Red Sox Announce Plans For Championship Celebration At Fenway Home Opener
BOSTON (CBS) – Baseball is back in Boston on Tuesday, and the defending World Champion Red Sox have released their plans for a pregame celebration.
The team is asking fans to be seated by 12:45 p.m. for the 2:05 p.m. game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Red Sox will unveil their 2018 championship banner, present World series rings and raise the 2018 championship flag.
The Boston Pops, led by Keith Lockhart, will perform both the Canadian and Americans national anthems, which will culminate in a fly-over of four F-16 jets from the National Guard. A huge American flag will be draped over the Green Monster, and the Hanscom Air Force Base military will be on hand.
Team President Sam Kennedy said last week the ceremony would also be honoring the Super Bowl-winning New England Patriots, and WBZ-TV's Dan Roche reports fans can expect to see recently retired Rob Gronkowski and cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
.@RedSox asking fans to be in seats at 12:45pm Tuesday for home Opener with ceremonies to start st 1pm. Gates open at 11:35am. Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops will perform the anthems. Some #Patriots will be there, inc Gronk and Stephon Gilmore. @WBZ #wbz pic.twitter.com/TYij5Vk4hM
— Dan Roche (@RochieWBZ) April 8, 2019
Springfield native Michelle Brooks Thompson will perform "God Bless America" in the 7th inning.
Earlier in the day there will be a swearing-in ceremony for 30 Air Force recruits on the warning track.
The Red Sox uniforms will also have a special touch, with gold-trimmed hats and jerseys with gold stitching celebrating the 2018 win.
Gates will open at 11:35 a.m. on Tuesday. Fans are urged to take public transportation to the ballpark. The Commuter Rail stops at Lansdowne Station (formerly Yawkey Station), just steps away from Fenway.