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120 years of the Boston team party

14th October 202314th October 2023 funtime65

Our Beantown pals never knowingly underplay themselves and why should they as this week we celebrate 120 years of the Boston team party.

In the beginning they were known as the Boston Americans which was what they called themselves in 1903 when they won the first World Series .

Against the National League winners Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-3 in a nine-game series.

The pride of the American League (ours, at least) Boston run through the history of the diamond game.

Taking on the Red Sox mantle in 1908 during the stewardship of John I. Taylor on account of their red stockings it has marked them out in the years since.

As has their Fenway Park ground which they moved into in 1912 and which is the oldest in baseball.

While its 37ft Green Wall is storied in baseball since the days when George ‘Babe’ Ruth kept clearing it from 310ft away in home plate in the 19teens.

The Curse of the Bambino

Ruth, of course, looms large in the Boston story with even non-sports fans aware of the ‘Curse of the Bambino’.

When Boston failed to add to their roll of five World Series wins after they had traded the Babe to the New York Yankees in 1920.

The curse was broken in Massachusetts not by magic but by good play.

Now because we love these sporting curses and check out ‘the Curse of Billy Penn’s peak’ we bring you a Bostonian contribution.

When a “reverse curve” road sign over the Storrow Drive was graffitied to read “Reverse The Curse.

Officials left it in place until the Sox won in 2004 World Series.

And it was edited to read ‘Reversed Curse’ in celebration.

Fenway for fans

The best way to immerse yourself in Boston Red Sox culture (other baseball teams are available) is a tour of Fenway Park.

Where, of course, you can see them show off their nine World Series triumphs.

Their most recent in 2018.

This year, alas, the Red Sox will not be making it ten.

As the winners will come from..

The holders, Houston Astros, the Texas Rangers, the Arizona Diamondbacks or the Philadelphia Phillies.

We don’t know of the Sox having brought down any curses on themselves through trading a hero.

Although Roger Clemens who we cheered on at Fenway in our summer in Boston in the Eighties only won his two World Series at those damned Yankees.

He had been at the Toronto Blue Jays but just saying.

Now even though our Red Sox won’t be there this year we’ll expect it to be referenced over this year’s games.

120 years of the Boston Team Party.

And, of course, our friends at Ireland’s national airline carrier Aer Lingus fly to Irish Boston with pre-clearance from €199.69.

America, Countries, Europe, Ireland, Oceania, Sport

Here we GAA with sport’s biggest rivalries

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Ireland will come to a standstill today for Dublin v Kerry so here we GAA with sport’s biggest rivalries.

The two great Gaelic Football or Gaelic Athletics Association (GAA) rivals have been facing off against each other since 1892.

So if you’re lucky, or you’ve planned ahead, then you’ll find yourself in Dublin on All-Ireland weekend.

When the Dubs and Kerry meet for the 14th time to decide who takes Sam home.

Sam being the iconic Sam Maguire after whom GAA’s most coveted trophy is named.

And paraded around the winning county’s clubs, filled to the brim with booze.

Croker is the real thing

Now seeing we live our lives by the mantra… go to where the locals pray and play we’d recommend the temple of GAA, Croke Park.

The 82,000 capacity North Dublin stadium affectionately known to locals as Croker which also houses the All-Ireland hurling final.

And Limerick’s hurlers are still in full party mode after beating their great rivals Kilkenny for their fourth title in a row.

Aussie rules

Famous travellers that they are the Irish took their Gaelic football with them when they were transported to Australia.

Where the sport developed into the Aussie Rules that it is today.

And the two countries play an international compromise series.

The biggest match of them all is the Grand final with Melbourne giants Carlton v Collingwood the fiercest match-up.

And every sports fan, and even those who don’t, need to visit the iconic MCG, the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

It’s a thing that they play Aussie Rules on a cricket oval which I know from watching the action at London’s Foster’s Oval.

Boston’s team party

And when it comes to sporting rivalries then in America old historical rivalries run deep.

And when you add the snatching of a heroic player, Babe Ruth who you build your club around.

And curse their opponents then it’s plain to see…

Why the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees built up a grudge match.

Boston, of course, is one of America’s great sporting cities.

And its basketball team, the Celtics, have built up quite the history with the LA Lakers.

And its ice hockey team, the Bruins, with the Montreal Canadiens.

While Tom Brady and the New England Patriots built up a resentment from New York, yes, but right across the States.

El Classico

Now there are other soccer rivalries including Scotland’s Celtic and their Old Firm derby with Rangers.

But there’s only one El Classico… Barcelona v Real Madrid.

Although there are variations on that theme around the world this football classic allows you to sample the Iberian Peninsula.

And yes, you have to take sides, so full disclosure here it’s been Barcelona ever since I first helicoptered over the Camp Nou.

And got wrapped up in Messimania many years later.

Get in the hole

Now some old rivalries have enjoyed refurbs to become bigger and better than ever.

With the Ryder Cup, held for most of its history between GB & Ireland, now extended to include Europe.

All of which has meant that as well as the British and Irish heartlands.

We’ve now had Ryder Cups in Spain, France and this September in Rome.

Where we’re hoping that instead of the oft-exclaimed exhort of Fore! we’ll be hearing Forza! instead.

Back to the All-Ireland and if you’re not, or can’t be, at Croker today.

Then the big match is on RTÉ obvs but also now BBC Sport at 3pm.

It’s a good place to start as here we GAA with sport’s biggest rivalries.

Countries

Frasier bustin’ for Boston again

22nd February 202322nd February 2023 funtime65

Time, if not life, has been kind to our favourite TV psychiatrist as we go back to the future for the reboot of his story, with Frasier bustin’ for Boston again.

And who can blame Dr Crane for returning to Boston tee-hee party after three decades?

We retraced our footsteps too in Boston last year after 35 years.

Frasier, of course, crashed onto our consciences in Cheers, and the Doc will find it is still there down the stairs.

And everyone will know his name if he walks through the bar.

With the rebranded drinking den (it was known as the Bull & Finch) a magnet for television sitcom fans who gladly pull up Norm’s stool for a beer.

The Merch of Boston

Boston, as American cities do but we here in Europe tend not to as much, was quick to see the possibility of merchandising the programme.

When we first visited, and stayed back in 1987.

It was the height of the sitcom’s popularity and my travelling pal Neilly manned one of the carts around town.

And, of course, we returned with t-shirts, tankards, you name it…

Alas, all of which have been lost to time, extended girths and moves around this and other countries.

The Bull & Finch, or Cheers, on Beacon Hill, past the Common, is, of course, one of just a host of great traditional bars around Boston.

Rose of Boston

And it was good to see that The Black Rose, State Street, Downtown, had lost none of its lustre.

In the years since I poured beer, waited tables (though no Carla me) and manned the door.

As the 24th biggest city in the US with a population of 675,647 and with land reclaimed from the harbour Boston is spacious.

But also a nice cosy hub down by the historic Old Boston, by Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market.

Best bar none

And anyone who goes down there should bar hop from the Bell in Hand Tavern to the Green Dragon Tavern to the Sam Adams Downtown Boston Taproom.

There is naturally competition among the bars down here as to who is the oldest.

And claims too of Sam drinking down there, while the Taproom also sells the best Adams merch.

The irony may be that the modern-day Sam and Frasier’s rival/friend metamorphosed into a bar owner who doesn’t drink.

But that won’t stop you… and to bluff it as a local then you should ask for a Sam (that’s Adams, not Malone, keep up) at the bar.

Sleepless since Seattle

We’d hope that the years since Seattle for Frasier have been kind in Chicago, a blue-collar sports city which has much in common with Boston.

Because Carla, and we do hope she makes an appearance having had a cameo in Frasier is there to meet him with the old gang.

As we hear much of the Frasier cast won’t be returning.

And with Frasier bustin’ for Boston again, so are we.

And when you do then we’d recommend flying out of Dublin with Aer Lingus and a sample weekend trip in April would be €603.92.

With you avoiding pre-clearance and staying at the Envoy Hotel which looks out over the Boston Tea Party Museum.