Scottish Football Fans Take Over Fenway After Historic Win

BOSTON - The tartan-clad crowd of Scottish football fans had a unique Sunday night ahead of them as they marched through the streets and had a parade en route to Fenway Park.

The Red Sox, anticipating a big turnout, had planned for Sunday's game against the Texas Rangers to be Scottish Heritage Night.

Bagpipers played on Jersey Street hours before the game while the fans, mostly dressed in blue jerseys with Scotland's national flag and 'Red Sox' printed on them, enjoyed their beverages of choice.

Most fans had been given the promotional tickets, which included thousands of Scots filling out sections of the bleachers.

It was a sea of blue in those seats, not in honor of the Texas Rangers, who had similarly colored jerseys for Sunday's game.

Susan Swindells, a Scotland native who had earmarked this trip to Boston months ago, said, 'It's been fantastic. I think Boston's really taking us into their hearts.'

'We've got a really friendly welcome here, which is fantastic,' she added. 'It's my second time in Boston. I actually came to my first baseball game at Fenway Park and saw the Red Sox beat the Twins.'

Swindells was one of many swept up in the festivities, where fans enjoyed the slower pace of baseball compared to the intensity of soccer.

“It's a little like cricket,” said Karl Johnston. “It's kind of the ambience of the whole thing. You can talk to your friends, you don't have to intensely concentrate the whole time like football. It's a slower build.”

Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said, 'Yeah, it was crazy. Felt like a soccer game with the chanting and all that. It was pretty loud.'