I made a last minute trip last we to Boston for work. With the Red Sox hosting the Royals, I knew I had to cover it with great Red Sox tickets from EventChaser.
About Fenway Park
Fenway Park
24 Yawkey Way
Boston, Massachusetts
(612) 226-6644
Fenway Park opened on April 20, 1912. Like many older parks, it has asymmetric dimensions as the ballpark was shaped to fit into the surrounding city. The 37-foot left field wall. Fenway’s signature feature, the Green Monster - was not always green, not metal. It was originally made of wood, but was changed to the sturdier metal in 1934, and painted it’s famous green in 1947. Today, you can sit on top of the Green Monster, as seats were built up there in 2003.
Right field has its own eccentricities. Pesky’s Pole, the right field foul pole, was named for Johnny Pesky, the Red Sox beloved ex-shortstop and coach. Teammates teased him that the only way he could hit home runs were around the short foul pole (it lies 302 feet from home plate, the shortest in MLB). Right field, overall, is quite deep. The outfield fence turns rapidly away from the foul pole, and used to be even deeper than it stands today.
The bullpens were constructed in 1940 to pull the fence in 23 feet, and aid sweet swinging Ted Williams, who was just arriving in Boston. Williams hit the longest measurable home run in the history of Fenway Park, hitting a seat in the right field bleachers- Section 42, Row 37, Seat 21. The spot is marked by yet another Fenway landmark- the lone red seat (the other bleacher seats are green).
As would be expected of an old ballpark for a storied franchise, Fenway Park has had its share of great moments. Most memorable to most is the shot of Carlton Fisk willing his ball fair (for the game-winning homer) in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series against the Big Red Machine (no one remembers all this did was force a Game 7 that the Red Sox lost).
Countless other great moments have occurred at Fenway, from Ted Williams homering in his last at-bat, through the memorable 1999 All-Star Game, to the last decade- featuring actual Red Sox on-field success (the 2004 and 2007 World Series runs).
Fenway Park Location, Parking, and Transportation
Fenway Park is near Kenmore Square in Boston. Parking around the stadium was $30 or $35, but as it is an old stadium surrounded by city life, I would not recommend trying to park this way. The wiser option (which I chose) was to take Boston’s fantastic subway system, the T. Any green-line train (besides the E train) will take you to Kenmore station.
From there, it’s a short walk on an overpass over Mass Pike, to one of baseball’s (and sport’s) greatest gameday scenes. To get on the subway, I drove to Braintree station (the southern end of the red-line), parked for $7, and paid $2/person each way.
If you’re staying in the city (I wasn’t), you can probably skip the parking fee, as nowhere in Boston is very far from a T stop. The airport is also easily accessible from the subway.
Gameday Atmosphere at Fenway Park
Earlier, I alluded to the fantastic atmosphere at Fenway. Yawkey Way, one of the streets bordering the stadium, is blocked off during Red Sox home games (and other special events at the stadium) to traffic, and you must have a ticket to enter those gates.
There are numerous concessions and street vendors outside the stadium, inside and outside the gates. There are also a number of bars, restaurants, and souvenir stores in the area.
Before the game, we needed a little pick me up, and what says ‘Boston’ more than a Dunkin Donuts right next to Kenmore Station. So we got some delicious coffee and were ready for the wild scene in front of us. There are many places to quench your thirst and mingle with your fellow fans.
Some of the more famous are Jillian’s, Cask n Flagon, and, my personal favorite and recommendation, Boston Beer Works.
Boston Beer Works had over 15 original beers (they are a craft brewery) on tap, highlighted for me by the Back Bay IPA. My wife enjoyed the Blueberry Ale (complete with loads of blueberries in the glass) and the Watermelon Ale (complete with a chunk of watermelon on the glass). We ate inside the stadium on this occasion, but in the past I have thoroughly enjoyed their food menu as well.
Fenway Park Food and Drink
I have a rule about Fenway Food: if you’ve never had the Italian sausage, get one. They are delicious, and the smell of the sautéing peppers and onions adds to the atmosphere. Of course, Fenway Franks are also a good choice - and the foot long is as enormous as it sounds.
You can order Sam Adams, Legal Seafood Clam Chowder, and even Lobster Rolls to complete the New England experience. There are so many different options; it would have been impossible for me to try them all without gaining 500 pounds. Of course, I recommend the Italian sausages on Yawkey Way, get one while you walk into the stadium, and you won’t need to leave your seat during the action.
Boston Attractions
Boston, being one of the great American cities, has many attractions for visitors. For the history buff, there is the Freedom Trail and countless historical sites dating back to the Revolutionary War and colonial days. There are many areas to visit in the city for shopping, eating, and whatever you like.
A couple areas I’ve visited are: Harvard Square (and the rest of Cambridge) for the MIT and Harvard type scene and Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, which include lots of little shops for people like my mom, but also hosted a Blues and Jazz Fest and have nightlife places nearby. Everything is reachable from the subway.
While we were in town, it was Sail Boston. The tall ships were in, and they are quite the sight. Some are over 200 and 300 feet long, and you can imagine them bringing in pilgrims or stuffed full of pirates or Viking raiders. We took a ferry ride to see the boats from the water, and it was very impressive. A big thank you to RazorGator for the baseball tickets!
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