By now, Mike Noonan would have caught up with all his friends at his favorite Northampton restaurants that end in “s” – Roberto’s, Joe’s, and JJ’s – and his favorite diner – the Bluebonnet.
He would have especially caught up with his childhood friends Ken O’Brien and Bruce Niemczyk. The 67-year-olds have been best friends – “alphabet friends” as Niemczyk calls it – since sharing homeroom in seventh grade.
Noonan has spent his recent winters at a family house in Six Mile, South Carolina. He passes his time serving as an usher at various collegiate games at nearby Clemson. By mid-March though, he is normally planning his return trip to Northampton. Noonan typically has a game to attend with O’Brien and Niemczyk. The trio have been attending the Boston Red Sox home openers for the past 52 years.
This year – last Thursday to be exact – would have been No. 53. That game, like all other athletic events, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Whether it’s this year or next year, we will be going to our 53rd opening day, but I have no idea, like everybody else, if they are going to start again or if they are going to allow fans,” Noonan said. “I just don’t think it’s going to happen this year.”
The lifetime Northampton residents are hopeful the games will resume, but if they come back they might not be the same.
“We’re still holding out hope that they might resume the baseball season,” O’Brien said. “Mike being a season-ticket holder we’re sure to have tickets. The question is whether they come out too soon or if it makes sense for three old men to go to Fenway with 38,000 people and watch a baseball game.”
Niemczyk took a positive view with the postponement. A later game could bring better weather. Last Thursday was cold with a steady drizzle.
“For me, it’s a good thing because if they finally do open it will be a nicer day than April 2,” he said. “We’ve gone 50 some-odd years and we’ve froze every … if we had 10 nice days in the 52 years we’ve gone. Sunny day? No, it doesn’t happen.”
Major League Baseball continues to work with the player’s association to determine how they could have a season if the pandemic subsides.
“If they lose two or three months, I don’t see how they can start at Game 1,” O’Brien said. “There’s no way they can play 162 games.”
Among the latest discussions is playing all games in Arizona, according to a report by The Associated Press. If that was to happen, it would mean the trio misses out on seeing the friends they’ve made over the last half-century.
“Over the years we’ve gotten to know so many people down there,” Niemczyk said. “The guys who own the souvenir shop have become pretty good friends. We’ve watched that grow from basically a pushcart to a multi-zillion dollar industry. It’s pretty cool to see those guys.”
The streak could receive an asterisk, but it wouldn’t be the first. In 2003, the Red Sox home opener against the Baltimore Orioles was postponed for weather. The Friday start was rescheduled for a doubleheader on Saturday, but the first game was again postponed for weather. Game 1 became Game 114 in August, but the ticket stud still said “Game 1”.
O’Brien and Niemczyk didn’t attend Game 2, but Noonan did.
The Red Sox “did what they always do and waited for us to get in there, paid for parking, ate hot dogs and drank beer, then they said sorry, weather looks bad, go home. The game’s going to be in August,” O’Brien said. “Michael went to the next game, but that’s the number on the ticket. It says No. 1.”
O’Brien also missed the 1992 home opener. He injured his Achilles tendon trying to catch up with his ride following UMass’ 82-80 overtime victory over Siena in the 1991 NIT quarterfinals in Albany, New York. Rather than attend the Red Sox game a couple of weeks later on crutches, he stayed home and watched the game on TV.
But the game itself doesn’t really matter.
“I don’t remember many of them as far as baseball goes,” O’Brien said. “I remember the stuff that goes on around it: the trips, the meals, the good times we’ve had, the people who come over and talk to us. I’ll be truthful, I can’t remember who won the game last year. To me it’s entertainment. You sit there for three and half hours and you do all the stuff and you have a good time. It’s more about the companionship of being with two guys I grew up with and having a good time.”
Added Niemczyk, I did miss the tradition of going. I missed that a lot. … Whenever the first game is we’ll celebrate it as continuing our opening day streak. I’m sure we’ll do that.”
“We will go with masks and gloves, but we will go,” Noonan said. “I won’t miss it.”
Mike Moran can be reached at mmoran@gazettenet.com. Follow on Twitter @mikemoranDHG.