When people see our jerseys, the first question we typically get is how many stadiums we have seen. This is quickly followed by a question about which stadium is our favorite. They very often have a strong preference for their home team’s stadium. We don’t want to lie – and we don’t want to offend. That problem ended when we reached Fenway.
Now, when some asks us, we chuckle as we tell them that we can’t really beat Fenway for the history of the sport. We also answer, quite truthfully, that every stadium has something to offer. That answer seems to buy us some grace. Of course, we haven’t been to Wrigley yet. I’m not sure what we’ll say once we have two classic stadiums from which to choose!
An Important Lesson from our Trip to Fenway
After checking out from Liberty Harbor RV Park early on Tuesday morning, we programmed our GPS for Wilderness Lake Campground in Connecticut. We planned to check in, set up the Airstream, then leave for Boston in the F250.
As we left Liberty Harbor, Brad suddenly said “hey, I think this is trying to take us through the Holland Tunnel!” We had been through the tunnel the night before and noticed it had a low ceiling. Very low. Too low for the Airstream. We turned the car in a different direction, and the GPS rerouted.
“Wait,” I said a few minutes later. “Now it is trying to take us through the Lincoln Tunnel. That’s too short, too.” Another turn. Another reroute. We finally crossed the George Washington Bridge into Manhattan. With the Airstream.
A few minute later, I started to see signs that said “Caution: Low Bridges. No Trucks.” More web searching. Another change in course. We finally found our way to an interstate freeway that took us in the general direction of Boston.
Our lesson? Google Maps does not know how to calculate for high vehicles. We have now identified an app that does! ToGo RV is our new go to for city driving with the Airstream.
As an aside, there is a sad reason for these low clearances in New York. According to an article in Bloomberg, Robert Moses constructed many of the parkways leading from downtown New York west to the coastline and beaches. Moses disliked people of color, and particularly Blacks and Puerto Ricans. To dissuade them from using the beaches, all the bridges he built were too low for public transportation to access. His legacy lives on today, making it difficult for many larger vehicles, including our Airstream, to make their way through New York City.
Touring Fenway
We met my mom at the airport Hilton and took a cab to Fenway for our tour. After some time on the field behind home plate, we climbed up to the top of the Green Monster to continue watching batting practice from the seats atop this renowned wall.
Our tour guide, Joe, asked us if we knew the distance the home run that went farthest from the plate had traveled. We didn’t. He explained that, in the days before the Green Monster, the wall was shorter. In those days, it wasn’t uncommon for balls to go over the fence. At that time, there was a railway that ran through, and one of those balls landed in a train car and travelled all the way to New York before it was retrieved!
The longest home run hit in the park landed in Section 42, Row 37, Seat 21. That hit, made by Ted Williams in 1946, is commemorated with a red seat. During that game, a man with a new straw hat sat in that seat. He was blinded by the sun as the ball came his way, so he didn’t see it until it hit him on the head, destroying his new hat and knocking him unconscious.
Later, when he was interviewed by a reporter, he said that he didn’t remember much about the hit. When asked his opinion of the game, he said he didn’t remember much about that either, but that he never intended to go back. He’d had enough of baseball!
The game day tour doesn’t get you into the back areas, such as the signature area under the bleachers or the dugouts. However, because our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable about the stadium and the sport, the tour was worth the price!
Our Impressions of Fenway
As I noted before, it’s hard to beat Fenway for history. Ryan and Brad both stood on the field looking around, wondering what it would be like to play there. The stadium is constrained by the fact that it was built in the middle of a city. There really is no playable foul territory, as the poles are set in the corners of the stadium, right next to the fans.
Because it is an old stadium, the seats are narrow and there is little room in front of your knees. Clearly, humans were smaller and thinner when Fenway was constructed.
Our Seats: We splurged on these seats! We had field box seats behind home plate, and they were amazing! Our seats were in Section Field Box 51, Roy H, Seats 1 through 4.
The Food: While the stadium is known for its Lobster Rolls from Yankee Lobster Company, I couldn’t stomach the price ($36) for ballpark food. Instead, Brad bought a Sal’s Pizza Company cheese pizza, which we all shared. It was tasty!
Non-Alcoholic Beer Review: No choices here, but at least they featured Sam Adams’ non-alcoholic brew, Nothing but the Haze IPA.
Game Recap: 4 Home Runs for Housing!
While this wasn’t a particularly close game, it was still fun to watch! The first home run came from Royals outfield Drew Waters, who hit a two-run homer at the top of the 4th to 3 to 2. In the bottom of the 5th, Red Sox outfielder Adam Duvall hit a 1 run home run, getting the Red Sox onto the scoreboard and scoring more donations to Home Runs for Housing!
Royals catcher MJ Melendez hit the third home run in the sixth inning, giving the Royals another two runs and bringing the score to 7 to 2. Royals second baseman Michael Massee brought in the final, two-run home run in the top of the 7th, making the game a blow-out for the Royals.
The Royals won the game 9 to 3 over the hometown Red Sox.
Up Next:
Tomorrow is a travel day. We’re headed from our campground in Connecticut to Washington DC/Capitol KOA in Maryland. We’re looking forward to having another three nights in the same spot! Our next game is in Baltimore at Camden Yards, followed by the Nationals in Washington DC.
Is the Red Sox stadium called “Fenway” or “Fenway Park”?
see: https://www.mlb.com/redsox/tickets/single-game-tickets?mlbkw=ds-g-&&&&&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw84anBhCtARIsAISI-xe-spbBCsSLyGZK9_aOM0bjMdOvrdp8HXOYYkpOlBOV0PqtQJFzqEAaAp6iEALw_wcB
Both! It is Fenway Park, but most people seem to simply call it “Fenway.” I believe Fenway is actually the neighborhood in which the park was built.