Lifelong Red Sox Fan ‘Wins’ Opportunity to Throw First Pitch at Fenway

When AAA member Amy Street of Charlestown, Mass., found out she won the grand prize in the Boston Red Sox AAA Game Day Sweepstakes, she knew there was only one thing to do: Give the opportunity of a lifetime to her next-door neighbor and lifelong Red Sox fan, Claudia Hunter.

“I was stunned, excited and suddenly nervous,” said Claudia, a 50-year AAA member. “I have been going to Fenway Park since I was a teenager and have fond memories of watching Carl Yastrzemski playing left field in place of Ted Williams.”

Also in attendance as part of the grand prize at the Aug. 4 game against the New York Yankees was Amy’s husband, Tim Conway, and their 8-year-old son Eamon.

AAA Northeast Boston — AAA Game Day Sweeps grand prize winner Amy Street offers last-minute encouragement to Claudia Hunter, her neighbor whom she gifted the opportunity to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Amy’s son Eamon looks on.

“Claudia bought Eamon a beautiful book full of the baseball basics, presented him with a Red Sox cap…she even took Eamon to his very first baseball game (Red Sox, of course!) and bought him all the baseball snacks any kid could want,” said Amy. “So, when this opportunity came up, we knew we wanted to share it with Claudia.”

So how did Claudia prepare for her big moment?

“My experience playing baseball consists of Wiffle ball and baseball in our front yard with my brother and his friends growing up,” she said. “Hence the need to practice throwing a ball for the first time in decades with my oldest friends, Barbara and Gary Sable of Newton, Mass., who are also longtime AAA members.”

Fifty first-place winners, who each snagged seats to the game with a guest, watched on as Claudia threw a pitch that would have made Red Sox hurler Chris Sale proud. It was high and tight.

“The attempt to throw a ball into a glove 60 feet away certainly gave me a new appreciation for the art and skill of all professional pitchers,” Claudia said.

The grand-prize winners also had the opportunity to chat with Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy and AAA Northeast president and CEO John Galvin down on the field.

John Galvin and Sam Kennedy — Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy shares the secret to this year’s success with AAA Northeast president and CEO John Galvin and Game Day Sweeps contest winners.

It was evident that on this day, it wasn’t just the Red Sox who scored the ‘W.’

“I would like to say to Tim and Amy ‘thank you’ to my dear friends and neighbors for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Claudia said. “To be such a part of this wonderful game at the oldest and best baseball park in America, beloved Fenway Park … it was wonderful.”

Listen below for more from Amy and Claudia on this special day.

AAA Northeast congratulates all of our Game Day winners and reminds readers to be kind to your neighbors – because you never know when they will knock on your door and offer you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

In New York, the grand prize winner of the AAA Game Day Sweepstakes enjoyed an equally unforgettable experience at Yankee Stadium. Read all about it!