Former fan favorite of Blue Bloods, Danny Reagan (played by Donnie Wahlberg), is officially remaining in Boston, and he is already engaging in the city’s most beloved cultural traditions. When Danny informs his son Sean (Mika Amonsen) that he will be staying, they are enjoying a Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park — and Danny has just been welcomed into a genuine baseball tradition, singing the chorus of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” alongside the other fans.
Since 1997, the Boston Red Sox have embraced “Sweet Caroline” as their rally song, a tradition that began when Fenway employee Amy Tobey played the song spontaneously to honor a friend’s newborn daughter. The song was intermittently featured until 2002, when Charles Steinberg, the entertainment director at Fenway, decided to include it regularly in the team’s game playlist.
He strategically placed it in the middle of the eighth inning to energize baseball fans and keep them engaged until the game’s conclusion, regardless of whether the Red Sox were ahead or behind.
This anthem has become so closely associated with the Jersey Street experience that Neil Diamond himself has graced the stage to perform it at various events in 2010, 2013, and 2022. Although the singer’s homage to Caroline Kennedy may seem inseparable from Boston baseball, it has also resonated with other sports teams.
The Boston Red Sox Are Not The Sole Sports Team That Employs Sweet Caroline As Their Rallying Anthem
Numerous sports teams have adopted Sweet Caroline as their anthem. The Carolina Panthers celebrate every home game victory by playing it, having started this tradition in 1996, a year prior to the Red Sox embracing it. Fans of the Iowa State Cyclones have been enjoying Diamond’s classic since 2006.
This uplifting song has consistently served as a source of joy for supporters of Penn State’s Nittany Lions football team, although it was temporarily removed from the stadium’s playlist during the 2012-2013 season.
What makes Diamond’s iconic love story such a hit at sporting events ? Mary Pink, who was the associate athletics director for marketing for the Iowa State Cyclones, has a theory. She shared with the Des Moines Register that it possesses the ability to unite diverse individuals, allowing them to set aside their differences and sing along to those memorable lyrics.
According to Mary Pink, “It’s that one song that resonates with everyone, regardless of age. It’s a unifying anthem.” Danny Reagan — a champion of collaboration — would surely endorse this sentiment.