The Faithful

Scott Stossel reflects on the ancient connections between sport and religion, and observes that here in New England, the devotion and suffering of Red Sox fans have the intensity of religious experience. Is faith in the Red Sox akin to a religious faith? Or does the analogy go too far?
Read the story: The faithful
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I don't think faith in the Red Sox akin to a religious faith. Most people do not take their religion as serious as they take the Red Sox.

KDC

I think being a Sox fan is like being in a bad marriage. You are determined to make this relationship work out of love and loyalty but are miserable. Plus you are too proud to have someone say " I told you so" i.e. Yankee fan.

joanne , longmeadow

GREAT article! I especially like the comparison at the end, about believing in something completely unseen, and how the continual tests of faith, and disappointments, only make us more devout, so to speak. I'd also add that like most religions, your baseball affiliation is typically something you're just born into- most people tend to adopt their parents' faith without question from and early age, just as I had no idea what I was getting into when I started rooting for the Sox as a kid. Lastly, here's a song about what the author describes as "the combination of eternal hope and resigned acceptance" of Sox fans. We recorded this at the Cask n' Flagon in April, it's called "The Scarlet Letter." I'll post the lyrics below the link: http://www.wheelkickrecords.com/scarletlettermixed.mp3 The Scarlet Letter by Jon Gorey If I may let me tell you a story Of a man born of tragic descent Who knows nothing of October glory But only of loss and lament I inherit this fate from my father Like he from his father before We've a burden to bear like no other A mark we wear forever more Lift me up, let me down Start back over again For I wear the scarlet letter The shame of my ancestors' sins And I suffer through miserable weather Just to have my heart broken again For this B on my forehead's for Boston And like a modern day Baseball Revere When the spring comes around I'll ride through every town Singing, "Hey, I think this is the year!" Long ago someone sold out my kinsfolk It's said we're now forever cursed Others say it's our way to just crumble and choke And I can't decide which is worse I've endured all I can of this heartache I've known for too many a year My impossible dreams turn to heartbreak Every one strike away leads to tears Lift me up, let me down Start back over again For I wear the scarlet letter The shame of my ancestors' sins And I suffer through miserable weather Just to have my heart broken again For this B on my forehead's for Boston Yeah everyone knows your name here And the winters are long But the summertime song Goes, "Hey I think this is the year!" I'm afraid I will grow to be bitter Even more bitter than I am now For every time I see some pinstriped hitter I just want to throw up in my mouth Still I hold out my hope for the home team Through every conceivable turn Surely there'll come a day they make good on my dream I guess that I never will learn They just lift me up, let me down Start back over again For I wear the scarlet letter The shame of my ancestors' sins And I suffer through miserable weather Just to have my heart broken again For this B on my forehead's for Boston For baseball and bleachers and beer And when spring comes around I stay true to my town Singing, "Hey I think this is the year!"

Jon Gorey, Brighton, MA

The analogy is nearly right on target once ritual is mentioned. Humans need ritual. Both religion and baseball contain rituals. The commentary surrounding ritual and even the rituals themselves are continually updated becoming current dogma and practice.

Marcus, Petersburg

I know that I believe in the church of baseball.

sheryl, jamaica plain

Of course it's akin to a religious faith. Get out your Bible and read the first 3 words!

Peter, Cambridge

No it's not a religious experience. It's more of a psychosis. A serious mental illness which these poor Red Sox fans desparately need treatment.

Joe, Quincy

THE RED SOX BIBLE. the word of the baseball gods, as it appeared to Margaret Pritchard In the beginning, God created the Boston Red Sox. And the team was without title or championship, and the spirit of God moved over deep right field. And God said, "let there be a World Series." And there was a World Series. And the Red Sox won. And it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning, one championship. And God said, "let there be another World Series, nine years later, in 1912." And the team brought forth pitchers and catchers, and batters, and infielders, each according to their kind. And the Red Sox won in seven games. And there was evening, and there was morning, two championships. Then God said, "let Boston bring forth a powerhouse team, and let it dominate the league, and win many championships close together." And there was a World Series in 1915. And the Red Sox won. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning, three championships. And God said, "let there be back-to-back championships, and let them bring forth legendary players, pitchers and catchers, and batters, and outfielders and infielders, each according to their kind." And it was so. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, four championships. And God said, "let the Red Sox bring forth another championship, and let the Red Sox have dominion over the balls in the air and on the ground, and let them fill the ballpark and subdue the opposing teams." And it was so. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning, five championships. Thus the Boston Red Sox were created, and all the players of them. And God saw the team which he had made, and behold, it was very good. And in the off-season, God rested from all the work which he had done. So God blessed the off-season and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation. Now, the producers of "No, No, Nanette," were more subtle than any other creature which the Lord God had made. And the producers said to the manager, "did God say you shall not trade away any of the players on your team?" And the manager said, "God said, `you shall trade away any of the players on your team, but you shall not trade away Babe Ruth, neither shall you fire him, lest you die.'" And the producers said, "you will not die. For God knows that when you trade away Babe Ruth, your leads will be opened, and you will be like gods, knowing titles and championships." And when the manager saw that the show was good for a buck, and that its success was to be desired to make one rich, he took of Babe Ruth, and he traded him. Then the eyes of the manager were opened, and he saw Babe Ruth's batting average for the Yankees, and he moved batters around, and made himself a lineup. Then he heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the ballpark in the cool of the day. And the manager hid himself from the presence of the Lord God among the fans in the ballpark. But the Lord God called to the manager, and said "where are you?" And the manager said, "I heard the sound of you walking in the ballpark, and I hid myself, because my team was losing." And the Lord God said, "how is your team losing? Have you traded the player whom I commanded you not to trade?" And the manager said, "the producers and Yankee managers beguiled me, and I traded." Then the Lord God said to the producers, "because you have done this, you are cursed above all actors. Up on its belly shall this show go, and jokes shall be told about you all the days of your life." To the Yankees managers, he said, "I will put enmity between you and the Red Sox, and between your fans and their fans. You shall bruise their egos, and they shall curse at you in the postseason." To the manager, God said, "cursed is this field because of you, in toil shall you play on it all the days of your life; late-inning losses and near-championships it shall bring forth to you. In the sweat of your face, you shall lose Series after Series." He drove out the manager, and at the east of Fenway Park, he placed roadblocks and traffic congestion, and expensive parking, and in the park, he placed incompetent relief pitchers and ineffective offense, to guard the way to the World Series title. Margaret's ineffable humor can be accessed at www.geocities.com/picklehead82 and halfthecabinetarenotasses.blogspot.com

Grace, New Haven, CT

The Red Sox are a sham, an overpriced rip off. Elderly people and the poor who have no interest in viewing NESN are forced to subsidize an over inflated payroll and poorly financed acquistion of the club in their standard cable bill. John Henry hope you enjoy your yaht while Manny is living well at the Four Season. Is it Family entertainment if you have to shell out $100 plus to sit in the bleachers with the kids.

Ed, Brockton

No, Religion (catholic) is much scarier and they don't have NOMAR!

Patrick, Charleston SC