Fenway Park is the home of the Boston Red Sox of the American League.
What can I say about Fenway Park that has not already been said? This is my favorite ballpark. It sits to the west of downtown Boston, nestled into the surrounding neighborhood. You would drive right by it, thinking it just another brick warehouse if not for the light towers. On game days, Yawkey Way is closed to vehicular traffic and the area outside the park becomes a street festival, with souvenir stalls and food, food, food. Fabulous smells of sausages, onions, peppers, and footlong hot dogs fills the air.
When you finally walk in, you enter the dark tunnels under the stands, find a portal, and step into the sunlight. Before you is one of the prettiest sights I have even seen. Everything is green and small and close. It's like stepping back through time. You know it looked pretty much like this eighty years ago.
The first thing you notice is that the Green Monster is not quite as large as it looks on television. The next thing that really strikes you is how small the place is. The other side of the stadium is so close you feel like you could jump across the field to it.
I could go on and try to describe the magical feeling of the place, but it's no use. You have to go there.
The Red Sox are hoping to move into a new ballpark by 2003. While the thought of Fenway Park meeting a wrecking ball is horrifying, it is probably necessary. The place is simply getting old and the Sox need to have a park that generates more revenue to compete.
Fortunately, the Red Sox understand what they have in Fenway. The new park will be a modern replica of the old place, with exactly the same dimensions and shape. They want to try to recreate the magic of Fenway with all of the modern ammenities fans expect these days. I hope they can bring it off, but I suggest you get yourself to Boston before then just in case.
The photos above were taken in June, 1999