55
BASEBALL GAME AT FENWAY PARK
Where?
Fenway Park
4 Yawkey Way
Boston, MA 02215
When?
During the Major League Baseball season (late March-October).
Significance:
Fenway Park, named for its location in the Fenway district of Boston, is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium and current home to the Boston Red Sox and a certain Green Monster residing in left field. Opening on April 20, 1912, Fenway is one of two remaining classic parks in Major League Baseball, a distinction it shares with Chicago’s Wrigley Field. While not a distinction, Fenway and Wrigley both have a significant number of obstructed-view seats, particularly the pillars that hold up the upper deck.
Although improvements have been made, Fenway has not changed much over its near 100-year existence. Manual score-boards are still used with green and red lights signaling balls, strikes, and outs. The park’s odd geometric shape has wreaked havoc on left-handed pitchers. In fact, Fenway is a place that southpaws dread. That is, unless you’re Babe Ruth, who as a pitcher posted a career record of 94 wins and 46 losses. On top of that, a home run over the right roof continues to remain elusive to the most powerful of hitters.
Fans have trouble seeing. Lefties can’t pitch well. Throws have injured pigeons. Hits have killed them. Yet, for all its supposed shortcomings, Fenway remains a rare blast from the past, a stadium without the bells and whistles. For Boston Red Sox fans, they have one word to describe Fenway: home.
Who attends?
Thousands of Red Sox fanatics of all ages.
How to get there?
Take US-1 S/Fenway. Keep right at the fork and follow signs for Boylston Street Outbound /Riverway. A slight right at Boylston Street and then turn right at Yawkey Way. Note: The Boston Red Sox organization encourages all of those coming to Fenway to take public transportation. Locals will tell you that you’re crazy not to. Backups on local streets begin about an hour before the game.
Tickets:
For secondary ticket access, consider:
GoTickets, Inc.
2345 Waukegan Road, Suite 140
Bannockburn, IL 60015-1552
Toll-Free: 1-800-775-1617
Fax: (919) 481-9101
E-mail: sales@gotickets.com
www.gotickets.comAccommodations:
Hotel Commonwealth
Note: With its many modern accoutrements this Kenmore Square hotel satisfies visiting college parents and stylish tourists.
The Lenox Hotel
61 Exeter Street at Boylston
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: (617) 536-5300
Fax: (617) 424-0703
www.lenoxhotel.comNote: A Boston landmark in the historic Back Bay. Old world charm meets modern technology in this 214-room luxury boutique hotel.
Boston Marriott Copley Place
110 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: (617) 236-5800
Fax: (617) 236-5885
Toll-Free: 1-800-228-9290
www.marriott.comNote: This award-winning hotel is centrally located in the historic Back Bay district of Boston. It’s located minutes from various attractions, including Fenway Park.
Courtyard Boston Copley Square
Note: A building well over 100 years old houses this hotel with modern amenities and vibrant designs.
The Charlesmark Hotel
Note: Great location and cozy touches distinguish this Boylston boutique hotel.
On-Site Hospitality:
The Ultimate Deck Package: Allows you and nineteen friends, family members, or clients to sit atop the Budweiser Right Field Roof Deck. Package includes private tables, VIP tour of Fenway, access to the Green Monster area during batting practice, authentic Red Sox player jerseys for everyone, dedicated servers, unlimited in-game food and beverages, and a customized in-game message on the centerfield scoreboard.
The Ultimate Monster Package: Provides a private section for you and twenty-seven of your friends, family members, or clients atop Fenway’s most popular attraction, the Green Monster. The package includes on-field access during pre-game player batting practice, VIP tour of Fenway, authentic Red Sox player jersey for all guests, dedicated servers, unlimited in-game food and beverages (beer and wine included), and a customized in-game message on the centerfield scoreboard.
Travel Packages:
If you are going to travel to this event, I would recommend using a reliable company to work with you on making the necessary arrangements. The suppliers listed in this book have solid references and are by far the most trusted in the business. Below are some of the organizations to try for this Top 100 Must See Sporting Event.
Premiere Corporate Events
14 Penn Plaza, Suite 925
New York, NY 10122
Phone: (212) 695-9480
Fax: (212) 564-8098
Toll-Free: 1-877-621-5243
E-mail: requests@tseworld.com
www.tseworld.comwww.pcevents.comPremiere Sports Travel
201 Shannon Oaks Circle, Suite 205
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 481-9511
Fax: (919) 481-1337
Toll-Free: 1-800-924-9993
E-mail: sales@sportstravel.com
www.sportstravel.comDining:
Cactus Club
Note: The website address says it all. Great margaritas combined with Mexican cuisine heat up the Back Bay’s answer to Southwestern chic.
Boston Beer Works
61 Brookline Avenue
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: (617) 536-BEER
Fax: (617) 536-3325
www.beerworks.netNote: Acclaimed beers, generous bar-food portions, and a relaxed environment attract young, sports-enthused masses to Boston’s oldest brewpub.
Vinny T’s of Boston
Note: A favorite spot of area families and hungry tourists, delivering gargantuan portions of straightforward Italian fare in kitschy environs.
Al Dente
Note: Simply put, the best pasta in Boston. Make sure to call ahead for a reservation.
The Bova Bakery
134 Salem Street
Boston, MA 02113
Airport:
Boston Logan International Airport
1 Harborside Drive
Massport, East Boston, MA 02128
Phone: (617) 561-1800
www.massport.com
Sports Travel Insider’s Edge:
Best way to watch the action:
Unlike other ballparks doubling as cathedrals, Fenway maintains a small and intimate environment where there are no bad seats. Well, unless you are behind a pole that may obstruct your enjoyment of the Sox. Those tickets should be marked obstructed view.
Best place to get up close:
Walk down Lansdowne Street or Yawkey Way before a game. Those streets border the park and represent the best way to take in the smells and flavors of Fenway. The aromas of sausage and beer are part of the overall experience. Get there early for a leisurely stroll around this historic stadium.
Best travel tip:
Springtime in Boston means graduation for many of the area colleges and universities. Be aware of that when you pick your weekend to visit Fenway. Any game in May will find you scrambling for a hotel room or parking. June is a better option, provided that the Bruins or the Celtics are not playing for a championship in their respective sports.
Notable Quotes:
“As a player at Fenway, the fans are right on top of the field and there’s so much history you can feel it. Everything surrounding Fenway makes it such a fun place to play, especially the neighborhood it’s in. It’s one of the best parks in baseball for the players on the field.”—BRIAN MCRAE, former Kansas City Royals center fielder
“Fenway Park . . . allows us to imagine what baseball was like when Ted Williams galloped around in left field, when Lou Gehrig sent towering fly balls into the right-field bleachers, when Carlton Fisk hit the most-replayed home run in baseball history.”—ROB NEYER,
ESPN.comRelevant Websites: