The Red Sox celebrate their 500th straight sellout

Kind of hard to see, but "500" was mowed into the lawn.

The Red Sox have now sold out 500 straight games at Fenway Park. Quite an accomplishment if you think about it, especially since the economy is crappier than my toilet the morning after a night of drinking. Did you know that Terry Francona has not managed a game at Fenway Park that WASN'T a sellout? Pretty impressive, but not that surprising considering the loyalty of Boston sports fans. Last year, we broke the record for consecutive sellouts (held by Cleveland at 455 straight sellouts) and the milestones just keep continuing. Unlike Cal Ripken Jr., who eventually took a day off after breaking the consecutive games played streak, I would love to see Red Sox Nation do the unthinkable and record 1,000 straight sellouts, and more. According to my math, that would happen on... fuck it, I'm not doing the math, but it'd be a ridiculous record to post. Let's just keep selling out Fenway until I die.

“It’s remarkable,’’ owner John Henry wrote in an e-mail. “There is a love associated with this franchise that transcends sports. The great thing about following a baseball team very closely is that it’s an everyday pursuit. We follow all of our own personal stories day to day - our kids, our spouses, this baseball team - there is a continuity of hopes, surprises, joy - all the daily ups and downs of the Red Sox provide a backdrop that is often a respite or enhancement for everything in the foreground.

“That these fans have packed Fenway 500 straight times without exception is not just a record book entry, it is an affair of the heart that can be seen on the faces of fans every magical night - rain or shine. We’re all lucky to have been a part of it.’’

- Courtesy of Boston.com

As cookie-cutter as that statement sounds, it's really true. Baseball in Boston is not only just a part of our daily activities, it's a way of life. We, as fans, live and die on the fortunes (or misfortunes) of this team. Unlike football, basketball, and hockey where there are specific seasons to focus on the Patriots, Celtics, and Bruins, there is no offseason for the Red Sox. They play April to September (and hopefully, October/November) and once the season ends it's time for the winter meetings followed by spring training. There is no downtime if you are a Red Sox fan, and there never will be.

Here's the commemorative ball given out last night.

That's probably why fans from other cities consider us as being insufferable and overreactive. They just don't understand the passion, knowledge, dedication and dare I say "insanity" of Red Sox Nation. For fans of most cities, going to a baseball game is just another event to attend for fun. Here, going to a Sox game is a privilege and a being a true member of the Nation is a rite of passage.

So, really, this is a testament to the fans. The fans are the reason why there are 500 consecutive sellouts (obviously) and the fans are the reason why Boston is the best sports town in the country. I've been to a bunch of different ballparks and the atmosphere and environment has never even come close to rivaling that of Fenway. And it never will.

To the fans: may the streak continue, may your loyalty stay true, and may you lead us to another championship in the near future because truly, you are the lifeline of this team.

Let's go Red Sox!