At What Point?

I was thinking today At What Point did I become a full fledged Red Sox fan? It is really hard to fingerpoint the specific time.....however It all began back in the early 80's....maybe even further than that...back to when I was about 13 years old and began hanging out down at the West Orange Little League ballpark where alot of the neighborhood boys played ball. I enjoyed watching baseball. I then went on to high school and college preferring to attend the baseball games than the football games. I can joke around and say it was the uniforms but quite frankly, the tight white pants the football players wore showed alot more than the baseball pants, so that excuse is just a joke. I attended college in southeast Texas at Lamar of which had a stupendous baseball program so I grew to love it more.

Attending Lamar and checking up on the baseball program, I would hear about this kid from Austin's University of Texas named Roger Clemens. After his glorious career with them leading them to the College World Series in 1983, I watched him head off to the Red Sox farm. The year I was attending my last year in college, Roger was in his 3rd season with the Sox when he hit his first 20-K game. I had been keeping up with him but that game was a real head turner and heart stopper. It continued through the 90's....watching from afar...falling in love with a team but not realizing it.

I didn't live there and didn't understand the entire drama behind Roger leaving...just knew when he left and went north....I had to remain behind. Since then I kept up with him and until this year still admired him. But as a faithful and loyal Texan is....I finally realized I had to let him go this year.

It's been a journey to this place I've come to live at now. And the reason I'm writing this now is for all you New Englanders and friends of mine to understand just what it means to this Texas Gal to attend games at Fenway or see pictures ya attend during the playoffs. Before 2003 when I attended my first game at Fenway, reading the sports page or watching a game on tv was like reading a book of some mythical land and nation. But it all became real to me in the summer of July of 2003 whereupon I entered into Fenway walking up to see the Green Monster, turning around and seeing this red seat in the bleachers, the Citgo sign and Fenway Park across the backdrop above homeplate. My heart jumped and tears welled up into my eyes. I was finally Home.