Freshmen Flock To Fenway Opener

Vendors, fans and scalpers packed Yawkey Way yesterday to celebrate opening day at Fenway Park.

Red Sox fans plan months in advance to get tickets for this magical day in Beantown.

But for some luck Harvard freshman, tickets to this celebrated event came free courtesy of the Harvard Athletic Department, which doled out 120 tickets to students living in the West Yard as part of its "From Football to Fenway" promotion.

"Opening day means it's the start of another year when the Sox will almost win the World Series again," and Sox-fan Sam Summerlin.

Some who saw the Red Sox lose to the Orioles, 8-6, yesterday didn't think opening day was that big a deal.

"It wasn't a very interesting game. We were mostly excited about a fight that broke out in the bleachers early in the game," David Heilman said.

But most relished the opportunity to spend a sunny but chilly afternoon in the home of the Green Monster.

"It was the first time I got into opening day," Matthews-resident Mike Morell said. "It was nice to see the ballpark and the fans again."

"It's the atmosphere of being with your friends in the bleachers that's so great," said Jeremy Radtky.

As usual, conversation at the ballpark focused primarily on whether this "will be THE year?"

"It gets you thinking: Is this going to be the season? It gets you all psyched for October," Morell said.

Fans are quick to point out that the last time Boston won the World Series was the year after a Russian Revolution. They have also won the pennant in the last three even-numbered years.

"All the karma is pointing toward a Red Sox championship," Morell said.

Numerically, I think that this is a good year for the Red Sox. It's been seven years since the Haley's Comet," Shyam Vijay said.

"The best thing the Red Sox can do to assure the championship would be to retire the number of Bob Stanley who symbolizes everything about the team," Morell said.

Another freshman, Jon Adolph, had a more vivid picture of what will happen come October.

"They are going to lose in the seventh game [of the World Series] and Matt Young will pitch a no-hitter," Adolph said.

But, as usual, there were some nay-sayers in the crowd yesterday afternoon. "Their play today is not indicative of their ability to win it all," said Justin Levett, a devoted Cubs fan said.

"They did, however, show a remarkable capacity in breaking down during the clutch," Levett chuckled.