when did sweet caroline start at red sox games
1997 at least 1997
title: Sweet Caroline text: "Good times never seemed so good," the crowd sings "So good, so good, so good." This pattern is repeated whenever the chorus is played. The song has been played at Fenway Park, home of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox, since at least 1997, and in the middle of the eighth inning at every game since 2002. On opening night of the 2010 season at Fenway Park, the song was performed by Diamond himself. It is also an unofficial song of the National Football League's Carolina Panthers (played following a victory) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, title: Sweet Caroline text: April 16, 2013, the day after the Boston Marathon bombing, the New York Yankees – longtime rivals of the Red Sox – announced they would play the song during their home game, preceded by a moment of silence, as a tribute to the victims. On Saturday, April 20, 2013, during the 8th inning of the Red Sox-Kansas City game in Fenway Park, Neil Diamond led the crowd in a rendition of the song. The song was sung at sporting events across the country after the Boston Marathon bombings, in efforts to show solidarity with those affected by the tragedy. It title: Music at sporting events text: often played or sung at major- or minor-league baseball games, typically during the seventh-inning stretch. At Fenway Park, Neil Diamond's song, "Sweet Caroline," is played during the eighth inning of Boston Red Sox home games, and has been a regular part of the program since 2002. Since 2006, "Sweet Caroline" has also played over the sound system during the middle of the eighth inning of New York Mets home games. Consequently, Diamond's hit single became a standing tradition after several years of playing it based upon the home-team's performance. The National Football League team, the Buffalo Bills, have been credited title: Boston Red Sox text: new version by Boston area band The Dropkick Murphys was featured in the 2005 film "Fever Pitch", which tells the story of an obsessive Red Sox fan. The song is frequently played after home wins and inspired the name of Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster's "sister" "Tessie". Their song "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" was used to signify the entrance of Boston's closing pitcher. Another song associated with the team and its fanbase is Neil Diamond's 1969 single "Sweet Caroline". The song was first introduced to Fenway Park in 1997. By 2002, its play had been established as title: Live at Fenway Park text: a member of Buffett's Coral Reefer Band. The album includes all of the songs in Buffett's "Big 8" songs that he nearly always performs in concert. Due to the location of the concert in the home stadium of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox, Buffett performed several related songs including baseball anthem "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," Red Sox' fan favorite "Sweet Caroline," originally by Neil Diamond, and "Respect," made popular by Aretha Franklin, alluding to the Red Sox success in 2004 (they would go on to win the 2004 World Series) after years of poor performance. Buffett