Boston Red Sox President Sam Kennedy has written a heartfelt letter to Hampden bosses, thanking the Tartan Army for their unforgettable takeover of Fenway Park on June 14. More than 5,000 Scotland fans marched through Boston streets, kilted and playing bagpipes, before attending the Red Sox vs. Texas Rangers game. The atmosphere was so electric that players described it as the most enjoyable game of their careers.
Kennedy's Letter to Hampden
In his letter to Hampden President Neil Doncaster and Chief Executive Ian Maxwell, Kennedy expressed deep gratitude. "On behalf of all of us at Fenway Sports Group, we wanted to take a moment to say thank you. What happened at Fenway Park on June 14th was something none of us will forget," he wrote. He noted that while they knew the Tartan Army was coming, they did not fully understand its impact until they saw hundreds of supporters gather at the Robert Burns statue in Back Bay and march to Landowne Street to the sound of bagpipes. "Kilts and Scottish flags filled our ballpark with a spirit that has no equivalent in American sport. It was genuinely one of the most moving things we have witnessed at Fenway Park in a very long time," Kennedy added.
Historic Ballpark Embraces Scottish Spirit
Kennedy highlighted Fenway Park's 114-year history filled with World Series championships and historic rivalries, yet the June 14 event stood out. "For a few hours, a ballpark that is typically filled with a baseball crowd became a meeting point between two sporting cultures. Our fans embraced your supporters without reservation. Your supporters responded with exactly the generosity and good humor that has made the Tartan Army beloved everywhere in the world they travel," he said. He also acknowledged Scotland's return to the World Cup after 28 years, stating the enthusiasm was well-deserved.
Boston's Love Affair with the Tartan Army
The Tartan Army's presence extended beyond the ballpark. Fans drank pubs dry, played bagpipes at 6am, and placed traffic cones on statues, giving them the Duke of Wellington treatment. Bostonians loved the Scots so much that Glasgow and Boston are set to become sister cities. The Boston Globe published a full-page tribute, stating, "Dear Tartan Army, you came for the World Cup, but gave us something more. For a week, you turned train stations into singalongs, Fenway into a football ground and an ordinary June into something we'll be talking about for years."
Scotland's World Cup Journey Continues
The Tartan Army has since moved on to Miami for Scotland's final group stage match against Brazil on Wednesday. The Red Sox president concluded his letter by extending gratitude to manager Steve Clarke and the full Scottish FA delegation, and above all to the Tartan Army itself. "They treated our home like their own, and we are better for it," Kennedy wrote.
