Boston Games

Fenway opened on April 20, 1912, the same week that the Titanic went down, and much of it remains the same – even the cramped seats. Fenway is the oldest stadium in the country, and generations of fans have filed through the turnstiles on Yawkey Way. The Green Monster is the distinctive left-field wall, higher than most outfield walls and vexatious to many hitters, whose possible homers turn into singles and doubles. The Green Monster is also home to an enormous scoreboard that’s still changed manually, just like in the old days. (There are some modern improvements: a new social media wall displays tidbits from Red Sox fans’ Instagram photos and tweets during games.) As ever, an enormous Citgo sign hovers high above the field, a beacon for fans around the world.

Fenway is in the heart of the city, just a few blocks from Kenmore Square. It’s easily accessible via the Kenmore Square T stop. You’ll walk over the Brookline Avenue bridge, which crosses the Massachusetts Turnpike, and you can’t miss the crowds. “The Triangle” is a region of center field where the walls form a triangle whose far corner is 420 feet (130 m) from home plate. That deep right-center point is conventionally given as the center field distance. The true center is unmarked, 390 feet (120 m) from home plate, to the left of “The Triangle” when viewed from home plate.

There was once a smaller “triangle” at the left end of the bleachers in center field, posted as 388 feet (118 m). The end of the bleachers form a right angle with the Green Monster and the flagpole stands within that little triangle. That is not the true power alley, but deep left-center. The true power alley distance is not posted. The foul line intersects with the Green Monster at nearly a right angle, so the power alley could be estimated at 336 feet (102 m), assuming the power alley is 22.5 degrees away from the foul line as measured from home plate. The lone red seat in the right field bleachers (Section 42, Row 37, Seat 21) signifies the longest home run ever hit at Fenway. The home run, hit by Ted Williams on June 9, 1946, was officially measured at 502 feet (153 m) – well beyond “Williamsburg”. According to Hit Tracker Online, the ball, if unobstructed, would have flown 520 to 535 feet (158 to 163 m.

Created in 1995, the Red Sox Hall of Fame recognizes the outstanding careers of former Red Sox players, managers, front office members and broadcasters. The Hall of Fame plaques are located in the EMC Club hallway. Inductees are chosen every two years by a 14-member selection committee of Red Sox broadcasters and executives, past and present media personnel, and representatives from The Sports Museum of New England and the BoSox Booster Club. A memorable moment in Red Sox history is also recognized in each induction cycle. In November 2008 there were eight inductions into the Red Sox Hall of Fame: right-hander Wes Ferrell, left fielder Mike Greenwell, left-hander Bill Lee, shortstop Everett Scott, right-hander Frank Sullivan and first baseman Mo Vaughn. Non-uniformed inductees were scout George Digby and VP minor leagues Ed Kenney Sr.

The Kid Nation Clubhouse is a kid-friendly area open to children of all ages and their families, as a place to relax and move about with plenty of entertainment and fun activities. The retired Red Sox numbers of Ted Williams (9), Joe Cronin (4), Bobby Doerr (1), Carl Yastrzemski (8), Carlton Fisk (27), Johnny Pesky (6), and Jim Rice (14), along with Jackie Robinson’s #42 that was retired by Major League Baseball in 1997, are affixed to the right field facade in Fenway Park.

Fan Author: Chris Martin