BOSTON (WHDH) - It’s the celebration the players have been enjoying all season long — riding through the dugout in a laundry cart after hitting a home run.
Though it may seem unconventional, delighted fans have seen plenty of it during the team’s playoff push. Rafael Devers took a ride in the cart Monday night when the Sox clinched the series over the Tampa Bay Rays.
The signature bonding ritual got its start late last season when the players tried injecting a little fun into a losing year.
Now that they are winning, the players say they cannot get enough of the raucous ritual they affectionately call “Tunnel Time” for the gauntlet of high-fives that are doled out for each homer.
“It’s a lot more fun when you’re winning games and it’s something to look forward to,” catcher Kevin Plawecki said.
Employees at the company think Kike Hernandez will get the first home run ride for the Sox in the next series
Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom told 7NEWS said the rides are not going anywhere and it is all aboard on the road to the World Series.
“I think it’s awesome. This game is supposed to be fun,” he said. “There is a lot of stress that the game brings. You gotta be able to have fun when you can and I think it helps us win games so I am all for it.”
Those multi-purpose laundry baskets have been made right in Chelsea at the Steele Canvas Basket Corporation for more than 100 years.
The company says they are happy to partner with the Red Sox and is wishing the team well in the ALCS against Houston.
“Like building a basket, it’s not an easy feat. You gotta start with game one and work your way through,” said owner Paul Geffken. “It’s going to be a tough seven-game series, hopefully, they sweep in four so we will see what happens.”
If the success continues, the Sox hope their tradition becomes known around the country.
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