Red Sox fans who stayed until the end of Saturday’s game were treated to lively scenes.
Not only were committed Boston fans able to witness Adam Duvall’s incredible walk-off home run, but they also got to take in something that previously hadn’t been seen at Fenway Park.
Immediately after Duvall’s hard-hit liner cleared the Green Monster in left field, Fenway’s new LED lighting system was put to work for the legendary ballpark’s first-ever light show. The lights flickered as Duvall rounded the bases and raced into a swarm of excited teammates.
Some baseball purists probably weren’t crazy about the theatrics. But Red Sox manager Alex Cora, a baseball lifer in his own right, is a big fan of the new tradition.
“That was perfect timing. I was dying for that one,” Cora told reporters Sunday, per MassLive. “And I know history is history. And we respect that. It is Fenway Park. And I think as an organization, we’ve done an amazing job improving the facility and keeping what it means to all of us. Not only the people here but in baseball. But you’ve gotta catch up. And in a sport that we want young people to come and enjoy it and have fun with it, I think we’ve done enough to get that atmosphere.”
Cora added: “People hate the loud music, yeah, I get it. But in there, down there, it makes a difference. I still remember that game in 2019, that one inning against Kansas City. They canceled the game and we came here and we played. It was five pitches, whatever. It was 15,000 kids, a lot of music and it was fun. And that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re not trying to break with tradition. We respect that. But at the same time, we’ve gotta catch up. And the whole league is doing that.”
There will always be Red Sox fans who don’t like the light shows, but those folks can at least appreciate the significance behind the presentation. If those lights are flicking, it means good things are happening for Cora and company.
