Fans from around the globe will be coming to the United States for the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off June 11, including for several games in the Boston area. There are plenty of ways to take in some of the atmosphere and the spirit of the world’s largest sporting event in and around Watertown. The 2022 World Cup was viewed by 5 billions people globally, according to FIFA (compared to about 115 million for the Super Bowl in the United States), and thousands of fans at the stadiums but it may not be as big an event for the local economy as once thought. The United States is a co-host, with Canada and Mexico, of the tournament featuring 48 teams and 104 games. The Americans will not play in Boston in the group phase, when the U.S. faces Paraguay (June 12), Australia (June 19) and Turkiye (June 25).
Coach Aram Manoukian has been devotedly coaching baseball in Watertown for a very long time. He played the game, he knows the game, he loves to teach the game. The 2026 season has been all about teaching, with a roster that includes five freshman and 11 sophomores. He knew from the start of pre-season that there would be bumps along the way. He knew the Middlesex League was loaded with good baseball teams. What he didn’t necessarily know was how big the bumps would be, and as it turns out, they were huge. The final home game of 2026 was yet another bump, as the Raiders lost to Melrose 11-2 on Senior Night. The only two Seniors on the Raisers roster are Kingston Omolade and Aidan Kanode. They were recognized in pre-game festivities. Kingston was the second baseman in Coach Manoukian’s starting lineup, and Aidan was the DH. Congratulations to both for their efforts on behalf of Raiders Baseball and Watertown Athletics! Tuesday’s game was delayed by weather, as in summer-like rain and wind and thunder and lighting — at the end of a summer-like day which in realty is still spring.
The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:
Love soccer? Love fútbol? As Boston gears up to host World Cup matches this summer, you can play and watch the world’s sport with friends and neighbors right here in town — during the first ever Watertown World Cup! Here’s what to expect:
Pickup Soccer and Sign-Making PartySaturday, May 23 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Outside on Saltonstall Field
The Watertown Free Public Library (WFPL) and the Watertown Recreation Department will host pickup soccer and crafting outside on Saltonstall Field. Project Literacy learners and teachers will lead the soccer match, and library staff will provide craft materials so you can make a sign for your favorite team, in preparation for World Cup 2026! Spectators welcome.
Watertown Baseball moved to 1-5 in league play with an 8-2 loss to Stoneham at Victory Field on the afternoon of May 1. In six league games to date, Watertown has scored 0, 1, 1, 4, 1 and 2 runs. It’s not a recipe for winning baseball, whether you are the run-prevention Red Sox or the Watertown Raiders Varsity Baseball. The Raiders have some good, young talent and they are only going to get better, but putting together hits and scoring runs continues to be a challenge in a very stingy Middlesex League. The Raiders sent Julian Boas, their sophomore right hander, to the mound, and early on he was in command. So was Stoneham’s tall right hander, along with his decent fastball and curve. After two innings on a beautiful Spring day, and at the end of a cool and rainy week, the game was scoreless and visions of a pitcher’s duel seemed real. But the Raiders came unglued in the third, letting their starter down with poor defense and flat play. Boas started the third with a ground out to first. It looked like he had the second out when a wicked breaking ball got Stoneham’s leadoff hitter to chase for strike three — but, the ball bounced in front of Raiders catcher Andrew Reilly and by the time Reilly retrieved the ball in fair play, the Stoneham runner was three-quarters of the way down the first base line. Reilly didn’t have a chance to throw him out by this point, but he tried and best intentions went awry, as the ball went to the right of first baseman Peter Pavlidis and towards the chain-link fence behind first base. The runner had struck out, but got the bag at first and took second on the throwing error. Instead of two outs and no one on, it was runner on second with one out. Demoralizing if you are a pitcher!
The Boston Renegades, who practice in Watertown, got to play at Fenway Park for the first time on April 12. The beep baseball team has members who are visually impaired and others who are not, all of whom wear blindfolds. (Photo by Jim Vershbow)
BOSTON — Bravery. It comes in all shapes and sizes. Among the bravest, in my opinion, are those individuals who are forced to live their lives visually impaired. Sight is a precious thing, and not having it is one of the cruelest things you could inflict on any human being. Yet, over the years so many incredible techniques and equipment have been devised and developed to allow the visually impaired community to do things that those of us with sight take for granted. One of those things is the opportunity to play the great sport of baseball, more commonly known to the visually impaired community as Beep Baseball.
Watertown had 39 participants in the 2026 Boston Marathon. The fastest male runner was Michael Creedon, and the top female was Courtney Hawkins. Creedon finished the 26.2 mile route from in a time of 2:33:41. He finished 530th overall and was the 506th fastest male. Hawkins, who ran for the Boston Athletic Association team, finished in a time of 2:49:30, and was the 130th fastest woman.
Bob Hall won the Boston Marathon’s first wheelchair division race in 1975. Bob Hall, a Watertown resident and trailblazing wheelchair athlete and advocate for access, died at the age of 74. A private funeral service will be held at a later date, and visiting hours were held at Nardone Funeral Home on April 16. Hall’s passing was made headlines in the Boston Globe, New York Times, Washington Post, WGBH and many other places. The Boston Athletic Association had a remembrance on its website.
Registration is open for a new program offering from Watertown Recreation: Youth Field Hockey. See more information in the announcement from Recreation Department, below. Get ready for a fun, team-focused fall season with the Watertown Recreation Youth Field Hockey Program! Whether your child is new to the game or looking to build on their skills, this league provides a positive, instructional environment centered on development, sportsmanship, and fun. We proudly compete in the Baystate Youth Field Hockey League, offering a consistent and supportive experience for all players.
Spring baseball turned into summer baseball Tuesday night at Victory Field. Temperatures were in the 80’s most of the day and still in the low 70’s at game time. Ah yes, game time. This is an important piece of Tuesday’s story. Start time was slated for 7 p.m. At 6:50 P.M., under mostly clear skies both teams had completed their warm-ups, and both starting pitchers were deep into preparation in their respective bullpens. Seven P.M. passed – no umps. By 7:15 P.M., Wilmington was throwing a football around. Finally at 7:20 the umps strolled in thru the DPW gate and across the football field. By 7:30 P.M. we had first pitch. Not a big deal on a beautiful summer-like night, right? Wrong, but first the skinny on a 4-0 Watertown win. Sophomore Righthander Julian Boas got the start Tuesday night against Wilmington, who came into the game 0-3 in league play, losing three times last week, their first week of the season. Watertown was also 0-3 in league play, and like Wilmington, lost all three league games played last week. Boas got experience on the hill last season as a Freshman, and takes a regular turn in the rotation this year.
He has good velocity on his fastball, throws an affective breaking ball and mixes in a few change ups. What Boas has in spades is command and control. He can paint the outside corner with all his pitches, he knows when to mix in the fastball out of the strike zone, and best of all, he is not afraid to pitch inside and he does it with command. He sawed off many a batters Tuesday night with inside fastballs and his breaking ball. Rare to find someone so young so in control of location with his pitches, but Boas is, and it was on display Tuesday night. Boas retired the side in order in the first, third and fourth innings. Of the 22 batters he faced on the night, he got nine outs via the groundball and he struck out five.
