Red Sox Sellout Streak Comes To An End
BOSTON (CBS) - Despite their early-season success and a renewed sense of pride among their fan base, the Boston Red Sox said their record sellout streak came to an end Wednesday night.
The Red Sox lost the middle game of a three-game set against divisional rival Baltimore on Wednesday night - ending the streak at 794 straight sellouts.
With damp April weather and some fans still bitter about the last two seasons, the team is expected a paid attendance in the low-30,000's.
"It's understandable," Sox Executive Vice President Dr. Charles Steinberg said of the streak coming to an end. "And how can we be anything other than grateful."
"It's a reflection of the most passionate fan base, not only in baseball but all of sports," Sox COO Sam Kennedy told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Wednesday.
A Sellout Streak Poem by WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens:
Sellout Streak Ending: A Poem
Some would argue the streak ended at some point last season, with several rows of empty seats scattered throughout the ballpark during the summer months.
The streak, the longest in the history of professional sports in the U.S., began back on May 15, 2003. Including playoff games, it stretches to 820 games.
On Wednesday night, a couple visiting from England walked up to a ticket window, and bought two seats. "We heard it was hard to get a seat for this team, but we just got two!" said one of the Brits.
And some visiting Orioles fans were jubilant. "Yea, we couldn't believe we got tickets and they were face value!"
So maybe the scalpers are the ones who are really unhappy.
WBZ-TV's Bill Shields contributed to this report.
