With the Boston Marathon bombing suspect in custody, Boston on Saturday was open and back in business. Both the Red Sox and the Bruins had canceled their Friday night games as a safety precaution during the manhunt for suspected bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
Saturday, the Red Sox played the Kansas City Royals. Red Sox star David Ortiz, known as Big Papi, offered a memorable salute to Boston: he took the microphone for a pregame speech and said to the fans, “This is our [expletive] city.”
Normally, the FCC’s job is to protect the nation from language like that. But FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski tweeted, “David Ortiz spoke from the heart at today’s Red Sox game. I stand with Big Papi and the people of Boston.”
The Sox won, 4-3.
The Red Sox hosted a special pregame ceremony wearing “BOSTON” jerseys which will be autographed by each player and auctioned following the game to benefit the One Fund Boston, which was established to help the victims from Monday’s attack. In solidarity, the Royals will honor Boston this weekend by wearing a “B Strong” patch in the series.
“We know how big of a deal baseball is here, and we know how passionate everyone is about it. We’re just happy to get back out there and help the city heal.” Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks said.
When news broke Friday evening at sports arenas that Tsarnaev was in custody, applause, chants of “U-S-A”, rang out.
“We were all pretty excited in the dugout that we knew that they finally caught that guy. It was great,” said New York Mets Manager Terry Collins.
He was not the only one to send his love to Boston. “You almost feel like you’re right there,” Brad Mills a former Red Sox coach said. “Our hearts are definitely with those people now.”
The Bruins will also be playing their originally scheduled game Saturday afternoon against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Abby Borovitz