Friday, June 20, 2008 - Page updated at 05:25 PM
E-mail article
Print view Share:
Digg
Newsvine
Red Sox honor NBA champion Celtics
A fast-moving thunderstorm didn't dampen the Fenway Park fans' spirit for the NBA champion Boston Celtics on Friday night.
A fast-moving thunderstorm didn't dampen the Fenway Park fans' spirit for the NBA champion Boston Celtics on Friday night.
Honored during a brief pregame ceremony as heavy rain was falling, the NBA champs - atop three duck boats - entered from center-field and circled Fenway to a standing ovation, a shortened scene from their parade through downtown on Thursday.
With the Red Sox plays wearing green jerseys usually reserved for St. Patrick's Day during spring training in Florida, the Celtics brought the NBA championship trophies from four seasons to Fenway. The players wore their warmups, with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett leading their teammates with pumping fists and waves to a crowd as the rain was pouring and the grounds crew was putting the tarp on the field.
The Red Sox also had their grounds crew cut out a shamrock in the center-field grass prior to the game.
After about an hour delay due to the rain, the champions were reintroduced and came running in from center field, with Finals MVP Pierce sliding into the second.
Pierce then took the mound to chants of "MVP" before firing a high and hard first pitch that tipped off the glove of leaping catcher Jason Varitek.
Coach Doc Rivers then said "Play ball!" before the Red Sox took the field for their game against St. Louis, which began after a one-hour, 14-minute delay.
On the center-field scoreboard, a brief video tribute was played before they rode out with Queen's "We are the Champions" playing in the background. The team brought their trophies from this season, 1981, '84 and '86, four of the NBA-leading 17 the franchise has captured.
Former Celtics Jo Jo White and Cedrick Maxwell also were in attendance.
A few minutes after it was over, a large rainbow was shining in the distance.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
First load of rescued fish moved to Salmon Creek
Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
Real Salt Lake wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
Steve Kelley: A fantastic finish to first MLS season in Seattle
Sideline Chatter: Fourth-down gambles leave New England in shambles

This feature requires Flash 7.
Top video | World | Science / Tech | Entertainment
nwjobs

Post a comment

Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
How to tell your office you're gravely ill
Post a comment
nwautos

Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Tugboat sinks at Seattle waterfront pier
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- Craigslist adoption ad: A plea by young mother-to-be? A scam?
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
- Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
- Denny Triangle gains skyline, but tenants slow to come
- Snow piles up on Cascade slopes
- Woman stabbed by stranger in North Seattle
- Husky Men's Basketball Blog | Saturday's Pac-10 games in review
- 'The Road' takes Viggo Mortensen to Mount St. Helens and Astoria, Ore.
- Child-support error costs nearly $21,000
- It's possible to recover a life lost to hoarding
- Washington state wines make annual best-of list
- Banff: powder, peaks & purity
- Chase shrugs off loss of CD investors
- Protect yourself from baggage loss
- Denny Triangle gains skyline, but tenants slow to come
- Northwest Living | On Whidbey, a unified home from multiple recycled parts
- Rediscovering Moab, 'the most beautiful place on Earth'




