpe and Troy Tulowitzki as they fielded balls.
When it was Holliday's turn to bat, he walked my direction, saw my hat, and gave me a huge grin and a wave when I gave him a thumbs up (remember...the stands were a solid blanket of red-hatted fans, so I stood out.) I called my husband to let him know my Series was officially complete, because Holliday smiled at me. I suspect it was yet another moment he regretted giving me his ticket.
I watched Holliday take batting practice, made my way through the crowd (with much heckling), got a high five from Wally, the Green Monster, then hid in a bathroom stall (I know where the clean ones are located) to change into a red long-sleeved shirt, a Manny Ramirez jersey, and Red Sox hat. Before heading to my seat, I did pin a Colorado flag to the top.
I think I represented my home state well (hey, the Big O called me Miss Colorado on the air!) But at Fenway, after 8 pm, I was once again a member of Red Sox Nation. I got back to my seat just in time for team introductions. Took this shot of the lineup, but hate to guess what Manny Corpas was thinking here:
The shot of my two favorite managers, Terry Francona (best thing ever to happen to the Red Sox) and Clint Hurdle was better:
John Williams and the Boston Pops did the Star Spangled Banner, the first pitch was thrown by Yaz and the rest of the '67 Red Sox, and we were underway!
Josh Beckett threw a fantastic game, as everyone knew he would. Even Matt Holliday struck out in the first. (Sadly, I took a picture of that, too.)
Jeff Francis, unfortunately, had one of his worst outings of the year. Bummer, because I wanted both teams to play to the level of which they're capable. And I wanted to see how the Sox handled Francis when he pitched his best.
In the end, it was a 13-1 blowout (game two was much more balanced, with a final score of 2-1, in favor of the Red Sox, thanks to great pitching by Jonathan Papelbon and the super-cool, always underrated Hideki Okajima.)
On the way out, I spotted the coolest hat in the park...it has Fenway Park, the Green Monster, and the Citgo sign on top, and helmets of all the AL teams around the outside:
Now that's a fan!
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