True-Blue (and Red) Fan at Edgewood

Students at Edgewood Middle School in West Covina got a preview of Halloween on Thursday, when teacher Gerald Guinen, a devoted fan of the Boston Red Sox, painted himself red and blue to celebrate the baseball team’s victory that clinched the Eastern Division title.

Guinen said he bought the paint Wednesday night, after Boston’s 3-1 win over the Chicago White Sox. The team’s colors are red and blue. The right side of his face was painted red, and the left side was blue, down to his beard. He wore a blue Red Sox T-shirt and blue tennis shoes.

“If they win the World Series, I’ll paint my arms, legs, everything,” he said.

The 40-year-old Chino resident said he has been a fan of the Red Sox for 35 years. He grew up in Fall River, Mass., about 50 miles south of Boston, and moved to California 18 years ago. He has taught social studies and English in the West Covina School District for 10 years.

At Edgewood, his spirit wasn’t exactly contagious. “Do you know your face is painted?” asked eighth-grader Ryan Wentworthy, 13. “You look weird.”

“Isn’t your face hot?” asked seventh-grader Jeffrey Jacoway, 12. “It should be melting.”

The students’ remarks didn’t faze Guinen. “I will be a Red Sox and Celtics fan until I die,” he said. “You cut me, the left arm will bleed red, mixed with blue, and the right arm will bleed green for the Celtics.”