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Former Red Sox pitcher on return to Boston: ‘Man I missed this place’

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Former Red Sox pitcher on return to Boston: ‘Man I missed this place’


As soon as Cam Booser landed in Boston, he could feel all the memories coming back.

“I wanted to deny it as much as I could but as soon as we got into the city I was like man I missed this place,” the former Red Sox left-hander said. “My girlfriend and I truly loved our time here, the city is great, the people were great, it’s hard not to admit we missed it. It’s a great spot.”

Booser, back at Fenway Park this weekend for the first time since the offseason trade that sent him to the Chicago White Sox, was one of the feel good stories of the 2024 Red Sox season. The longtime journeyman finally made his MLB debut at age 31 a year ago this week after overcoming every form of adversity you could imagine throughout his formative years.

He battled alcohol addiction along with numerous injuries, including a broken femur and broken vertebrae in high school, Tommy John surgery in college and a broken back suffered after he was hit by a car during his recovery from a torn labrum. He retired from baseball in 2017 and spent several years working as a carpenter before attempting a comeback.

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Booser’s story was prominently featured as part of “The Clubhouse: A Year With The Red Sox,” the new Netflix documentary series that premiered earlier this month. Booser said he has not seen the show yet, but expressed gratitude for the opportunity to share his story.

“I’ve heard it’s phenomenal and I heard they did a great job. I’m trying to refrain until the offseason until I can, I just want to stay focused on the clubhouse in here,” Booser said. “I think the biggest takeaway is if anybody can watch that and relate in any way, I guess if it can help even one person then it was worth it.”

Booser followed up his emotional debut by posting a strong rookie season in the big leagues. He appeared in 43 games for the Red Sox, posting a 3.38 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 42.2 innings, and following the season he was honored as the recipient of the 2024 Tony Conigliaro Award, which recognizes a “Major Leaguer who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage.”

He was traded to the White Sox in exchange for a minor league pitching prospect in December, but Booser made Chicago’s Opening Day roster and has largely picked up where he left off. Entering this weekend’s series he had posted a 2.57 ERA with 10 strikeouts through his first seven appearances.

But while he’s generally tried to stay business as usual since joining his new team, Booser said he’ll always hold a special place in his heart for the Red Sox.

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“At the end of the day I’m incredibly grateful that the Red Sox gave me an opportunity to make my dream come true,” Booser said. “When I was 30 years old coming out of indy ball they were really the only team that gave me an opportunity going into 2023. It’s no lie, you can look at the stats, at the start of ’23 I had an awful rough start, and they gave me opportunity after opportunity to figure it out.

“So I’ll always be grateful for them for giving me an opportunity, one, to stick with it, and two, to live out my big league dream,” he continued. “It was always my dream to debut here at Fenway in a Red Sox uniform so I’m incredibly grateful to them that I got to make that a reality.”



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FAA investigates close call between two aircraft at intersecting runways at Boston Logan International Airport | CNN

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FAA investigates close call between two aircraft at intersecting runways at Boston Logan International Airport | CNN


The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a close call between two commercial flights at Boston Logan International Airport on Saturday morning.

Flight tracking data shows the pilots of Delta Air Lines Flight 2351 aborted their approach for landing around 11:30 a.m. as American Airlines Flight 3161 was accelerating for takeoff on an intersecting runway.

Delta pilots performed an evasive go-around maneuver before the Airbus A319 landed safely and passengers deplaned normally, a Delta spokesperson said in a statement.

The two aircraft got within several hundred feet of each other, according to a CNN analysis of tracking data from Flightradar24.

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An air traffic controller asked the departing American Airlines flight where it was going, to which its pilot said the tower had cleared the aircraft for takeoff, according to air traffic control audio captured by ATC.com. American Airlines deferred questions from CNN to the FAA.

While experts say flying remains an incredibly safe way to travel, Saturday’s close call is the latest in a recent spate of aviation-related incidents the US, including four dramatic plane crashes, the ever-worsening problem of turbulence and strikingly similar close call and go-around investigations.

A go-around, or aborted landing, is an aviation term for discontinuing a landing and beginning an immediate climb, then following further instructions. The safety maneuver is used to prevent runway incursions – when aircraft, vehicles or people are incorrectly positioned on a runway – as well as to counter other hazards, like sudden wind shifts and less-than-ideal approaches.

While go-arounds can feel jarring to passengers, they are still considered common and happen daily in the US, Michael McCormick, a former FAA air traffic manager and an associate professor in air traffic management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, previously told CNN.

“Passengers aren’t told in advance it’s going to happen, but they’ll recognize it when suddenly they’re coming in to land and the aircraft just starts rising back up again,” McCormick said, again noting go-arounds are routine.

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“This is something that pilots practice in flight simulators on a regular basis,” he added.



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Boston Signs Big Blueliner Rylind MacKinnon To One-Year Extension

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Boston Signs Big Blueliner Rylind MacKinnon To One-Year Extension


The Boston Fleet have signed defender Rylind MacKinnon to a one-year contract bringing back the 5-foot-10 defender.

Last season was MacKinnon’s first with the Fleet, whhere she recorded one assist in 28 appearances, and also played in three games.

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According to the Fleet MacKinnon added “grit and physicality to the team’s blue line.”

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The 26-year-old British Columbia product signed as a free agent with the Toronto Sceptres after going unselected in the 2024 PWHL Draft playing 22 games for the Sceptres as a rookie.

Collegiately, MacKinnon was the University of British Columbia’s all-time leading scorer by a defender.

Boston now has 13 players signed including MacKinnon, Loren Gabel, Ella Huber, Laura Kluge, Shay Maloney, Olivia Mobley, Jill Saulnier, Liz Schepers, Sophie Shirley Susanna Tapani Amanda Thiele, Megan Keller, Haley Winn, and Aerin Frankel.



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Duck parades, outdoor drinking, and Gronk in a kilt. Here’s how Friday’s World Cup festivities unfolded. – The Boston Globe

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Duck parades, outdoor drinking, and Gronk in a kilt. Here’s how Friday’s World Cup festivities unfolded. – The Boston Globe


Despite concerns about transportation and crowd management, the region’s biggest World Cup day yet appeared to unfold largely without major problems.

Morocco fans, many of whom celebrated on Shirley Avenue in Revere, rejoiced after their win against Scotland.

“We’re going to go very far in this World Cup,” predicted David Lalou, a Moroccan fan from Casablanca who saw the game live.

Here’s how Friday’s festivities unfolded.

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The drinks continued flowing

Mayor Michelle Wu announced Thursday that in two zones in the city – the Temple Place Social District and the Union-Marshall Street district – it would be legal for patrons to consume alcohol outdoors.

The measure took effect Friday, and by game time the two zones had quickly become lively block parties, complete with live music and hearty Scottish accents.

Zachary Lobel, 22, of Newton, and Ruairidh Davidson, 24, of Inverness, Scotland, independently brought their bagpipes to Union Street. The pair found each other, and a crowd of people gathered to watch them play.

Zachary Lobel (left) and Ruairidh Davidson, both carrying a set of bagpipes, meet at a World Cup street party.Ariela Lopez

George Comeau, a senior event manager with the Downtown Boston Alliance, organized the outdoor alcohol consumption zone on Temple Place. He estimated at 6:30 p.m. that 4,000 fans were watching the Scotland-Morocco game from the party there.

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On the Common, a free watch party attracted fans of every competing team.

Stan Abraham, 38, of Jamaica Plain, came with friends to support Haiti in its match against Brazil.

“I just got to be around my people, around the energy,” he said.

Stan Abraham, 38, waves a Haitian flag at Boston Common.Ariela Lopez

Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, who is up for reelection this year, shook hands and posed for pictures with gleeful Scottish fans outside The Dubliner, the popular Government Center bar.

“I would’ve said it was impossible to drink Boston dry, but clearly [the Scots] are here and they are testing the capacity of the city to serve them,” Markey said. “It’s just a happy week.”

Scotland fans wear jerseys as they wait outside The Dubliner bar before a FIFA World Cup watch party June 13 in Boston.Mel Musto/Getty

In the Boston Public Market, which extended its hours for FIFA Fan Fest, thirsty Scottish fans did just that, lining up through the narrow Boston Beer Alley, their arms filled with as much alcohol as they could carry.

“I don’t think we’ll last all night,” said owner Dawa Sangpo.

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Also in the Public Market were Moroccan fans, many of whom frequented Mo’Rockin Fusion, a fast-casual restaurant where the food is inspired by owner Morad Bouzidi’s childhood in Morocco.

“It’s 100 percent the Moroccan experience,” Bouzidi said.

Yes, the World Cup is in Boston, but, like, not actually in Boston.

As was the case before last week’s game, South Station was packed, but some fans reported an easier commuting experience this time and Globe reporters observed a quick-moving queue.

“I had a pretty smooth experience,” said James Pennie, who is visiting from Vancouver but is originally from Scotland.

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Near 3 p.m., as a final few fans jogged through the queue to enter South Station, MBTA employees yelled out encouragement.

“No Scotland, no party!” they said.

Members of the Tartan Army sing and cheer together as they take a school bus to Boston Stadium in Foxborough for Scotland’s World Cup game against Morocco on Friday.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

Richard Sullivan, the Transit Police superintendent, said the fans were “a very orderly crew.” The MBTA sold over 19,000 tickets to and from Foxborough as of 3 p.m. Friday.

“The queues were very minimal,” said Phil Eng, the MBTA’s general manager. “We got everyone through.”

But not everyone took the commuter rail. A Globe photographer witnessed a convoy of 12 school buses, packed to the brim with Scottish fans, pulling into South Bay to pick up online alcohol orders, before going on to Foxborough.

Members of the Tartan Army stop at South Bay to load up on alcohol as they take a school bus to Foxborough for Scotland’s World Cup game against Morocco on Friday.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

A duck ? Leading a parade? And what was that about Gronk?

Patriots legends Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman appeared on Fox’s pregame show wearing kilts, accompanied by a man playing bagpipes.

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Edelman and Gronkowski applauded the Scots’ drinking prowess after they drank some Boston bars out of beer over the last week.

“The last time it happened was after we won the Super Bowl in 2015 against the Seattle Seahawks,” quipped Gronkowski.

And in Providence, a famous duck named Dawn led Scottish fans on a very orderly march. In a video shared on Dawn’s Tiktok page, the little creatures waddles forwards, a small Scottish flag on its back, while leagues of kilted men with bagpipes march behind it.

Jessica Rinaldi, Omar Mohammed, and Amin Touri of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Globe correspondents Ariela Lopez, Aayushi Datta, Lauren Albano, Audrey Tomlin, Jaden Perry, and Emily Spatz also contributed.


Truman Dickerson can be reached at truman.dickerson@globe.com.

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