The marathon also coincides with the holiday Patriots’ Day, observed in remembrance of the American Revolution and the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Patriots’ Day is celebrated on the third Monday of April in Massachusetts and Maine, where it’s a legal state holiday, and in Wisconsin.

To make the three-day weekend (for those who get that day off from work) even sweeter, the Boston Red Sox usually play a traditional home game at Fenway Park, as well. This year, the scheduled opposing team is the Texas Rangers.

Marathons, long weekends, and baseball — what more could you ask for to get in the mood for spring and the coming summer? If you plan to visit Boston on one of the biggest and busiest days of the year locally, make sure to set time aside to enjoy all the city has to offer.

Visit the websites for the Boston Marathon and the Boston Red Sox to learn more about what will be happening around town next Monday.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Red Sox Nation was a great place to be on Tuesday, April 8, as the 2007 World Series Champions celebrated past, present, and future excellence at Fenway Park with this year’s Home Opener, the 108th in team history. The Sox won the game against the Detroit Tigers, of course, managing a commanding final score of 5–0.

One of the day’s biggest stories, however, was reserved for a member of the team 22 years ago. On October 25, 1986, the Boston Red Sox led the New York Mets three games to two when the teams met for the sixth game of the best-of-7 championship.

Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson hit a ground ball to first base in the bottom of the 10th with the Mets just having tied the score, and Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner failed to stop it. Instead, the ball rolled right through his legs, an error that many directly attributed to the Mets’ eventual World Series win after the following required seventh game. Sports being sports, the backlash from both fans and the media was immediate, intense, and relentless.

Tuesday, Boston and Buckner seemed to finally overcome that painful incident when the retired player was feted as a champion as he threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the game. The accompanying warm reception and lengthy standing ovation was a nice symbol of why Boston is a great place to live and visit.

Take a look at select local coverage of Tuesday’s Home Opener festivities after the jump.

NOTE: If you require closed captions, you can enable that feature on the video players by clicking the CC symbol in the top right-hand corner.

Post from: The Boston Traveler

On Monday, April 7, Harvard Book Store (1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, 617-661-1515) will welcome Michael Holley. The current co-host of radio’s Dale & Holley Show on local sports station WEEI is also the author of Patriot Reign and Never Give Up — books that both made the New York Times bestseller list — as well as a former sportswriter at the Boston Globe for ten years.

Holley’s free talk will focus on his latest book, the March 25, 2008, release Red Sox Rule: Terry Francona and Boston’s Rise to Dominance. According to the publisher description, “[w]ith the exclusive cooperation of [Boston Red Sox manager] Terry Francona and stories from the clubhouse and the conference room, Holley reveals the private sessions and the dugout and front-office strategies that have made the Boston Red Sox a budding dynasty.”

Enthusiasts can get an even closer look inside the Red Sox organization by attending Holley’s presentation tomorrow at 7pm EST in Cambridge. [More Information]

Post from: The Boston Traveler

Earlier today, the Boston Red Sox made their second trip to the George Bush-helmed White House as World Series champs. The first time they visited the United States’ seat of power was after their 2004 victory.

According to an absolutely effusive Boston Globe report (no one will ever be able to claim Bay Staters don’t love their sports teams) everyone within miles was overjoyed to have the baseball players in town. The anticipation was so great, none other than Vice President Dick Cheney himself — who I assume from news coverage doesn’t attend such functions often — showed up on the White House South Lawn to observe.

President Bush demonstrated an especially chatty, congenial, and self-effacing mood, as well, dropping several genuinely funny one-liners. For instance, he remarked that both he and Daisuke Matzuzaka “have trouble answering questions in English” after noting that the popular Japanese pitcher’s “press corps is bigger than [his].”

Bush even singled out leftfielder Manny Ramirez, who was absent today and during the previous visit, for a little humor, quipping “I guess his grandmother died again.” To his credit, the President did immediately follow up the remark with a “Just kidding.”

Regional cable news network NECN recorded footage of the ceremony honoring the Red Sox and has made it available for sharing. Take a look after the jump to see and hear what happened (following a brief advertisement).

Post from: The Boston Traveler