Our review of Fenway Park - Home of the Boston Red Sox (6/19)

Fenway Park isn't a ballpark - it's a way of life.  This place gets very high marks from both Michael and I for a number of reasons.  I can't think of a better place along our road trip to spend Father's Day than at Fenway.

First, the weather couldn't have been better.  We showed up to the special Father's Day tour at 8:30 and there were over 300 people waiting.  Based on the number of people that responded to the tour guide's question where everyone was from, I'd say a little less than half of the people on the tour were from out of state.  There was even one Yankee fan who admitted to going on the tour which prompted the tour guide to say that he would speak slower for him.  Funny stuff.  Anyway, if there was a contest between the two most "beloved" parks (Fenway and Wrigley), my guess is Fenway wins hands down - and I'm not just saying that because I hate the Cubs.  We had about 20 people on the Wrigley tour two weeks earlier.  Red Sox Nation is big and enthusiastic.

Second, the ballpark was incredible.  It is the oldest ballpark in the majors.  It opened the same week the Titanic sunk back in 1912.  When you walk up to it from the outside, you think you're looking at a warehouse.  The main street just outside of the stadium - Yawkey Way proudly displays the championship banners and is the place there the pregame party begins very early.  Even for a Sunday morning, the entire street was full of Red Sox fans around 10:30 am.  They are loud, and they spend lots of money on food and beer.  The fan base is passionate to say the least, but then that's not news to most baseball fans.

20 minutes later, Yawkey Way was crawling with Chowder Heads

Third, when Michael and I walked into the stadium for the first time on the tour, we looked at each other and thought this was real cool.  The Green Monster is awesome!  The first place we went was out on the field and it didn't disappoint.  We got a photo with Wally the Monster (the mascot) and then we took our  pose behind the plate.  Real cool!  Then the tour moved to behind the plate where we got some history of the park.  But then came the trip to the top of the Green Monster.  Michael and I were both looking at each other with big smiles.  This was something that couldn't even be done until 8 years ago when they installed seats in the Monster.  The only drawback was that the tour was over after the Green Monster.  The Wrigley Tour was far better in that sense.  But we understand that you don't get to see the same things on game days (press box and clubhouses) as you do when the team is on the road.

The Monstah

It doesn't get better than this on Father's Day - on the Field in Fenway with my main man

The Green Monster seats

 

The view from the Green Monster

After we grabbed a bite to eat outside the park on Yawkey Way, we came back in to the stadium and hung out to see if Michael could get a few autographs.  He only got one, but it was a good one - Clay Buchholtz.  He's a young player for the Sox and he threw the last no-hitter for the team.  I got a chance to chat with a couple of Red Sox fans while Michael was waiting for his autograph.  Very cool guys who spoke with deep Boston accents.  We talked about our trip and they tried to talk me out of going to Yankee Stadium - all in fun of course.  But the fans overall were very cool people.

Michael getting his autograph from Clay Buchholtz

Then came the game.  Every seat had a fan in it and then some.  Our seats were great.  This was the one game I splurged a little and got us some nice seats right past third base.  We had a perfect view of everything and we were right near the Green Monster.  Right before the game, they celebrated the Boston Bruins win by having the whole team come in on Duck Tour Boats and they brought the Stanley Cup with them as they paraded it around the perimeter of the park.  When they put the Cup on the pitcher's mound, the fans went nuts.  Once the game started, in the bottom of the first inning - BAM - Kevin Youkilis hit a 3-run homer over the Green Monster!  To make it even better, two innings later, former ASU Sun Devil, Dustin Pedroia, took the Brewers' pitcher deep over the center field wall for a home run, and then we saw two more HRs - including another one over the Monster.  The Red Sox won big - 12-3.  We also got to see the Red Sox tradition of hearing all the fans sing Sweet Caroline in the 8th inning.  Here's Michael's take on the ballpark:

View from our seats

The World Champion Bruins with the Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup on the pitcher's mound

Dustin Pedroia representing the Sun Devils and Chandler, AZ

 Hey it's me Michael.  First, I LOVED the Green Monster.  I didn't expect it to be THAT big.  I knew it was supposed to be big, but it was really big.  It was also really cool to go out on the field.  The grass seemed greener here than in other places.  The fans were really nice to us when they found out we were on a trip.  The people in Boston really talk funny.  I've got the best dad in the world and I hope he liked his Father's Day.

Well, there you have it.  That's Fenway.  We're going to conclude the evening by watching the perfect Father's Day baseball movie - Field of Dreams.  I'll try not to get choked up at the end.  Anyway, tomorrow we take off for New York City where we will be until Saturday morning.  Helen and Andie will join us tomorrow night and will be with us until we leave Washington DC next week.  We see the Mets play the A's in Citi Field on Wednesday night, and then the whole family is taking the subway up to the Bronx on Friday to see the new Yankee Stadium where the Yanks will take on the Colorado Rockies.  We will also take in some NYC sites including the Statue of Liberty, and other assorted fun stuff.