Right from the beginning. In that fall I was in the 8th grade, and they were the "home team" plain and simple. I grew up in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston and you played every sport in every season, and followed all the teams with a zealousness you only found in those days in the inner city.
Before the Pats existed I "liked" the Giants because they were the first professional football team I saw on TV, but the HATRED for the Yankees, Knicks, and Rangers made the transition from the Giants to the Pats very easy. My Father took me to a game at BU field that first season, and saw several games when they played at Harvard. Ironically I never went to a game at the old Shaffer/Sullivan/Foxboro Stadium.
I was also a big Celtics fan. My Dad was a cab driver and his dispatcher ran a concession stand at the Garden.. He would moonlight helping him, and he'd take me along. Saw a lot games from the 3rd balcony of the old Garden. I actually once won a pony in a name the pony contest. It was too bad because 2nd prize was a bike and that's what I really wanted. There was a picture of me on the horse in the Paper with the caption, "look Ma,. no pedals"
OOPS, sorry. Just the late night ramblings of old man.
