Full hearts, empty kegs, can't lose: Scotland's Tartan Army takes over World Cup - ESPN

BOSTON — You heard them before you saw them. On Sunday around the city, it wasn't difficult to catch a glimpse of the thousands of Scotland fans snaking through the city from Evans Way Park to Fenway Park, led by a cohort of bagpipes. There hasn't been much to cheer for Red Sox fans this year, but on a warm Sunday evening in glorious Boston, Scotland's supporters provided them a moment of escapism from their eventual defeat to the Texas Rangers.

It was called «Scotland Day.» The Red Sox's mascot, Wally, wore a kilt; the team's in-house organist played several Scottish hits after spending the week studying sheet music. It was a party — another party in a city that had already seen so many over the preceding days.

After the rendition of «The Star-Spangled Banner,» with the American flag still draped over the Green Monster, Scotland's fans, spread in their thousands above the bullpen and dotted around the famous old baseball park, responded with «Flower of Scotland.» It didn't reach the same decibel level as the version sung in Foxborough the night before for Scotland's World Cup opener, but it was the sort where dyed-in-the-wool Red Sox fans either sat in stunned silence, clapped or instinctively reached for their phone to capture the moment. Some attempted all three.

Scotland's fans have been the talk of Boston. Thousands made the trip over the Atlantic to watch their men's team play in a World Cup for the first time in 28 years.

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Scotland have never made the knockout stages of the tournament, and their win over Haiti was just their