For Openers, Don't Boo Dewey

Dwight Evans hit the first pitch of the 1986 baseball season over the left field fence in Tiger Stadium last week. Red Sox fans cheered his effort.

At the Sox home opener yesterday, the fans cheered again as Evans was the first Boston player introduced to the 34,000 plus audience.

They cheered again as the Red Sox jumped to a 1-0 lead, and yet again as a Marty Barrett double off The Wall was ruled a Bucky Dent-style home run.

But it couldn't last.

The cheers turned to jeers as Oil Can Boyd tired, and Bob Stanley saw his '86 ERA blossom over 12.00.

Now, booing Bob Stanley is one thing. After all, when he pitches, it's double jeopardy for Sox faithful: opposing hitters have a field day with his stuff; and there's nobody left in the bullpen to smash stray beach balls mercilessly with the pitchers' mound rake.

But Boston boosters made New York Giants fans look like true sportsmen yesterday by booing the performance of Dwight Evans.

It's bad enough to jump all over a baseball team (with 155 games left in the season) for an opening day loss. But to boo one of the game's best rightfielders for failing to hustle in the midst of a hopeless drubbing is bush league fansmanship.

Sure, it's frustrating to watch the Sox turn a certain double play into a fielder's choice that doesn't even work. And sure, it's frustrating to watch a team wallow in mediocrity year after year--just ask anybody from Cleveland.

But booing on opening day ain't right.

After suffering through a long winter without baseball, you should have to cheer your team on.

At least on opening day.

And even if that team is the Sox.

Perhaps Boston fans are jaded already. Their team has been picked for another fourth place finish, another year of balls bouncing off The Wall, of pitchers blowing large late-inning leads.

Indeed, yesterday's boos were almost festive. The 34,764 onlookers seemed to share the common misery of having to root for the hapless Red Sox. As they booed, they laughed about what a lousy season it was going to be.

But opening day in every other city is a festive occasion, whether the home team wins or not. Just ask any Yankee fan who has sat through an opening day slaughter--and then a manager-firing two weeks later.

The Red Sox will win about 80 games this year, giving the fans plenty of time to boo when they're eliminated from the pennant race in late August.

So don't boo them yet.

And don't boo Dewey.