Category Archives: Sports

Bagpipes, Kilts, and a World Cup Win: The Tartan Army Arrives

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Boston, the World Cup, and a Surprise Scottish InvasionPlayers from Scotland and Haiti battle for possession in midair during their World Cup match.

A few days ago, I posted an essay on Boston sports and our wonderfully chaotic mix of teams and traditions in Wicked Good Reasons to Love Living in Boston.
>I somehow managed to leave out two things: our Scottish heritage and Boston’s long, stubborn relationship with soccer — or as the rest of the world calls it, football.

Ask any soccer fan and they’ll tell you American football is the upstart, the imitation, the knockoff.
The real thing — and yes, that’s Coca‑Cola’s line — belongs to the rest of the world.

Well, the “real thing” arrived in Boston (okay, Foxborough) on Saturday, June 13, when Scotland beat Haiti 1–0 at Gillette Stadium in their first World Cup match on U.S. soil.

Soccer in Boston: Older Than You Think

Soccer didn’t just show up for the World Cup.
>It’s been here since the 1800s, brought over by Scottish immigrants who played in mill towns, factory yards, and open fields long before anyone thought to build a stadium.

Fast‑forward to 1996:
Robert Kraft — already owner of the Patriots — became the founding investor of the New England Revolution, one of MLS’s ten original clubs. The Revs had a rocky start (including the dubious honor of being the first MLS team to lose to an amateur club), but New England fans stuck with them. Even in the lean years, crowds of 15,000+ proved that soccer wasn’t going anywhere.

June 13: The Cheers Heard ’Round the World

So when the World Cup finally landed at Gillette, Boston showed up — but the Scots showed up louder.

The Tartan Army, Scotland’s legendary fanbase, marched in wearing kilts, waving flags, and playing bagpipes like they were soundtracking their own parade. Young, old, men, women — all proudly tartaned up for the match and for Scottish Heritage Night.

Their cheers didn’t just echo around Foxborough.
>They felt like they traveled the globe — a modern twist on “the shot heard ’round the world,” but this time it was the cheers.

Welcome Back, Soccer

Boston already has Red Sox Nation and Patriots Nation, but on this weekend, the city gained something new:
a joyful, plaid‑covered, bagpipe‑powered visiting nation — the Tartan Army.

And honestly?
They fit right in.

Scottish Update

Boston has officially been adopted by Scotland. Bagpipes on the T, the wave at Fenway, Sweet Caroline sung like it’s a national anthem — and everywhere you look, pure joy. I’m soaking up every second of it.

 

Golden Tempo Wins Belmont!

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Welcome to Saratoga, NY — known for health, history, and horses. And today’s Belmont Stakes did not disappoint!

Golden Tempo. He did it again — from last place to first in the Belmont Stakes.

For three‑quarters of the race he just loped along at the back, unbothered, unhurried, almost lallygagging. Then he hit the far turn, straightened into the homestretch, and unleashed it. That breathtaking surge — that rocket‑launch from last to first — is why this horse has a grip on my heart.

Golden Tempo surges across the Belmont finish line ahead of his rivals on a dirt track.

 

He didn’t just pass rivals. He blew by them.

Congrats to Golden Tempo and his team.

From underdog to GOAT. You just gotta love this horse.

Secretariat – When a Horse Becomes a Legend

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Gone but not forgotten. “Bronze statue of Secretariat at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, commemorating the Triple Crown winner’s historic career.”

 

A Tribute to Secretariat: America’s Super Horse

Now that Derby Day has come and gone for another year, I find myself thinking not just about the newest winner, but about the horse who still casts the longest shadow over the sport. Secretariat. Big Red. The legend who didn’t just win races — he redefined what greatness looked like on four legs.

Secretariat wasn’t simply fast. He was the Gretzky or Jordan of the racetrack — the kind of once‑in‑a‑generation athlete whose records don’t just stand; they dare anyone to even try. More than fifty years later, his times in all three Triple Crown races remain untouched. No other horse has come close.

The Making of a Legend

Born on March 30, 1970, Secretariat grew into a 16.2‑hand, 1,175‑pound chestnut with a stride so fluid it looked like he was skimming the ground. His conformation bordered on flawless, and during his three‑year‑old season he powered himself with 15 quarts of oats a day — fuel for the engine that would change racing forever.

In 1973, he became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years. And he didn’t just win those races — he shattered them. His records in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes still stand today.

The Belmont That Became a Myth

Even if Secretariat had never run another race, the 1973 Belmont Stakes would have secured his immortality. That day, he didn’t just win the Triple Crown — he obliterated it.

He ran the mile and a half in 2:24 flat, the fastest time ever recorded at that distance. And he won by 31 lengths. The camera literally couldn’t keep the rest of the field in the same frame. It remains one of the most astonishing athletic performances ever captured on film.

A Horse Who Became an American Icon

Secretariat wasn’t just a champion; he was a cultural phenomenon. Magazine covers. Headlines. Crowds who came simply to watch him walk. He was syndicated for millions under the agreement that he would retire after his three‑year‑old season — a decision that allowed him to begin a second career as a sire.

His influence is still everywhere. Nineteen of the twenty expected starters in the 2026 Kentucky Derby trace back to him. His bloodline continues to shape the sport.

He even made ESPN’s list of the 50 Greatest Athletes of the Century — the only non‑human on the list.

The Heart of a Champion

When Secretariat died at age 19 from laminitis, the necropsy revealed something that felt almost poetic: his heart was two and a half times the size of a typical Thoroughbred’s. Not diseased — just extraordinary.

Most racehorses are buried with only their head, heart, and hooves. Secretariat was buried whole at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. Because how do you separate a legend into pieces?

The Legacy That Still Gallops On

Secretariat earned over $1.3 million on the track — more than $7.7 million today — and commanded a $70,000 stud fee. But his true legacy isn’t measured in money. It lives in the records that refuse to fall, the bloodlines that still dominate, and the way his Belmont replay can make even a casual viewer feel goosebumps.

For those of us who grew up horse‑crazy, Secretariat wasn’t just a racehorse. He was the embodiment of every dream we ever had about what a horse could be.

He still is.

Big Red forever.

 

 

 

Derby Day Bonus: Kentucky Bourbon Cake

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Derby Day is filled with pomp and circumstances and tradition from Hats to mint julips to Kentucky Bourbon Cakes

🐎

What are you serving for Derby Day
Do you have your stylish chapeau
Will you whip up a pitcher of mint juleps
Or do you prefer cake?

Here’s a Kentucky Derby tradition for you and your guests.

🎂 Kentucky Derby Bourbon Cake

Ingredients — Cake

  • 3 cups sifted cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup bourbon
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Ingredients — Glaze

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup bourbon

🥣 Directions

 1 — Mix the Batter

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Cream butter + sugars until fluffy (about 5 minutes).
  • Add eggs one at a time.
  • Combine buttermilk + bourbon in a separate bowl.

 2 — Bake

  • Alternate adding dry ingredients and bourbon mixture on low speed.
  • Finish mixing by hand.
  • Grease and flour a Bundt pan thoroughly.
  • Bake 40–45 minutes until golden and springy.
  • Melt glaze ingredients in a saucepan while it bakes

 3 — Glaze

  • Leave cake in the pan.
  • Poke holes with a skewer.
  • Pour 3/4 of the glaze over the warm cake and let it soak for 30 minutes.
  • Flip onto a plate and pour the remaining glaze over the top.
  • Serve with coffee or a mint julep.

I haven’t made this cake yet, but it’s on my list.
If you give it a whirl for Derby Day, let me know how it turns out — I love hearing your kitchen victories and discoveries.

Boston Marathon

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And They're off. The runners start the grueling 26 mile Bosotn Marathon

A Brief History of the Boston Marathon

The Boston Marathon isn’t just a race — it’s a piece of living Massachusetts history. First run in 1897, it holds the title of the world’s oldest annual marathon, inspired by the marathon event at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. What began with just 15 runners has grown into one of the most iconic road races in the world, drawing elite athletes, charity runners, and more than half a million spectators every year.

Milestones That Shaped the Race

1918: A Military Relay

During World War I, the marathon wasn’t run in its traditional form. Instead, it became a 10‑man military relay, a patriotic adaptation that kept the spirit of the race alive during wartime.

1969: The Move to Patriots’ Day Monday

In 1969, organizers shifted the race from its traditional April 19 date to the third Monday in April, bringing it in line with the modern Patriots’ Day schedule. That’s how Marathon Monday was born.

1972: Women Officially Allowed to Compete

Although Roberta Gibb completed the race unofficially in 1966 and Kathrine Switzer famously ran with a bib in 1967, 1972 marked the first year women were officially welcomed into the field. It changed the race forever.

1980: The Rosie Ruiz Scandal

One of the most infamous moments in marathon history came in 1980, when Rosie Ruiz was initially crowned the women’s winner — only to be disqualified after it was discovered she hadn’t run the full course. It remains one of the most talked‑about sports scandals in Boston lore.

Heartbreak Hill

No discussion of Boston is complete without Heartbreak Hill, the legendary climb in Newton. The name dates back to 1936, when defending champion Johnny Kelley caught up to Ellison “Tarzan” Brown on the hill — only for Brown to surge ahead and win. Kelley’s heartbreak gave the hill its name, and runners have been bracing for it ever since.

2013: The Marathon Bombing

The darkest chapter in the race’s history came in 2013, when two bombs exploded near the finish line, killing three people and injuring more than 260. The city’s response — resilience, unity, and the now‑famous “Boston Strong” — became part of the marathon’s identity. The race has carried that spirit forward every year since.

2020: A Virtual Marathon

For the first time in its history, the Boston Marathon was not held in person in 2020. Due to the COVID‑19 pandemic, the race shifted to a virtual format, allowing runners to complete 26.2 miles on their own routes. It was a reminder that the marathon is as much about determination as it is about location.

Why the Boston Marathon Endures

The Boston Marathon is more than a race — it’s a tradition woven into the fabric of Massachusetts. From Hopkinton to Boylston Street, every mile carries stories of determination, heartbreak, triumph, and community. It’s a race that honors its past while evolving with the times, and every April, it reminds us what endurance — and Boston — are made of.

 

A Typically Boston Conclusion

The Boston Marathon is a really big deal in a city that loves its sports with its whole heart. From the Red Sox to the Bruins to the Celtics to the Pats, Boston shows up — loudly, loyally, and without hesitation. And on Marathon Monday, the city shows up in a way that feels almost sacred. Streets fill, cowbells ring, strangers cheer for strangers, and the whole region leans into one long, collective heartbeat.

It feels fitting that my Patriots’ Day post goes live on April 17, covering the full Lexington and Concord weekend, while this Marathon post lands on April 20 — right as runners are making their way toward Boylston Street. Two traditions, two days, each carrying its own history and emotion.

Patriots’ Day honors where Massachusetts began.
The Boston Marathon celebrates who we are now.

And honestly, only Boston could pull off a weekend where muskets at dawn and world‑class athletes share the same spotlight — and somehow, it all feels perfectly natural.