Truck Day: Red Sox Equipment Truck Heads to Florida Spring Training
At 1 p.m. today, the huge Boston Red Sox equipment truck pulls away from Fenway Park, loaded up with all the gear needed for JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida.
The big 53-foot truck carries an incredible amount of baseball equipment. It’s filled with 20,400 baseballs, 1,100 wooden bats, and loads of new uniforms. The truck will stop at Worcester’s Polar Park at 2 p.m. where fans can send it off.
Behind the wheel is Al Hartz, making this his 28th straight year driving. Leading the way, a flatbed carries the fan-favorite Wally the Green Monster and Tessie mascots, along with Fenway Ambassadors joining the send-off.
Looking inside shows just how much goes into getting ready for the season. There’s 200 batting helmets, 320 practice tops, and 160 game jerseys packed in there. Players will find their lockers filled with 300 pairs of pants, 400 shirts, and plenty of new socks.
Worcester makes the most of the visit with their third “Truck Day.” Fans can take some swings at the new “WooCages” right by the Madison Street team shop.
This truck day tradition has been marking the end of winter and start of baseball since 2003. For players and fans, it’s the first real sign that spring is coming.
The list of supplies looks like what you’d find at a baseball store. They’ve packed 20 cases of bubble gum and 60 cases of sunflower seeds to keep players snacking between innings.
Baseball equipment takes up most of the space. Two hundred pairs of batting gloves are tucked in among piles of practice gear heading down south.
People show up to take photos with the mascots during this moving celebration. At the Worcester stop, visitors get to try out the batting cages.
All this stuff arrives just in time. Pitchers and catchers start practicing next week, with the whole team joining in soon after.
