Why is Sweet Caroline played at Boston Red Sox games? Is it Red Sox's unofficial anthem?

'Sweet Caroline' is an iconic hit sung by American songwriter Neil Diamond. However, Sweet Caroline has grown to become an even more familiar tune at Fenway Park, much like the Boston Red Sox anthem. But baseball fans are keen to know the answer to the questions, 'Why is Sweet Caroline played at Red Sox games'? and 'Who is Sweet Caroline written about'? amid the song catching fame in the MLB at Fenway Park.

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Why is Sweet Caroline played at Red Sox games? Is it the Boston Red Sox anthem?

To fans that have no clue as to why Sweet Caroline is played at Red Sox games, it has quite a deep meaning for the people of Boston. Originally sung by Neil Diamond, "Sweet Caroline" is now played at every Red Sox game just before the bottom of the 8th innings. However, the answer to why is Sweet Caroline played at Red Sox games as well as becoming the unofficial Boston Red Sox anthem is due to a lady named Amy Toby.

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Why is Sweet Caroline played at Red Sox games? Who started Sweet Caroline at sporting events?

The revelation of why is Sweet Caroline played at Red Sox games is simply because Amy Toby liked the song played it during a game and it got stuck into her head. Toby was in charge of picking music to be played at Fenway Park at the time, from 1998 to 2004. Although Toby liked the song "Sweet Caroline" and played the Neil Diamond hit it didn't become closely associated with the Boston faithful right away.

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Why is Sweet Caroline played at Red Sox games? How did it become the Boston Red Sox anthem?

When the song was initially played at Fenway, the Neil Diamond track was only played during random games, between the middle of the 7th and 9th innings. Soon, fans began to wonder why is Sweet Caroline played at Red Sox games as it was only played if the home side were winning at the time. Toby felt that the song was a good luck charm for the Boston Red Sox and in 2002, “Sweet Caroline” became an official Fenway tradition. To this day, the Neil Diamond song is played as the Boston Red Sox anthem before the bottom of the 8th innings at each home game.

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Why is Sweet Caroline played at Red Sox games? Who is Sweet Caroline written about? 

A few days after the Boston Marathon bombings, Neil Diamond himself showed up unannounced and asked permission to sing "Sweet Caroline" as a tribute towards the Red Sox fans at the game. However, Neil Diamond revealed that the answer to 'Who is Sweet Caroline written about'? and claimed that he dedicated the song towards his wife at the time, Marsha.

Neil Diamond sings the Boston Red Sox anthem

Here is a video of Neil Diamond singing his own song, aka the Boston Red Sox anthem, Sweet Caroline back in 2013.