Littlefield On Sports: In The Wake Of Tragedy

05:48

April 24, 2013

Boston Red Sox's David Ortiz pumps his fist in front of an Amarican flag and a line of Boston Marathon volunteers, background, after addressing the crowd before a baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and the Kansas City Royals in Boston, Saturday, April 20, 2013. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

In ballparks around the country last week, one song played again and again.

Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" — a Fenway Park 7th inning-stretch ritual — became the sports anthem across the country in support of the people of Boston. This past Saturday at Fenway Park, Red Sox fans got a special performance from Diamond himself.

While Diamond sang his song along with the crowds, cameras panned in on fans hugging each other, holding posters "Boston Strong."

It's almost as if the stadium became, just for a few minutes, a church....a community center.... a place where everyone could just be together. So what is it about sports that makes this possible?

Guest

Bill Littlefield, host of NPR's Only a Game (@onlyagameradio)

This segment aired on April 24, 2013.