Boston, MA

Norwell’s Ozzy Trapilo realizes his NFL dreams, as Boston College right tackle is 2nd-round pick of Bears

Published

1 year ago

April 25, 2025

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Norwell’s Ozzy Trapilo realizes his NFL dreams, as Boston College right tackle is 2nd-round pick of Bears

Sports News

Ozzy Trapilo was a three-year starter at Boston College, seeing action at both tackle spots.
Mark Stockwell

By Trevor Hass, The Boston Globe

April 25, 2025

1 minute to read

Following in his late father’s footsteps, Ozzy Trapilo has made his way from BC High to Boston College to, now, the National Football League.

Trapilo, selected in the second round (56th overall) by the Bears on Friday, can check off one more major box of his own. Steve Trapilo, drafted by the Saints in the fourth round in 1987, died of a heart attack at age 39 in 2004, when Ozzy was 2 years old.

“He set the bar pretty high, but for all the better,” Trapilo said. “I’m working as hard as I can to make him proud.”

Former NFL player Steve Trapilo holds his son, Ozzy, in this undated photo provided by the family. – Photo courtesy Trapilo Family

Trapilo, a 6-foot-8-inch, 316-pound offensive tackle from Norwell, earned Atlantic Coast Conference first-team honors this past season. He started 36 games at right or left tackle during his BC career and boasted a team-best 80.5 pass-block rating from Pro Football Focus this year.

A cerebral and physical force who moves well for his size, he’s a difficult matchup for often-overpowered defensive linemen.

“You may think someone that big is not an athlete,” ESPN’s Booger McFarland said. “He plays light on his feet, heavy hands, position flexibility, able to move.”

Trapilo completed the 40-yard dash in 5.21 seconds, three-cone drill in 7.71 seconds, and 20-yard shuttle in 4.7 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine.

He trained with former Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia, alongside childhood friend and BC teammate Drew Kendall, in the months leading up to the Draft.

“His résumé doesn’t lie,” Trapilo said of Scarnecchia. “He’s a fantastic coach. Being able to work with him means a lot.”

BC head coach Bill O’Brien said Trapilo is someone who is the same every day, adding that he’ll be “a great pro.”

“He’ll do whatever you ask him to do,” O’Brien said. “He always puts the team first.”

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Boston, MA

Scottish soccer fan who died in Boston was ‘Tartan Army to his core,’ fundraising page says – The Boston Globe

Published

2 hours ago

June 29, 2026

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Scottish soccer fan who died in Boston was ‘Tartan Army to his core,’ fundraising page says – The Boston Globe

A Scottish man who died after collapsing outside a Boston pub while visiting for the World Cup is being remembered as a devoted soccer fan who was “Tartan Army to his core.”

Thomas Murty, known as “Tam,” died June 19 after collapsing near The Dubliner pub in downtown Boston a day earlier, according to a GoFundMe fundraising campaign to return Murty’s body to Scotland and pay for funeral expenses. Murty was born in 1963.

“Tam was Scotland daft his whole life,” the GoFundMe page reads. “He lived for it — the highs, the heartbreaks, the songs, the hope that never died no matter how many years went by. Following Scotland wasn’t just something he did; it was who he was.”

Murty had waited three decades to see Scotland play in the World Cup. Watching the Scottish team compete in the tournament was “the dream of a lifetime,” the fundraising page said.

Oram McGonagle, who owns The Dubliner, said he was at the pub when Murty collapsed. He said he saw a Scottish fan with an oxygen tube standing by a pillar outside the building. McGonagle said employees called an ambulance when they realized he needed help.

Caitlin McLaughlin, public relations director for Boston EMS, confirmed that medics took a patient from The Dubliner to an area hospital around 4:30 p.m. that day.

McGonagle later learned from a media report that Murty had died.

The Dubliner has donated 1,000 pounds, or about $1,325, to the fundraiser.

“We had a really good few weeks with the Scottish people,” McGonagle said Monday. “This felt like a way to give some back to them.”

Murty is the second Scottish soccer fan known to have died in Boston while visiting for the World Cup tournament. Donny Strathie, 76, died June 14 after collapsing in a hotel in Norwood. Fans paid tribute to Strathie in the 76th minute of Scotland’s game against Morocco in Foxborough on June 19.

About 2,800 people have donated more than $85,000 to the GoFundMe campaign set up for Murty’s family, as of Monday afternoon.

Ariela Lopez can be reached at ariela.lopez@globe.com. Follow her on X @ariela__lopez.

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Boston, MA

Inside Britten’s Record-Breaking Boston Waterfront Activation

Published

13 hours ago

June 29, 2026

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Inside Britten’s Record-Breaking Boston Waterfront Activation

Britten partnered with the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) to bring an ambitious public-facing installation to life, celebrating Boston’s role in the global excitement surrounding the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Massport envisioned a bold experiential marketing activation at Piers Park II in East Boston, centered around a Guinness World Record attempt for the world’s largest soccer ball. The nearly 50-foot structure needed to become a highly visible waterfront landmark while meeting strict engineering, safety, and verification requirements. The challenge extended far beyond fabrication. The installation needed to withstand unpredictable coastal conditions, operate safely in a public environment, and be completed on a fixed timeline tied to FIFA fan programming.

Massport needed an experienced event production partner capable of transforming a large-scale concept into a fully engineered, installed, and record-breaking experience. Britten served as the central event fabrication partner, managing production coordination, logistics, and on-site execution from concept through completion. Working alongside Massport and engineering partners, Britten helped translate the creative vision into a buildable solution capable of meeting Guinness World Records standards. Every detail, from material selection and structural integrity to panel alignment and inflation systems, required precision to support a nearly 50-foot inflatable structure.

After off-site fabrication, Britten coordinated transportation, staging, and installation at Piers Park II. The waterfront location introduced additional challenges, including wind exposure, tidal conditions, limited staging space, and public access. Britten oversaw anchoring systems, inflation sequencing, and installation operations to ensure the soccer ball was safely deployed and successfully verified. Through close collaboration with stakeholders, engineers, and Guinness World Records officials, Britten delivered a seamless execution where creative vision, engineering expertise, and experiential marketing came together.

The completed installation achieved official Guinness World Records recognition as the world’s largest soccer ball, measuring approximately 47.9 feet in diameter. The record-breaking brand activation transformed Piers Park II into a must-visit destination along Boston’s waterfront, creating a memorable community experience connected to the FIFA World Cup. Visible across Boston Harbor and from approaching aircraft, the installation generated widespread attention and became a recognizable symbol of Boston’s tournament celebrations.

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Boston, MA

Red Sox lefty makes latest rehab start, close to forcing tough decision

Published

23 hours ago

June 28, 2026

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Red Sox lefty makes latest rehab start, close to forcing tough decision

What are the Red Sox going to do with Patrick Sandoval?

The veteran left-hander has yet to appear in a big league game for the Red Sox, having missed his first season and a half with the organization while working his way back from Tommy John surgery. But after a deliberate ramp up throughout the spring and then an April setback Sandoval is now nearing a return to the big league roster.

Sandoval made the fifth start of his current rehab assignment Sunday for the WooSox, allowing one run over four innings on three hits, a walk and three strikeouts. He threw 60 pitches, a slight uptick from the 53 he threw over 3 1/3 innings his last time out on Tuesday.

Under MLB rules rehab assignments for a pitcher can last up to 30 days, which means there’s only enough time for Sandoval to make one more start before the Red Sox would have to either activate him or designate him for assignment. Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said Sandoval might make one more start in the minors, but he acknowledged a decision will have to be made soon.

“There’s still room to get the count built up some more,” Tracy said. “He got to 60 today and there’s probably room for another one to get it further and then we have to have a conversation after that.”

The Red Sox likely won’t want to lose Sandoval, but how he fits in roster-wise is tricky. The Red Sox starting rotation has been on a roll recently, and the most likely candidate to be optioned is rookie left-hander Jake Bennett, who has pitched brilliantly since coming up to fill Brayan Bello’s spot.

Boston could also insert Sandoval into the bullpen, but the Red Sox are likely about to get fellow left-hander Jovani Moran back off the injured list, and long reliever Ryan Watson can’t be optioned as a Rule 5 pick without being DFA’d himself.

Tracy said those will be issues the Red Sox will have to sort out, but noted that these sorts of logjams often have a way of working themselves out.

“Having depth is a good thing and it’s been tested for us, we had depth when Brayan went down and you know he’s down there and he’s got a specific purpose and mind of trying to get it right, well we’re kind of out of starting depth,” Tracy said. “So getting Sandy helps us in that way, but what we’re going to do yet we haven’t gotten that deep into it but obviously it’s looming.”

Extra innings

Left-hander Jovani Moran (left elbow inflammation) made his second rehab appearance for the WooSox on Sunday, retiring all six batters he faced on just 14 pitches over two perfect innings. Tracy said the club hasn’t decided if Moran will need another rehab outing before he’s activated. … Tracy said shortstop Trevor Story (sports hernia) is continuing to make progress but likely won’t start a rehab assignment before the All-Star break. … Right-hander Kutter Crawford (right wrist surgery recovery) is in the early stages of his throwing program in Fort Myers but remains a long way off from a return.

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