:: Life on Planet Dan-E ::
Thoughts, observations, and introspections from an
:: Friday, July 02, 2004 ::
Wednesday, June 23
I admit I wasn't really expecting much from Fenway Park other than being swept up in the history and atmosphere of the place. I couldn't have been more wrong and even GB, the native Bostonian and Red Sox fanatic, was surprised at how nice the place had become.
When new owners bought the Red Sox a few years ago, there was talk about building a new, larger stadium with either a replica of the Green Monster, or even the possibility of moving the Monster and incorporating it into the new place. Considering what a dump some older stadiums have been and just how nice most new ballparks turned out, there was, and still is some temptation to follow through with this plan. Now take it from someone who’s only been there once:
That kind of talk needs to die and die now.
Yeah, Fenway is almost a century old. Yes, its seating is crowded, obstructed, and has the potential to give you splinters but there is the history; there's the unrelenting, almost inveterate loyalty of the fans who've suffered through things like the Curse of Bambino, Bill Buckner, and Grady Little (who really didn't deserve to get fired, but that's another post). It's because of great moments like Carlton Fisk's homer off the left field foul pole. It's because you can still feel the ghosts of Ted Williams and Cy Young roaming the field. And then there's the Park itself.
Ask a Bostonian about Fenway and their typical answer is something along the lines of "it's a dump, but it's our dump." Usually with stronger language. So anyone who isn't from Boston who takes the time to visit Fenway knows it's history and what to expect and in many ways, that's a good thing.
Architecture:
Walking up to it, quite frankly, isn't really all that special being as it's surrounded by a bunch of buildings of similar height. From some angles, parts of it look like just another building.
Then you notice the back of the Monster. Walk around the entire facility and you admire the brick exterior, which looks like it was raised using good ol' fashion hands and elbow grease. The front entrance, with "FENWAY PARK" across the front, is as postcard-worthy as any neon hotel sign on Ocean Drive.
Go inside and gaze upon the field, the first thing your eyes are naturally drawn to is the famed Green Monster looming in left field. Look around a little more and you almost can't believe that it seats a little over 33,000 people. Then you notice that almost everything is green. I don't know what it is but green just seems to be the perfect shade to color a baseball park and here it's everywhere.
The seats themselves are pretty tiny. Our right field grandstand seats were in the first tier, blue section, which means we sat on the very same flat, hard, wooden seats that were around since 1912 when Fenway first opened. For a guy my size, who's of average height and (slightly above) average width, the seat itself was alright, but I was constantly rubbing elbows with the guys next to me and the person in front would occasionally back into my knees when leaning back a little too far. Not only that but our seats were one of the many with the "obstructed views" and sure enough the support beam to my left Still, I couldn't complain just because I felt like I was sitting on a piece of history.
Quality of the Food:
Unlike the newer facilities, which try to bring some local flavor to their menu, Fenway sticks with the tried-and-true Fenway Franks. You could get Papa Gino's Pizza or chicken fingers but people everywhere were chowing down on Fenway Franks.
Some elucidation: New England hot dog buns are a little different from what everyone else is used to. Take a regular bun, trim off about a quarter inch of the edges, and instead of opening it from the side, there’s a slice right down the top of the bun. (Not just Fenway, most of New England.) In it you plop in a thick, juicy sausage that's been grilled to perfection and you have what just might be the best ballpark hot dog on the east coast.
A surprisingly recent addition to the concessions is clam chowder (or "chowda") from the local Legal Seafoods restaurant. Surprising because you'd think they would have had it all along. I didn't have any since I just had some excellent chowder from the Boston Chowda Co. earlier but from what the locals told me, it's as good as anything you can get in the state.
Out on Yawkey Way, there are rows and rows of street vendors selling sausages, sandwiches and burgers. While it doesn't have quite the aroma of a good BBQ stand, what's there is still hard to resist. I wolfed down on a huge Italian sausage with peppers and onions before the game and it was the best non-hotdog sausage I had on the trip.
Just don't miss out on the Fenway Franks. *****+
Beer Selection:
Yes, they do sell Sam Adams and not too overpriced at $6.25. You could even get Guinness on tap if you desire something heavier. Otherwise, the same old selection. ****
Ballpark Experience:
You haven't been to a ballgame until you've sat in Fenway and went along with the fervent chants of "YANKEES SUCK!" Bear in mind, the game we saw was vs. the Twins. Having said that, no group of fans was as behind their home team as this group was. Starter Derek Lowe struggled (not unusual) through seven innings and while, say, Philly fans might have booed him when he came out in the seventh, the only thing you heard here was cheers of encouragement.
ESPN columnist Jeff Merron said it best about Red Sox fans: "suffering leads to insight." There wasn't a more knowledgeable, passionate, and loyal audience on our trip and because of that the game itself was fun, despite the Red Sox losing (also not unusual lately) thanks to some late hits that threatened to score. And the atmosphere created by the boisterous fans that by far was the best. *****
Intangibles:
Remember those idiosyncrasies I alluded to earlier? Fenway is full of them. The three of us decided to take the tour to check out the innards of Fenway. It was like the one at PNC, only not nearly as comprehensive and more costly. What we did see was the .406 club behind home plate, the gallery of former Red Sox greats, and views from almost everywhere. Having been up there, I can say the seats atop the Green Monster presents the most unique left field views anywhere. We also saw the brand-new right field rooftop section that should also provide a new and different viewing experience.
And there's Yawkey Way. Not only is it the best-named street address for a baseball address but also two hours before game time, they close it off to automobiles becoming a street festival with food vendors, souvenir shops, and a cheery crowd that is Red Sox Nation. You could easily spend an hour or more here, admiring the park, browsing the souvenirs, and eating till your waistline resembles the one on Mo Vaughn.
Unlike other venues, Fenway doesn't try to bombard you with between-inning entertainment. It lets the game speak for itself. There is music between the innings but it wasn't overwhelmingly loud. Plus I have to give it bonus points for playing "Sweet Caroline" during the seventh inning stretch.
Pittsburg and Philly might have newer, grander parks with more amenities and for that matter, seats that are comfortable neither compares to the ambiance at Boston. You haven't seen a game till you’ve seen a game at Fenway Park. *****++
:: Miscellaneous Ramblings by Dan-E at 6:20 PM [+] ::
|
0 comments
.....
