How long have the Red Sox played at 11 a.m. on Patriots Day?

As the world’s best elite runners make their final push toward Boylston Street during the 2024 Boston Marathon, the Red Sox will once again take to the field at Fenway Park in what has become an annual tradition.

The Red Sox’s Patriots Day game against the Cleveland Guardians will begin with first pitch at 11:10 a.m., marking the earliest start to an MLB game in North America this season (the Padres and Dodgers opened the year with a match at 3:05 a.m.). Start of PT in South Korea).

While Patriots Day has become synonymous with hosting the world’s oldest annual marathon, the Red Sox’s early start on the third Monday in April has also become a staple of Boston’s sports calendar.

But how long have the Red Sox been playing morning games on Patriots Day?

According to Red Sox team notes, Boston has been scheduled to play at home on Patriots Day every year since 1959, with games postponed due to weather (1959, 1961, 1965, 1967, 1984, 2018). the players’ strike (1995) and the COVID-19 pandemic (2020).

Patriots Day at Fenway Park has traditionally been a single game with an 11:00/11:05/11:10 a.m. start since 1968. The early start time has allowed fans to attend a ballgame, leave Fenway and watch the marathon runners cross Kenmore. Place for the rest of the afternoon.

The last time the Red Sox changed the script with a different start time on Patriots Day was in 2007, when first pitch was scheduled for 10:05 a.m. (the same game that featured that famous pizza pitch) .

On several occasions before the 11 a.m. start time became tradition, the Red Sox played a doubleheader on Patriots Day with two starters, so that fans had the chance to watch the marathon finish of Boston between games.

The Sox are 71-55 (.563) all-time on Patriots Day, with 26 doubleheaders played between 1903 and 1966.

“This one is different because we have a new opponent today,” Alex Cora said. “Usually it’s a four-game series. So today we had to arrive very early for meetings and all that. But it’s a special day. Come here, watch the game, then go to the finish line and see people crossing the finish line. It’s incredible. …This should be fun. I always liked it.

For Monday’s game against the Guardians, the Red Sox will wear special home jerseys with “Boston” on the front, honoring those who died in the Boston Marathon bombing 11 years ago .

Monday is also Jackie Robinson Day in Major League Baseball, marking the 77th anniversary of his first major league game at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947 for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Red Sox players will wear Robinson’s number 42 in blue letters on the back of their home uniforms Monday.