Fandango’s Flashback Friday: October 29

Fandango’s Flashback Friday: October 29

Wouldn’t you like to expose your newer readers to some of your earlier posts that they might never have seen? Or remind your long term followers of posts that they might not remember? Each Friday I will publish a post I wrote on this exact date in a previous year. How about you? Why don’t you reach back into your own archives and highlight a post that you wrote on this very date in a previous year?

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This post was published October 29, 2018, during oneletterup’s first year online. I experienced no déjà vu during the Major League Baseball playoffs this year, but was reminded of 2018…and more vividly…2004. What a fun surprise to discover this October 29th flashback to share. (Update: my then 2 year old grandson is now 5 and is a passionate Washington Nationals fan…forging his own sports fan path. His 5 month old sister – still undecided – wore a Red Sox hat during the recent playoffs…)

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Seventy Nine Messages

I woke up this morning to 79 text messages…

Last night was the Fifth and potentially Deciding game of the World Series. The Boston Red Sox vs. The L.A. Dodgers.

Hence the text messages…

Before going to sleep at around 10pm last night, I was in a frantic texting chain with my husband (here), our son (in MA) and daughter (in DC) – starting at 8pm Eastern Time.

Major League Baseball drama in overdrive. As is often the case, it was a family long distance affair.

At 8:00, there was checking in to see if everyone was wearing their gear. Yes for the guys. No for the gals. Uh oh.

And then the play by play got under way (condensed version)…

8:19: Benny!!!!
8:20:29: Pearce!!!!
8:20:40: Pearce!!!
8:25:15: Ok, David. Your turn.
8:25:45: Big chance for him.
8:26:32: Oh yeah.
and Fast forward….
9:36:11: Good stuff, Price!
9:36:29: He has settled down nicely
and…
9:56:19: Mookie!!!!!
9:56:36: He was so overdue.
9:56:45: He sure was
10:05:06: nice catch!
FF…
11:10:26: Sale?
11:10:50: JBJ!
11:11:03: I love having Sale here to close it out.
11:11:07: He can just let loose
11:11:34: True
11:12:40: 2
11:15:47: Yes!!!
FF…
11:18:02: We won!!!!!
11:18:24: We did!!!!!!
About 2 dozen texts later…
11:36:13: I’m gonna miss baseball
11:38:21: Me too
…father and son wound down at 11:43 pm.
This morning, my daughter and I were greeted by over 70 texts that arrived while we slept. 🙂

Another season over. The Red Sox won another World Series!

Still hard to believe.

Growing up in New Hampshire, my husband has the Sox in his blood. He can’t help it. His tattered falling-apart scrapbook commemorating the almost-made-it 1967 season survived downsizing. And now lives on in the storage unit.

I grew up in NJ and neither of my parents followed professional sports. My grandfather was a passionate baseball fan and rooted for whoever he was betting on; but was forever loyal to the Cincinnati Reds – the team of his childhood. As an adult he lived in NY, near our home. He took his grandchildren (including me) to Yankee stadium a few times in the 1960’s. I don’t think we truly appreciated it like he expected. My little brother was more interested in eating hot dogs and visiting the men’s room.

Once our kids were old enough to sit in front of the TV and whoop and holler along with their dad, they got Sox hats and shirts. Red Sox baseball cards. Off they went into Sox fan-land; as was their birthright.

In 1996, the 4 of us went to our first Red Sox game together. Bad news was brewing:  Fenway Park might be torn down! (it wasn’t)
“Save Fenway Park” appeared on bumper stickers. We had to get down there before it was too late…despite the fact that the Sox perpetually lost game after game. Or only made it to the first round. Or almost did….

This was before the Big Win in 2004; the end of the Curse Of The Bambino, the dawn of now-anything-is-possible.

Now it’s 2018. My kids are grown and have moved away. But devotion to their hometown team remains strong. And still connects us. Modern technology definitely helps. I’ve got over 150 text messages of loyalty to Red Sox Nation. Including coaching commentary.

My daughter did, however, marry a Yankees fan. How will they raise my now 2 year old grandson…as a Sox fan…or a Yankees fan…?  Who knows?
Perhaps he’ll be won over by a Fenway Frank.
Time will tell.