When the trophy came to town ….

BY JOHN DECOSTE

NovaNewsNow.com

A good representation of Valley fans were on hand when the World Series trophy came to Halifax on Monday.

The trophy visit was the culmination of a letter-writing campaign by the Valley-based Bluenose BoSox Brotherhood, a Boston Red Sox booster club founded about two years ago which now includes more than 100 members province-wide.

The campaign began in earnest in early November, shortly after the Red Sox won the World Series for the second time in four seasons.

While bringing the trophy to Nova Scotia was a real team effort, BBB charter members Jim Prime of New Minas, Dave Ritcey of Kentville and Don Hyslop of Kingston were tireless in their efforts and deserve a lot of credit for the visit becoming a reality.

Following the arrival of the trophy at Stanfield International Airport on Monday afternoon, it was the guest of honour at a reception at Province House.

Early Monday evening, it went to an invitation-only reception at the home of U.S. Consul General in Halifax Harold Foster, and then to a ‘trophy party’ at the downtown Halifax Boston Pizza location, open to BBB members and their guests.

On Tuesday, the trophy was scheduled to make stops at the IWK Children’s Hospital, the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame and MicMac Mall in Dartmouth before the Red Sox delegation returned to Boston late Tuesday afternoon.

The event marked the first visit by a major U.S. sports championship trophy to Nova Scotia. According to Red Sox vice-president Chuck Steedman, it might not be the last.

Steedman suggested that if and when the Red Sox next win the World Series, serious consideration will be given to a return trip for the trophy to Nova Scotia.

More than 300 people, including many from the Valley and at least 20 charter members of the BBB, attended the party at Boston Pizza on Granville Street.

When the trophy made its entrance, carried by provincial Minister of Tourism Bill Dooks, the entire restaurant broke into a spontaneous rendition of Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’, an unofficial ‘anthem’ sung during the eighth inning of Red Sox home games.