Monday in Miami was not your typical baseball afternoon. Thousands of Scottish soccer fans, known collectively as the Tartan Army, turned LoanDepot Park into something closer to a Glasgow pub crawl than an MLB game between the Marlins and the Texas Rangers.
It started in Little Havana. Fans in kilts, Scotland jerseys and those ridiculous cone hats marched from the Ball & Chain bar toward the stadium, chanting about midfielder John McGinn and manager Steve Clarke. The Miami locals loved it. Some even joined in.
The march was a kind of love letter to the Marlins. But it was also just what happens when Scotland qualifies for the World Cup and lands in South Florida for a group stage match. The team doesn’t play until later this week, so the fans needed a warmup.
Heat, Lager and a Family Affair
The Florida sun did not care about your Scottish complexion. It was brutally hot. Many fans went with the classic “taps aff” look — shirts off, sun cream glistening, lager in hand. The smell was a mix of SPF 50 and cheap beer.
The Leitch family of four — Alan, 51, Linn, Alfie, six, and Alan Jr., 15 — nearly missed the whole thing. Linn was supposed to be at work. She got a call, booked flights three and a half hours before takeoff, and here they were.
“The atmosphere here is absolutely amazing, just electric,” Linn told reporters. “I’ve seen so many Scottish people here, and it’s so far away, it’s just incredible.”
Another fan, David Chalmers, 26, from Edinburgh, called the march amazing but admitted the heat was brutal. “I am definitely not acclimated,” he said, laughing.
Paul Hefferman, 54, a Scot now living in Louisiana, said he’s used to it. “The march was awesome, but it was hot. I’m acclimated now.”
The Actual Baseball Game
Somewhere in all this, a baseball game happened. The Marlins jumped out to a lead but eventually fell 4-3 to the Rangers. The American fans at the game got into the spirit too — they joined Scotland chants, and the stadium played Scottish songs between innings. Saltires from towns all over Scotland were waving in the outfield bleachers.
After the final out, the Scots didn’t go quietly. Singing and laughter echoed down the streets for blocks. They were here for the World Cup, sure. But Monday, they came for the Marlins, and Miami won’t forget it anytime soon.
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