As Red Sox closer Keith Foulke fielded a grounder from Edgar Renteria and made the final out of the World Series, first-year Caitlin Edwards stared at her television screen in disbelief.
While Edwards caught her breath, she heard floormates emerge from their rooms and start sprinting up and down the stairs of Coleman Hall, banging on all the doors in the dorm and shouting with enthusiasm that had been building for 86 years. As Edwards prepared to venture to the Quad for what was sure to be a fervent celebration, she peered back into her room for one last look at her roommate, Betsy McDonald '08.
McDonald was taking pictures of the TV.
At Brunswick Apartments, the celebration began before the final out. Before the game had ended, students started setting up wood and trash to burn so that by the time students left their apartments to join the festivities, the fire was already blazing.
"I personally felt [the celebration] was way too tame and the bonfire should have been a lot bigger," said Eric Gutierrez '07.
Even after the Brunswick Volunteer Fire Department extinguished the victory flame, students remained in the area, celebrating with champagne and cigars and chanting "Who's your Papi?" and "Manny!" to the tune of the soccer cheer, "Olé!"
Director of Security Bruce Boucher said there were no major problems with victory-related incidents Wednesday night.
"Overall, it was very respectful," Boucher said.
Back on the Quad, first years were chanting, crying, and embracing friends and strangers alike in the excitement that followed the Red Sox's win Wednesday night.
"It's about time!" said Phil Gates '08 as he and his friends poured out of Hyde to join in the festivities. "I'm in a state of shock."
Ben LeHay '08, originally of South Freeport, has been a Red Sox fan for as long as he can remember.
"After last year's disappointment, I finally feel like I can move on," said LeHay amidst the crowd of cheering first years. "The curse is over!"
Tara D'Errico '08, hailing from Brookline, Massachusetts, was sure her friends at school in Boston were going wild.
"You think campus is crazy?" she said. "I can't wait to go home to Boston!"
A number of enthusiastic Bowdoin students did just that, leaving the campus celebrations early to drive to Boston for what was surely a much larger party.
Sam Kapelle '05 drove to Boston after the victory with four other students. While the group did not see the riots, Kapelle said the scene was remarkable.
"It was really impressive to see so many riot police with clubs," he said. "There's nothing like the smell of victory at night with a little bit of beer, blood, urine, and tear gas thrown in."
Boston University student Peter Hansen '07 told the Orient that as soon as the game was over, he sprinted directly to Kenmore Square to join the riots of excited fans.
"I watched a kid climb up a street signal sign, get almost to the light, and then fall back into the crowd," Hansen said of Wednesday night's festivities.
BU first-year Sarah Gisriel said Wednesday night's riots were far tamer than those following the Red Sox's ALCS victory. "The dean of students cautioned us after BU sent one student to the hospital and one to jail due to [last week's] riots," Gisriel said. "Nonetheless, kids poured out of Warren Towers to join the more peaceful riots a block away at Kenmore Square."
Bowdoin Dean of Student Affairs Craig Bradley sent a campus-wide e-mail on the afternoon of the game to remind students to be careful while celebrating under the Pines. "The Bowdoin community may witness at some point over the next five nights an event that has not been witnessed on this campus since Casey Sills was in his first year as President of Bowdoin," said Bradley in his message to students. "Should that happen and cause some of you to experience a new and unfamiliar set of emotions, I encourage you to express those powerful feelings in a healthy and safe way."
Red Sox fans everywhere were given the opportunity to express their feelings of excitement. According to Gutierrez, "It was an unreal experience that I will never forget for as long as I live."