Red Sox Superfan To Watch Opener From Home For First Time In Decades
BOSTON (CBS) - Teigue McCormack figured his odds of catching a home run over Fenway's famous Green Monster were pretty good. On the day of the home opener, he easily found the best spot on Lansdowne Street, and there was no crowd to compete with. "I thought it would be a good spot to maybe get a Major League Baseball at a time when it's not all that easy," he said.
"I can understand it," said Glenn Reynolds, a fan who stood outside the ballpark with a homemade Red Sox sign. "They don't want to bring their children here, and people are kind of still nervous," he said.
That's why superfan Lynne Smith stayed home with her famous hat decorated like a miniature Fenway Park. "We're very lucky because we have two seats that were from Fenway," she said, pointing to their authentic red ballpark seats. "You know we are living in very unusual times, so at least there will be baseball."
Smith and her husband have been to every Fenway opener for more than 30 years. They would have been there this time if they could. "My actual opening day tickets from April," she said, holding them up. It helps that their home is a shrine to the team. It is full of memorabilia, pictures, and a wardrobe of colorful clothing covered with Red Sox logos. "I think people need a diversion," said Smith.
Businesses surrounding the ballpark were hoping the opening day buzz would bring a boost, even though fans couldn't go inside the park. "We'll all try to get through this together," said Bob Onessimo, who owns The Best Sausage Company, across from Fenway. "This is for the fans. Fenway has been good to us along the way for many years. This one is for them."
