A Day to Remember

Although the Boston Red Sox lost their home opener for the first time since 2004, Friday’s opening day ceremony was a blend of celebration and the plucking of heart strings that will forever be seared into the hearts of Red Sox Nation. After the eight World Series Championship banners were draped over the Green Monster on cue to the Jurassic Park theme song, the tempo swayed into Bill Withers’ “Lean On Me” as a line of Boston Marathon Bombing victims and first responders, led by the infamous man in the cowboy hat—Carlos Arredondo—emerged from the Yaz door bearing gifts. The Marathon group hailed the World Series Championship rings, and brought them to the ring table that was placed at the end of a red carpet that stretched from the Sox dugout to first base. As the ring bearers peeled off from the table, they followed the carpeted path and continued alongside the home dugout as they were embraced by the 2013 World Champion Boston Red Sox. Among the victims was seven year old, Jane Richard, who lost both her brother, Martin Richard, as well as her leg during the bombings last April. Since then, Jane has learned to walk with a prosthetic, and was sporting a Pedroia jersey and a smile. “It’s a new beginning,” Arredondo said in response to bringing a close to the 2013 season with Friday's ring ceremony. “The city is healing.” The Marathon victims weren’t the only group being honored during Friday’s pregame. Following the ring ceremony, where each player jogged to center field after receiving their ring from GM Ben Cherrington and all three Red Sox owners, the Engine 33 fire brigade flooded the field and lowered the American Flag and Championship flag to half mass. Accompanying the lowering of the flag was a moment of silence in honor of Lt. Edward J. Walsh and firefighter Michael R. Kennedy –who died in the Boston blaze last week. The ceremony—however—wasn’t all heart strung. It was also a ceremony of celebration to commemorate the 2013 season, and all that went into winning the championship. “Each player was shown up on the video board,” manager John Farrell reflected on the ceremony in his post-game press conference. “It gave everyone a chance to go back to last year and relive everything that happened.” Among the players who received the greatest fan praise were Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogarts, Koji Uehara, and of course—Boston’s MVP and hero—David Ortiz. Ortiz received not only his third championship ring, but also a special World Series MVP ring. Inspired by Ortiz’s announcement of “Boston this is for you” while hoisting the 2013 championship trophy last year, former Boston mayor Thomas Menino emerged from the Yaz door on a golf cart and brought out to the pitcher’s mound by former Boston Bruin, Mark Recchi. Accompanying the former mayor were former members of the Boston Red Sox, and current members of Boston Celtics, and New England Patriots, all parading hardware their respective teams won for this city during the past decade. The close out the ceremony, a US Coast Guard helicopter flew over the park to the Boston Pops’ “Shipping out to Boston,” ending the most emotion packed ring ceremony that Fenway Park has ever seen.