5:30 AM Never Feels Good...Not Even For the Sox

My uncles know how to make me do anything.

On Friday night my Uncle Jay called me to invite me to the Sox game with my other Uncle, Rip, and my brother Jack. But what he failed to mention until he knew he had me hook line and sinker is that we actually had to wait in line for tickets. And oh by the way if I could, could I get to Fenway by 6:45am to hold a spot until they get there from the Cape no later than 8am?

Waking up at 5:30am on my day off, even for the Sox? Heck no.

But then he offered to buy me my ticket. Ok getting warmer. Then he threw in lunch. Closer. Then the underlying promise of beers. You got a deal sir.

So with moderate enthusiasm I made my way onto the T, Ortiz jersey and all to Fenway.


Fenway during the morning. Photo by Richard Constant

And let me tell you, I must have been the only one awake in line at 6:45am. Standing in line for Sox tickets is like a whole other counterculture of sports. There are unspoken laws laid down at these epic events, or at least according to the chatty man in back of me. Not that I minded, I think he kept me from just walking away, my uncles and brother didn't get to Fenway until 9:30am. Jerks.

But honestly, I don't think you have a choice but to be pleasant and make the most of your time spent in that line. Oh another fact my uncles didn't tell me, we were going to be in line for SIX HOURS waiting for tickets. Those little details that make such a big difference. But really if the UN ran like the Sox ALCS tickets line, we would have no world disputes and plenty of Dunkin Donuts coffees and Boston Globe newspapers to go around.

If you ever find yourself in an epic sport tickets line, here are some tips to surviving the wait:

-Bring a warm jacket. 6:30am is never warm, trust me.

-Think you're strong enough to stand for the entire wait? Well you're not. Bring a chair or a blanket to sit on, you'll need it.

- Never agree to wait in line alone, you need someone to make multiple Dunkin' Donuts runs.

-Leggings, no matter how fashionable are a no no. It's not only cold during the early hours of the morning but also in an enclosed ballpark at night, pants ladies!

- If you're like me and go to a school where your hopes of graduating with a M.R.S are quickly diminishing, go wait in a playoff ticket line. Tons of cute boys and if you get in a good spot, you are stuck with them for hours of awkward conversation hopefully ending in an exchange of numbers. I met such a boy but...then my uncle's showed up and we got bored and bought tickets off a scalper instead.


My brother and I. First time I sat down for almost 3 and a half hours. Photo by Richard Constant







Watching the Sox drive into the park. The highlight? Seeing Jerry Remy up close. I'm such a broadcasting nerd. Photo by Richard Constant.

And thank god for that! Our seats were amazing, 6 rows back near Pesky's pole so we would be in perfect position to catch home runs. Too bad none came our way, or were hit by the Sox, who lost dreadfully. But I did see a beer fight, and we made a sign about TBS ruining our souls with their baseball broadcasting (here's my attempt to recreate it):

T errible
B roadcasters

and nice
S uits (not)

I thought it was creative, and so did my Uncle Jay who created it in a cocktail induced haze last night. And apparently the Boston Globe photog also thought it was creative because he took multiple pictures of it.

And we actually made the Globe's website, check it out, hilarity ensues.



http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/gallery/10_13_08_game3_scene?pg=11

(you have to scroll a bit to find the picture but it is the green neon sign and you should see me in the corner).

The TBS cameraman? Not so impressed.

5:30am no fun. Free sox game ticket + free lunch + time well spent with family + insulting tbs + watching a beerfight = priceless.