As a die-hard Red Sox fan, I wasn’t going to let the Red Sox’ worst regular season start since 1933 stop me from attending Red Sox Opening Day weekend – a four game, “wrap-around” series with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on April 13-16, 2012.
During the second inning of the last game in the series – on Patriot’s Day (named to commemorate the Revolutionary War Battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts; not to be confused with “Patriot Day“, a nationwide commemoration of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks), I noticed a large number of fans standing up and pointing their cameras and cellphones towards the field. On closed inspection, I spied Governor Mitt Romney sitting with popular Boston clothing designer Joseph Abboud.
(He's "cool" on the inside.)
Now, the (very) few times I’ve seen Governor Romney in attendance at Fenway it’s always the same: No heraldic entrance, no “throwing out the first pitch” , no phalanx of press photographers, and no swooning throngs of supporters. Not surprising for a Republican politician in a state where Democrats have had a virtual stranglehold on Boston politics since before Democrat John F. “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald threw out Fenway Park’s Inaugural First Pitch in April, 1912.
The only difference from past games was the brace of Red Sox security personnel in their official uniforms positioned in the vicinity of Republican Presidential Candidate Romney and his son: Even his Secret Service detail appeared dressed for a baseball game (although, they were rather conspicuous by their standing up and surveying the crowds whenever Mitt stood up – after all, it’s part of their job).
Between innings Romney talked with fans, shook their hands, and posed for photos. While it all could simply be the politician in him, it all appeared completely genuine to me: No basking in adoration, no overbearing smugness. And, it didn’t cost anyone a penny more than the cost of their baseball ticket.
A father and his son enjoying a baseball game at Fenway Park on Patriot’s Day with some friends… just like a multitude of other fathers and sons throughout Fenway Park (and, all the other MLB parks that day).
In my book, that exemplifies “Cool”.
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