Scottish quartet win £8k in Boston Red Sox raffle

Four Scotland fans enjoyed a more memorable weekend than most in Boston as they became what the Red Sox believed to be the first UK winners of the club’s 50/50 raffle.

Two father and son duo, Peter and Paul Innes and John and Ross Henderson – from Bonnyrig, Midlothian – attended the Scotland celebration night at iconic Fenway Park the night after Steve Clarke’s side beat Haiti in their World Cup opener.

They bought $40 of raffle tickets between them on Sunday when the Red Sox faced the Texas Rangers and “after checking the numbers 250 times” discovered they had won a $21,353.80 (£16,132.90) prize.

“It’s just surreal,” said Paul, who has followed his father home and away to Scotland for more than a decade. “It doesn’t really sink in.”

Half of the winnings go to support the Red Sox Foundation, meaning the Bonnyrigg men were handed a check for $10,676.90 (£8,066.45) ahead of the Red Sox’s match against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday.

The Red Sox staff cannot recall a winner from the United Kingdom and have struggled to find an international winner’s record of late.

The Tartan Army traveled to the home of the Boston Red Sox before their loss to the Texas Rangers made global headlines.

“My best friend, his son, my son, is amazing,” John added. “What a trip we had!”