MASHANTUCKET - Aidan Johnson, of Oakdale, has loved the Red Sox his entire life. So when Hall-of-Famers Jim Rice and Dennis Eckersley each signed a baseball for Johnson on Saturday, the 10-year-old felt like he had just hit a home run.
Johnson was one of hundreds of diehard Red Sox fans who flooded Foxwoods Resort Casino for the fourth annual Winter Weekend. The three-day gathering of current and former players, coaches and commentators connects fans with their favorite team on the cusp of the spring season.
Fans carrying baseball bats, helmets, baseballs, baseball cards and tickets began lining up at least an hour ahead of time in anticipation of meeting their favorite players. Strategically, organizers of the event keep quiet which player will be in which room. Johnson, who waited in line with his father, cousin and aunt, was "super excited" when the former pitcher and fielder walked in.
"I have a ball signed by Jim Rice at home that he always tries to steal," Aidan’s dad Brian Johnson said. "Now he can have his own."
Further behind the Johnsons in line were season ticketholders Mark and Kathie Cassidy, of Waterford. Mark had brought with him a selection of baseball cards - some he had collected when he was a child and some more recently. Among the batch, which he cautiously kept in a sandwich bag, were a Jim Rice card and two Dennis Eckersley cards. Mark said he was in the "right line."
"This one is from when [Eckersley] was still with the [Cleveland] Indians," he said. "I need to figure out which one I want him to sign."
After meeting the two former players for autographs, fans could go to a photo area where they were greeted by current reliever Robby Scott and infielder Deven Merrero.
While fans swarmed the ballroom for photographs and autograph opportunities, others headed to Fox Theater for panel discussions and a chance to ask their favorite players a question.
Chris Synott, of Lisbon, attended Winter Weekend on both Friday and Saturday with her family. The tickets were a gift for her son’s 14th birthday, she said. On Friday, the group attended a Red Sox Town Hall in the Grand Theater. The event introduced 2018 team members and continued with a roundtable discussion.
"My son got to ask Big Papi [David Ortiz] a question which was such a big deal for him," Synott said. "His knees were shaking."
This was the family’s first time at Winter Weekend, where tickets range from $20 to $105. But for Synott, who said her children love playing baseball year-round, the event was worth the price tag.
"This is just a wonderful way to spend time with my family. Some of these people we look up to as heroes," she said. "It’s like I am getting a chance to see this all through my kids’ eyes."