Thousands of Scots who traveled to Boston to watch their country’s World Cup team are changing the city’s dynamics.
Bars prepare stocks of beer to welcome thirsty fans this Friday (19), when Scotland faces Morocco in the second round of Group C, days after a friendly invasion of the stadium of the Red Sox, a traditional baseball club in the capital of Massachusetts.
The 1-0 victory over Haiti on Saturday (13) forced pub workers to scramble for emergency supplies to satisfy the British who wanted to celebrate.
“I’ve been in this business for over 30 years and I’ve never seen anything like it,” Billy DeCain, general manager of downtown bar Sam Adams, told Reuters. “Do they sleep at all? Do they get tired? They were back the next day at 11 in the morning.”
It was Scotland’s World Cup debut 28 years after their last participation in the competition, in 1998, in France.
Born in 1999, Mark Kelly left a city near Glasgow and traveled to the United States just to watch the match against Haiti, for which he paid US$450 (around R$2,300). “I don’t know if it will happen again, so we had to come,” he said, surrounded by friends younger than the country’s absence from the World Cup.
Known as the Tartan Army, named after the checkered wool used to make traditional kilts (Scottish clothing that resembles skirts), fans were invited to watch the Red Sox game against the Texas Rangers the following day.
Around 5,000 people answered the call and filled the stands at Fenway Park on Sunday (14). On the way to the stadium, a march complete with bagpipes that won over the inhabitants of Boston.
“Scottish fans are the best. They’ve been warm, they’ve supported our businesses, they’ve gotten to know our community and they’ve treated Boston like it’s a home away from home for them,” said the city’s mayor, Michelle Wu, dressed in a blue Scotland shirt. “I hope the Tartan Army keeps coming back to Boston.”
Inside Fenway Park, the fans sang songs played over the sound system at the top of their lungs, such as “Dancing Queen” by ABBA, in addition to their traditional songs.
Gail Nicholl flew to Boston from Edinburgh but said she had no plans to watch a match, preferring to just join in the party.
“The Tartan Army is known for having fun,” she said. “It’s the camaraderie. Everyone looks out for everyone. It’s fabulous. It’s one big family.”
After playing against Morocco, Scotland travel to Miami to face Brazil on Wednesday, June 24th.
