BOSTON (AP) — Fresh off Scotland capping its first World Cup appearance in 28 years with a historic victory, the Tartan Army marched to Fenway Park and joined Red Sox Nation on Sunday night.
Thousands of Scottish revelers marched from a public park about a half-mile away from Boston's 114-year-old baseball stadium and down a street behind the center-field bleachers before filling the bars behind the fabled Green Monster.
On Saturday night, John McGinn
deflected a shot off an opposing defender and past goalkeeper Johny Placide in the 28th minute, and Scotland defeated Haiti 1-0 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
On Sunday, the Scots were on hand to watch Boston host the Texas Rangers. The Red Sox billed it as “Scottish Heritage Celebration Night,” with jerseys in Scottish colors available via a specific ticket purchase.
The promotion sold out.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how Fenway Park deals with us,” said 43-year-old Allan Middlemass of Edinburgh, who was wearing a blue Red Sox cap he bought for the trip across the pond.
Bagpipes were played outside the ballpark, large Scottish flags were carried through the streets and blue or orange Scottish jerseys filled the area. Numerous times during their roughly 30-minute march, the fans broke out into a chant of “no Scotland, no party,” and they started singing outside while the Red Sox and Rangers were taking batting practice.
Some were kicking a soccer ball outside the entrance to the bleachers before the army came marching down the street — guided to the ballpark by Boston police — before they entered the famous watering holes of Lansdowne Street or went inside the park.
“I’m just here for the sing-song,” said 38-year-old Darren McGregor of Gourock, just after he exited a bar.
He was with a group of three friends, and all of them were wearing new Red Sox hats.
The singing continued when they filled the park, joining with Fenway’s sound system as it played John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” about 20 minutes before the first pitch.
Earlier, many were in the bars watching Japan and the Netherlands play to a 2-2 draw in the World Cup.
Robert Cooper and his 11-year-old son, Aaron, both traveled to Boston from Glasgow. They said they were “super excited” to watch their first game at Fenway.
Cooper even had a dream of catching a homer or foul ball.
“I think he wants to try and catch one,” his dad said.
Scotland, making its first appearance in the tournament since 1998, earned its first World Cup victory since 1990.
“There’s no words for that,” Middlemass said of Saturday’s win.
Hundreds of fans were on the streets near the team hotel in the early-morning hours after the victory. They’ll be hanging around for a little while longer, too, as Scotland stays in town to play Morocco on Friday.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
