Posting Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In keeping with the pink theme for the month, I wanted to talk about this card.

2023 Topps Chrome Pink Refractor Triston Casas.

I'll admit, I'm only mostly sure this is the pink refractor. It could be pink. It could be magenta, it could really be most anything. But, we're going to call it pink. 

As a Casas collector, I've been slowly putting together a rainbow of this card. I think it's a great image catching the follow through of another home run. While the headshot is a bit goofy, it honestly encapsulates him pretty well. All in all, a nice offering from Topps.

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If you can, this month (and every month) I would like you to consider donating to the American Cancer Society to support their breast cancer research efforts.

“You help us fund breakthroughs that accelerate cures and save lives.  And we know that a breakthrough only counts when people can reach it. Your gift to the American Cancer Society helps move research forward and connects people facing breast cancer with the answers, care, and support they need — wherever they live and whatever stands between them and treatment. This October, please join us in helping end cancer as we know it, for everyone.”

Abby, from Sunday Sets, Visits Section 36!

Abby is the founder of Sunday Sets, a clothing line for travel, slow Sundays, and stadium nights. I was thrilled that she wanted to visit with us and talk about her business and why it should become your new favorite brand. I'm sure you'll love to hear what she has to say.

So, let’s see what happens when Abby visits Section 36!

What made you decide to open “My Sunday Sets”?

My Sunday sets was inspired by my love for football. The cheering, the crowd atmosphere, the hype, the tailgate before a game, I love it all. Like many others do too! 

It goes back to attending football games during high school, and NFL Buffalo Bills Games with my father. I absolutely LOVE a nice fall morning, making snacks, dips, and having friends and family over for football. I wanted a comfy set I could enjoy to watch football in. But not just for football, I actually love attending all different sports! I grew up in Syracuse NY. Going to crunch hockey games, SU basketball games at the college dome, and SU football games. I wanted to create multiple sets for multiple sports to watch your team win in high-quality comfort clothing. 

Do you do the designs yourself?

I do! I grew up very artsy but never pursued it. I love drawing, painting, and sketching. But I haven’t done those types of hobbies in YEARS. It’s funny actually, when it came to a design, I hand sketched them myself on Snapchat. But, I like the look and feel of a consistent embroidered brand that feels real with a passion for the love of sports.

How do you decide which products to carry?

GREAT QUESTION. I did my research on this one. I didn’t want my brand represented by some cheap material or the cheapest bang for my buck set I could find. No. I wanted a HIGH-QUALITY name that people can see and feel. I went with Independent Trading Co for now. They have been around since the 80’s, and it’s funny my favorite hoodie I own, I looked at the tag and it said independent trading co. My boyfriend’s favorite hoodie back home from New York was from the same brand too, what a coincidence. I researched them, did my due-diligence, and knew my brand needed to be represented by nice material. For baseball, I wanted to have cute tank tops and shorts for women, and a nice hoodie and athletic shorts for men. Although some tanks and women’s shorts reflect different material besides independent trading co, the material is still amazing and comfortable. Felt more, springy. For football, that starts around fall, I wanted a hoodie and sweatpants set to enjoy and be cozy in the cool crisp air.

What has been the most pleasant surprise since opening Sunday Sets?

The most pleasant surprise has been that everyone I’ve reached out to about collaborating, or receiving a free set or article of clothing to represent my brand has been so positive and has wanted to wear the clothing right away! I’ve received such positive and kind feedback, much more than I thought I would’ve these past 4 months since starting in April! 

What is the biggest challenge with the brand?

My biggest challenge has been getting the brand name known. I know it’s hard for new clothing brands to become well-known, so I am going to focus heavy on marketing for the next year to increase awareness. 

What are your immediate brand related goals?

This is my favorite. My goals for this brand. Growing up, I was more than privileged with being in a great school system where we had nice access to fields, jerseys given to us, athletic support, etc. I want to donate portions of my profits to support school sports for children that are in school districts that may not have access to such funds. My brands goal is to help as many schools athletic programs as possible to support the school sport programs. I want every child involved in sports to be able to have access to jerseys, cleats, sneakers, etc to be able to have fun on the field in whatever sport that may be to chase their dreams and ambitions. 

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Those are some really great goals!

As always, I want to thank Abby for visiting with us, and for sending along the picture to accompany the interview. 

I'm sure you’ll all want to check out Sunday Sets on your own and find the best way to improve your wardrobe. I'd go here:

Website

Instagram

Thanks again Abby and Sunday Sets!

A Moment I’ll Never Forget: Singing the National Anthem at Fenway Park

 By Jasslyn

7:00 PM on August 4th was truly one of those moments in my life that I know I will carry with me forever. I had the incredible opportunity to perform the National Anthem at Fenway Park, and even now, it feels surreal thinking about standing there, looking around the stadium, and realizing that I was actually living a moment I had worked so hard for.

Performing in a stadium is completely different from performing on a regular stage. One of the biggest challenges I experienced was dealing with the feedback and sound throughout the stadium. Hearing my voice come back to me while trying to stay locked into what I was singing was definitely difficult, but it reminded me just how important focus, concentration, and preparation are as a performer. Instead of allowing the sound to distract me, I trusted myself, stayed focused, and kept going. All the practicing, performing, and experiences that brought me to this point helped prepare me for that exact moment.

Of course, the nerves were THERE! It's Fenway Park! But underneath those nerves, my emotions were filled with so much joy, excitement, and gratitude. Knowing that my family was there watching and supporting me made the experience even more emotional. Looking out into the crowd and feeling that support was something I can't fully put into words. The Red Sox staff also treated me with so much kindness throughout the entire experience. They made sure I felt welcomed, comfortable, supported, and taken care of from beginning to end, which made such a huge moment feel even more special.

Once I finished singing, I finally felt like I could breathe again! The aftermath was honestly a breath of fresh air, the nerves disappeared, and I could finally take everything in and realize, "Wow, I just did that."

What happened afterward made the experience even more beautiful. Having people come up to me, congratulate me, show me love, compliment my performance, and genuinely support what I had just accomplished meant so much. I was also able to network and make new connections with people who were interested in my music and my personal projects. As an artist building my own career, moments like these remind me that performing isn't only about what happens while you're on stage. It's also about the relationships you build, the people you meet, and the opportunities that can come from simply putting yourself and your talent out there.

After everything was over, I got to enjoy my very first Red Sox game at Fenway with my family. Being able to sit together, relax, laugh, watch the game, and celebrate what had just happened was such an intimate and genuine experience. It wasn't just about performing anymore; it became a memory with the people I love.

And to make the night even better... the Red Sox WON!!

I walked away from Fenway feeling proud, grateful, relieved, inspired, and ready for whatever comes next. It reminded me why I continue to push myself as a performer, even when I'm nervous or faced with unexpected challenges. Sometimes you have to trust your preparation, trust your talent, stay focused, and allow yourself to enjoy the moment you've worked so hard to reach.

Singing at Fenway Park will forever be one of those moments for me.

One performance. One stadium. One unforgettable memory. 

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Where to Find Jasslyn

Instagram

Spotify

Apple Music

YouTube

Section 36 Music

 

A Magnificant Model from Chisel and Mouse

Section 36 world headquarters sometimes starts looking like.a Red Sox museum. Or, at the very least a cluttered collectibles store. Things I have amassed over the years fill the shelves and hang from the walls. There are baseballs, and jars of salsa, and bobbleheads, and even replica Fenway Parks. So, when the good people at Chisel and Mouse asked me if I'd like to add one of their architectural models of Fenway to the display, I couldn't say yes fast enough.

I wasn't 100% sure what to expect. But, whatever those expectations were, they were definitely exceeded.

First, I need to talk about the shipping. Not only was it fast, but it was in the strongest cardboard box I think I've ever seen. Clearly they took the extra effort to make sure my item arrived in perfect condition. It's refreshing in a era when some companies try to skimp and hope for the best.

Now, for the piece itself. It is a true work of art. It is a plaster model of the Jersey St. entrance to Fenway. A classic view of the ballpark. The weight of the piece is the first thing you notice. I don't know why I imagined plaster to be a flimsy material. But, this is a solid piece with some weight and heft to it. 

Look how intricate the detail work is.

The second thing you notice is the absolute attention to detail. I suppose I should have expected that from something called an "architectural model", but my mind didn't go to this. Even thought the entire model is white, every detail somehow just pops. As you turn the piece, it moves with you as shadows expose every carving. The "1912" date stamp at the top. The Fenway Park nameplate. The brick mosaic design below that. The windows and doors are cutouts adding to the depth of the piece. It all just leads to the word "magnificent". 

The model now holds a place of honor in Section 36 HQ, right above the desk so that I see it all the time.

Chisel and Mouse has models of many other buildings, and other formats as well. I have found myself wondering what a whole cityscape would look like next to each other. It's fun to dream.

Do yourself a favor and check out Chisel and Mouse for yourself. You can also find them on Instagram!

The model can easily be hung on the wall for display.

Side view of the model.

The detail is like that everywhere

All around the model.

Simply beautiful

Singing the Anthem at Fenway!

By Sammy Lauren

This all came to be because in early June, Berklee career center had a link on their Instagram to submit videos singing the national anthem for a chance to sing at Fenway. I submitted a video and didn’t hear back for a few weeks so I didn’t think much of it. 

However, a few days before I was preparing to fly from LA to Boston, I received a video with an invitation to sing the national anthem at the Red Sox vs Orioles game on July twentieth. I quickly changed my flights and all my plans because I did not want to pass up this once in a life time opportunity. To make things feel even more special, I was set to sing it on my mom’s birthday and she flew out all the way from California just to watch me perform. 

The twentieth came and it was a perfect day, the weather was amazing and the energy of the stadium was like nothing I have ever experience before. The park was packed since it was set to be the Red Sox’s fourteenth game on their historic win streak. One of the best parts was when I sang “oh say does that star spangled” the Orioles have a tradition of yelling “oh” which only heightened the energy of the experience. The Red Sox ended up winning and it was a great game all around and I don’t think it could have gone any better. 

Early the next morning I hoped on a plane to LAX to work on music as well as visit my hometown family and friends. This whole experience felt like a full circle moment because during my first few weeks at Berklee, I went viral on tik tok for a video of me singing the national anthem at my high school’s volleyball game and many people online were tagging @mlb because they wanted me to sing at an mlb game. Now that two years have gone by, it seems like that dream has come true. I have felt so much love and support from friends and family both in Boston and back home in California and it feels special to know I’m the first person in my family to do anything like this. 

I am excited for what the future holds and I hope to one day be sing for the Dodgers back in LA because that is my home team, but I am still in shock that I got to sing the national anthem for one of the most iconic teams in one of the most historic baseball stadiums in America.

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Where to Find Sammy Lauren

Instagram

Spotify

Apple Music

This story has been posted simultaneously here and on the Section 36 Music blog.

Was All That Really Necessary?

I've heard of teams firing their manager. They even sometimes fire their hitting coach. Or the assistant hitting coach. They don't fire their bench coach very often, but I'm sure they sometimes do. Third base coach? In season? Can't remember the last time I've heard of that. Hitting strategy coach? The game plan coordinator? Ok, well, this is the first team I knew had one of these. But still, reassigning that is unusual. 

But all of the above? Gone at once?

That's called shocking.

Or, is it?

I've been working under the impression that this team will figure it out. Just like last year where they started slow, and eventually found their groove. After all, this is a team that some were predicting to be the top team in the AL, fighting with Toronto for the number one seed. They were widely considered to have the top 1-2 pitching combo, if not the best rotation in the league. So, yes, each pitcher seemed to have one game where they had an off night and blew a game. And, yes, some of the hitters were struggling. But, they had histories of success. They'd figure it out.

But, it really started to add up. Especially the new guys. Especially the young guys. Especially ALL the young guys. Suddenly, you start to see some common themes.

The Red Sox have four starting outfielders and a DH in Duran, Anthony, Rafaela, Abreu, and Yoshida. That already means one of them sits every day. So, it starts to be surprising how often Monasterio finds his way into games. Or, IKF. I know he was probably signed with a regular role in mind, but things change.

Durbin was a top rookie last year. Sure, there could be an expected drop in a second year, and with a new team. And maybe Mayer could be expected to struggle in his first full season. Like Campbell did last year. And maybe Anthony's near MVP performance in the WBC was just a fluke and he should be xpected to find his way. But, all three? All at once? And Contreras taking a bit to find his groove?

At what point is it a pattern. At what point do to hear the rumors that Cora struggles with the youngsters stick in your mind? At what point does the hitting coach play a role in all the new players struggling? You start to wonder.

You start to wonder if that common theme is there stronger than you thought. You start to wonder if maybe something does actually need to be done.

But what?

That's the real surprising part. The Sox decided "all of it". It was mis-management, bad advice, poor hitting plans, poor hitting execution, and apparently the third base coach got everyone else all riled up.

Which is really my one flaw with the plan. It's like when the Patriots fired their coach and their quarterback. Which was it?

Now, it's possible they just felt Cora lost the room and needed to go. Perhaps the rest of the group was just there to make the new manager feel like he had control of his staff. Or maybe the Sox wanted to send a message to the players. "This is entirely on you now."

Whatever the reason, it's a clean slate. It's probably even the right move.

But it will make for an interesting May

Let's Get It Started!

It's time for another season! Another season of hope. Another season of excitement. Another season of a championship?

That's the important questions, right? Just how good are the 2026 Red Sox going to be? The answer? Good. Very good.

The last few year, things for the Sox have started positively. But, this year's a bit different. Instead of depending on the future, or potential, the Sox are depending on the now.

Last year's team looked good...if Buehler could regain some of his past form...if Casas Could stay healthy...If Chapman found his fastball.

This year it's not so much of the "if"s. All the team has to do it do what it did last year, and they'll be more than OK. And that seems perfectly reasonable to expect.

Sure, they have some youth that they're counting on. Durbin will be tasked with filling in for and replacing Bregman. However, for as eager as Sox fans were to have Bregman return, Durbin's WAR last year was about 0.8 lower. So, again, if he just does what he did, the Sox will be fine. Similarly, the Sox are once again expecting a youngster to start for them at second. Mayer certainly has the potential to be great. But, again, the Red Sox second basemen last year didn't exactly set the world on fire. They don't need Mayer to be an all-star. Just decent. That doesn't seem like too much to ask.

The biggest wild card is likely Roman Anthony. Does he have growing pains? Or do we get last year's version, and the version from te WBC, all year. Either one is an adequate replacement and likely an improvement over last year.

And, same with the rotation. Crochet is back. But, the pitchers behind him are less hopeful, and more probable. It's hard to overstate how poorly Buehler pitched last year. And he pitched A LOT. Just replace his starts with anything from Sonny Gray and you're ahead of the game. That's before you put Ranger Suarez in the spots taken last year by Richard Fitts. That's an automatic improvement from last year to what some people consider the best rotation in baseball.

So, where do we set expectations? Playoffs would be bare minimum. They should be at least fighting for a division championship, if not the top seed in the AL.

It's going to be a fun year.

Go Red! 2014 Topps Target Red Yoenis Cespedes

February is American Heart Month. As a nod to the Go Red for Women activities going on this month to help raise awareness, I thought I'd contribute several "red" themed posts sprinkled throughout the month.

Let's talk about this card...

Yoenis Cespedes had a short unmemorable stint with the Red Sox. He was anchored with being the main return in the Jon Lester trade. Perhaps his biggest contribution was being the main chip that brought in future Cy Young award winner Rick Porcello to Boston. 

Pretty average card here. "Batter in mid swing" is a common photo topic. In this case, he's showing a bit more effort than most, at least. Otherwise, it's a rather non-descript card. Which I guess you get every once in a while.

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I'm sure you all remember forever Miss District of Columbia Jude Maboné from her interview with us. Her "heart health" community service initiative is, obviously, quite relevant this month. As such, she's supporting the Simon's Heart campaign this month (and every month). I highly recommend you join her efforts with a donation if you are able. You can find the link here.

Support her efforts, and Go Red!

I Hereby Resolve...

Typically, the end of the year is a time for people to reflect on their life, and to make any changes they see the need for. Why do it for the first of the year? No particular reason. Although, I suppose, a July 2 Resolution doesn’t have the same ring to it. A New Year’s Resolution also has the added benefit of only occurring once a year. If you make a New Month Resolution, and fail after three days…you have some obligation to make the same resolution the next month. If you make a resolution on January 1, but flop by January 2, you can wait an entire year before you have to try and make yourself a better person. That’s a handy feature. People also find it nicer to write these resolutions down. Anything written down automatically has more weight. After all, if you take the time to type it out and share it with others, it must be important. Plus, anyone why knows about your resolution will obviously shun you if you don’t stick to it. If you make a resolution in silence, it’s pretty easy to ignore it. Of course, that presumes that anyone is listening, or cares enough to hold you to it. That’s probably not the case here. But, what else am I going to write about on January 1?

The first thing I want to do in 2026 find the delicate balance between quality and quantity with my posts. I understand that I don’t always have the time available to bring my A-Game. I also understand that it’s possible I don’t have an A-Game. But, if I only posted when I felt like I had written something worthy of a Pulitzer, you may never see another post from me. At the very least, you’d forget about this blog while you waited. Nor do I want to bore everyone with post after post that says nothing. I’m sure you’re thankful for that. So, I want to keep a schedule, without having to keep a schedule. I definitely did NOT do that in 2025. I need to get back on my horse. I'd like to shoot for one to two posts a week. That seems manageable. As long as I’m not feeling pressure from myself to post something, anything, just to post.

Another thing I say every year is that I want to increase my presence on the other blogs. You all have such wonderful things to say, and I like being a part of that. I also know that I like getting comments on my posts, so I assume that others do as well. I’d like to do my part.

For selfish reasons, I’d like to try to increase my readership. It’s not just that I like seeing the number of hits per day go up. Although, I do enjoy that. It’s also because I like it when everyone plays along with the blog. More readers means more chances of readers doing just that. Not only is it easier for me if people submit things for me to post, but I actually enjoy seeing copies of other people’s scorecards or pictures they took in Section 36. The fact that they help me come up with post ideas is just a little side benefit. I don’t know what increasing my readership involves. It probably just means writing better stuff. So, I’ll try to do that. After all, just getting the name of the blog out there is useless if people come and visit, only to find mindless dribble. (Not that I’d mind it if you liked my facebook page, or followed me on Instagram. Can’t hurt.)

So, there we go. Things I want to try and do in the coming year. If you care, feel free to try and keep me honest. Mocking comments if I’m going astray are encouraged. Or, help me out by contributing to the last two resolutions. Or both. Or, ignore it all completely. Your call.

Happy New Year Everyone!