About a week ago, we put out the all-call for Boston sports fans living among us in Oklahoma.
I profiled Dick Murphy on Saturday’s Page 2, but the Bostonian-turned-Normanite isn’t the only Boston-area sports fan who calls our fair state home. I heard from several others who are relishing one of the best sports runs a city has ever had from afar.
The Red Sox won the World Series earlier this year. The Celtics have the best record in the NBA. And, of course, the Patriots can cap a 19-0 season with a victory Sunday in the Super Bowl.
Here’s what a few more of those Boston sports fans had to say about their teams:
We are a transplanted New England family. Born in Cape Cod, Mass., raised in Worcester, Mass., lived 9 years in Bangor, Maine, and now call Edmond home. We have been here for four years and enjoyed all of it, even the crazy weather changes.
As a child, my husband lived in Metuen, Mass., and went to Red Sox games all the time. I have been to a few, and we have both been to Patriots games. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing our “home teams” do so well. We have stayed up many late nights watching playoff games.
Luckily, friends and family in Massachusetts send us hats, tees, pins and pillows. In return, I send my nieces and nephews OU and OSU items. It makes it alot of fun and keeps the New England spirit alive in us and has introduces those “back east” to the Oklahoma spirit.
I had to email and let you know we are here, but our hearts are with New England and their fantastic sports teams. Go New England… WE LUV YA!!!
Jan Graro, Edmond
*****
Add my name to the list of Patriots, Celtics, and Red Sox lovers in Oklahoma.
I am a native Californian who grew up in the shadow of Chavez Ravine (home of the current L.A. Dodgers) and developed a strong loyalty for the L.A. Rams, the Lakers, USC (football), UCLA (basketball), and the Southern California Racing Association. After college and graduate school in Southern Cal, I moved my family to Bethany in 1966 to teach at Bethany Nazarene College (now SNU).
In the summer of 1982, I accepted a college administrative position in the Boston area, where we lived for the next 19 years. It is virtually impossible to live in Boston without attaching loyalties to Boston’s professional sports teams. While I didn’t connect well with the Bruins (never saw a hockey game while growing up in So. Cal), I eventually switched loyalties from California teams to Boston teams. I lived in Boston during all of the Larry Bird years and embraced both the Red Sox teams (saw Bill Buckner’s flub that ended the Sox’ dream of winning the World Series in ‘86) and the Patriots teams prior to the emergence of Robert Kraft and Bill “B.”
In 2001, I retired and moved back to Oklahoma City, the city my wife and I always considered “home” even during our stay in Boston. I still read the Boston Globe sports section daily via the internet.
Tom Barnard
*****
I was born and raised in Lowell, Mass., during pre-historic times. (Actually prior to WWII.) I left there in 1954 to join the Air Force. Came to OKC in 1955, left in 1957 and returned in 1973 to stay.
I became a fan of the Red Sox during the Ted Williams era and the 1946 World Series won by the Cardinals. I was about 10 years old at the time. I waited 58 years as a fan before the Red Sox won a World Series in 2004. I remained a hardened fan throughout those years regardless of what part of the country or the world I was stationed in. I did have an opportunity to see the Red Sox play a few times during the Williams, Booby Doerr, Johnny Pesky and Mel Parnel years. Even with all the disappointments through the years, they were always my team.
I was also a fan of the old Boston Braves during the Warren Spahn years. Was able to see him pitch in person during the 50’s as well as see Jackie Robinson play at old Braves Field. However, I was never a die hard fan of the Braves like I was of the Red Sox.
I became a fan of the Celtics in 1950 or so which was during the Bob Cousy era. He was then joined by Tom Heinson and Bill Russell during the 50’s and the titles began to pile up for the Celtics. Again I followed them through the years but from a distance for the same reasons I stated above.
As for the Patriots, I was no longer living there when they came about but have followed them, especially since Brady became QB. The reasons are very obvious. But, I have also been a very ardent fan of the Dallas Cowboys because they both came into pro football the same year. Therefore, my allegiance was split to some extent. But I am lucky, both my teams have won a tremendous amount of Super Bowls.Roland Millette
*****
I am a Massachusetts transplant who has lived in OKC for 25 years. And I like life here just fine, but I still live and die by the teams from “home.”
I gave my heart and soul to the (WORLD CHAMPION) Red Sox at the age of 6. That was 1955. And I endured all the miserable teams of past decades and all the gut-wrenching close calls of playoff games and Series defeats. I think I can still recall them all from the scars they left upon my heart. So now these are the good times for Red Sox, and New England fans, indeed. I am such a fan that I bought Game 5 Series tickets and drove to Denver on Sunday — Oklahoma tag: REDSOX9 — listening as the Sox won and swept in four, rendering my brokered ticket and trip meaningless.
I begged my father to invest in the new American Football League team that was starting up when I was living at home. I think the buy-in was around $10,000. He thought I was crazy, but imagine what the share would be worth today. And I pulled for the local football team, just as hapless as the Sox often were, through many bad seasons. Then we got a coach named Fairbanks. I didn’t know he was from OU and jumped to the NFL, bringing along many fine Oklahoma players. But suddenly the ‘77-’78 Patriots were winning.
It was a frigid January in 1978, much like it is here now. That month in Massachusetts the high for any day never rose above freezing, and most night’s lows were single digits or below zero. I was living in an apartment complex on the ground floor and watched as the Oakland Raiders stole the playoff game from the Pats and went on to the Super Bowl. Disgusted, I threw on a heavy coat and told my girlfriend I was taking a walk to vent my frustration at another bitter loss. I wasn’t 30 feet out the apartment house front door when from above and behind me a heard a window crashing and out flew a console TV from four floors up. And I understood.
I take great delight in the recent success of the Patriots. And because I have these teams as my personal crosses I bear, I am immune from the anguish I see on so many OU and OSU fans during the season. I watch all their games, but a win or loss doesn’t send me into a tailspin.
Just don’t speak to me in the Giants win on Feb.3.
Like that could EVAH happen.
Craig Roche