Root, Root, Root for the RED Sox...

Yesterday was the first time I ever attended a baseball game and couldn't sing "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch loudly and proudly. As a Red Sox fan at a White Sox game in Chicago, I sort of mumbled the words, but when it came to the part where we sang "root, root, root, root for the home team," my lips were zipped and I took a long, cool sip of my overpriced Jim Beam vodka lemonade.

Yesterday was the first time I have ever watched a baseball game--or any game at that--in enemy territory. This was a good first time, as there were a bunch of Red Sox fans to lean on for support. But as I would soon learn, no matter how many red, white and blue Boston bravehearts there were, and no matter is the visiting team loses, those White Sox fans are ruthless. Some of those Southsiders are SUCH sore winners!

My friends and I were at the game in the bleachers and despite a 5-1 Chicago win, the White Sox fans heckled to crap out of the people who were wearing Boston gear. For example, in the 8th inning a Chicago fan bought a $1 hot dog (apparently the price reflects a marketing strategy encouraging fans to take an affordable "staycation" at the ballpark this week) just to throw it at a Red Sox fan! Thankfully, me and my friend Puni had moved our seats, else I might have gotten mustard on my Ellsbury jersey (the target was sitting right next to my old seat). Another example: Puni and I were walking to our seats when someone yelled: "Go back to Boston!" Puni gave him a thumbs up and congratulated him on being clever. Now, I fully understand that not all fans are like this and I'm sure there are some obnoxious fans at Fenway who do the same thing to visiting supporters (especially Yankee fans), but if your team wins, you should just shut up. You give your team a bad name when you heckle fans of the losing visiting team.

U.S. Cellular Field, or "The Cell" as fans fondly call the home of the White Sox, is a huge, fairly new stadium. I am not used to watching a game in that big of a baseball environment (still no leg room or cup holders in the bleachers, so I felt a little at home). Despite the nice digs, I'm not so sure I can become a White Sox OR a Cubs fan. My allegiance will always be to the Red Sox, no matter where I live! I'll just tell the mailman, who stopped me on the street again and asked where my hat was the other day, the truth. I'm sure he'll be okay with it as long as I don't root for the Cubs.

In the meantime, I will use my souvenir White Sox cup (which my vodka lemonade came in) to clean the toilets :)