Saturday, October 23, 2004
Excited Boston Ready to 'Play Ball'
Sat Oct 23,11:55 AM ET
By Steve Keating
BOSTON (Reuters) - Boston was tingling with anticipation on Saturday as the Red Sox prepared to host Game One of the World Series (news - web sites) against the St. Louis Cardinals (news) and take a step toward ridding themselves of a hex that has hung over the team for eight decades.
Reuters Photo
Long-suffering fans, some of whom had paid thousands of dollars for a ticket, began to make their way to Fenway Park hoping to see the Red Sox attempt to claim their first World Series since 1918.
But dulling the festive atmosphere will be the presence of over 800 police and riot squad officers in a bid to prevent a repeat of the violence that marred the celebrations following the Red Sox historic American League Championship Series win over the Yankees.
Journalism student Victoria Snelgrove was killed when she was struck in the eye by a pepper-spray pellet fired by police officers attempting to disperse the rampaging crowd.
"If we have to execute mass arrests, they'll have buses and vans and tactical officers available," Boston police commissioner Kathleen O'Toole told the Boston Globe. "We need to send a very strong message to the potential troublemakers that we're there in force."
City officials had considered banning the sale of alcohol during World Series Games but instead have imposed other measures including banning television cameras from bars in and around Fenway Park and asking owners to reduce waiting lines.
Several Red Sox players, including pitcher Curt Schilling and slugger David Ortiz, have appeared on television and radio appealing to fans to refrain from violence,
The Red Sox have brought their fans to the brink of a World Series championship before only to leave them crushed and heartbroken, each defeat adding to a curse said to hang over the team since 1920 when owner Harry Frazee sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees.
Since that ill-fated deal, the Red Sox have not won the Fall Classic while the Yankees piled up 26 titles.
But ever-optimistic Red Sox supporters believe things will be different this time after Boston staged the greatest comeback in Major League history erasing a 3-0 series deficit to vanquish New York in seven games and clinch the American League pennant.
