A lot has changed in America in the last 100 years. Two World Wars, an economic depression and the office of president change 17 times. One thing has been there through it all -- Fenway Park.
On April 20, 1912, Fenway Park opened its doors as the Red Sox took on the New York Highlanders (now known as the Yankees). It was an exciting game played before a crowd of 27,000 screaming fans excited to see the new park. The game was a close one going into extra innings with the hometown Red Sox taking a 7-6 victory. Fans say the Sox have been beating the Yankees ever since. The event was so historical; there were plans for a front page story. But news of the Titanic sinking took its place.
How has a small park in the middle of Boston been able to survive 100 years?
“I think the city of Boston and the Red Sox really care about preserving it. Fenway is by far the best place to watch a game. The memories of players such as Babe Ruth and Ted Williams helped create a feeling that makes it different than other parks. It’s a magical place,” says Red Sox fan Kimberly Krzyaniak.
Fenway Park to fans is an experience: the smell of the grass, the view of the monster in left field, the taste of a Fenway Frank and seeing your team taking the field. Fenway Park is a place where no matter how old you are you get to be nine years old for a day. It takes you back to a much simpler time for a little while.
The Red Sox originally played at Huntington Avenue Ball Grounds but the park was not up to par compared to parks of its time. Team owner John I. Taylor-- looked into finding a new place to play. Taylor saw a piece of land in the Fens district in Boston and thus the name Fenway.
Fenway Park has a rich history beginning with the original grandstands that still stand today to the burning of the left field bleachers. If you went to the park in the 1920’s there was a roped off section of ash in the field bleachers because the team wasn’t winning and they didn’t have money to fix them.
In the 1930’s the team owner Tom Yawkey rebuilt the bleachers and added the most iconic item in Fenway Park. The Green Monster is a 37-foot wall built to keep people from sitting on the street and watching the game for free.
The Monster has a history of its own. Originally, just known as the wall, it held the score board still in Fenway today. It includes a hidden message. Yawkey and his wife’s initials are on the wall in Morse code using lights on the scoreboard. The monster was covered in ads until the “Splendid Splinter” Ted Williams showed up. Williams who was the best hitter for Mr. Yawkey’s team, found them distracting while batting and they were removed and the wall was painted green in 1947; the monster was born.
The Monster originally had a net to catch homerun balls hit over it but it was so tall a ladder was placed on the wall. This ladder caused at least two inside the park home runs and several triples. The current owner John Henry placed seats on top of the Monster so fans could have a new experience in 2003 as part of a renovation project.
Henry purchased the Red Sox and Fenway Park in 2002. Since then he has been preparing for the 100 year anniversary by renovating the ball park. He increased the size of the concourses and made the park fan friendly, like a roof deck . He added statues around the park to preserve its history. He even included a place to honor the Red Sox Hall of Famers.
“I think they have helped modernize the park. It gives a bit of the past and present feeling. It’s the best of both worlds” Krzyaniak said.
Six of the team’s seven World Series victories were in this park, including the 2004 World Series victory which brought an end to the 86 year drought. This brought people back to Fenway.
“Opening Day of 2005 was my favorite day at Fenway Park,” said Kevin Barnes lifelong Red Sox fan. “I flew up from Florida to meet my mother at Fenway. It was a picture perfect day watching them raise the World Series banner. Across the diamond sat the hated Yankees, who I got to say showed a lot of class that day. The atmosphere was electric with past and present players, as well as the Fenway faithful.”
Though winning the World Series isn’t the biggest highlight for some Red Sox fans. Red Sox fan Jesse Jackson, recalled the 1999 All-Star Game hosted at Fenway. This was a heartfelt event as it was the last time Williams would ever be in Fenway.
“Williams came out on a golf cart on to the field and all the players rallied him. It was a moving sight. The day got even better when our guy Pedro Martinez took to the mound and struck out the side.” Many fans were hoping baseball would allow the All-Star game to come back to Fenway in honor of 100 years.
Petitions were put together and fans begged for the park to be honored. Though Major League Baseball wants to honor the park, they felt it was just too soon for Fenway to host the Mid-Summer’s Classic.
In recent years several high profile teams such as the Yankees and the Mets have left their historical stadiums for the new cookie cutter style ballpark with all the modern amenities. The Red Sox were under pressure to rebuild in 1999 next to the current park since other teams were rebuilding. There also were talks of moving the team to Foxborough with the Patriots. The fans of Boston would not allow this. They consider Fenway Park the cathedral of Boston, their place of baseball worship.
With the 2011 season coming to a close it is time to prepare for the anniversary, but how? The Red Sox are currently taping videos of fans telling their favorite memories of Fenway, even giving fans a chance to be a part of the walkways of Fenway. The Red Sox are selling bricks to fans and giving them the chance to place a saying that will be there as long as the park itself.
What is the most fitting way to celebrate the anniversary of Fenway Park? It is to replay the game that started it all. The Red Sox will take on the rival Yankees on April 20, 2012. “I don’t think baseball would have it any other way,” said Krzyaniak.
Fenway Park has been part of baseball history for 100 years. It has been the home of many celebrations and a lot of heartbreak. There has to be a reason Fenway Park is known as America’s most beloved ballpark. Could it be because so many games have been played here over the last hundred years or could it be the memories made here? Could it be the stories passed from generation to generation about seeing Ted Williams hit his final homerun or where you were when David Ortiz blasts the homerun to keep the 2004 season alive at Fenway Park? The stories of Fenway Park shared from fan to fan are what have keep this beautiful park open for so many years.
How the Red Sox really honor the park?
Krzyaniak said, “The most fitting way for the Red Sox to honor Fenway would be to win the World Series just like they did in 1912.”
On April 20, 1912, Fenway Park opened its doors as the Red Sox took on the New York Highlanders (now known as the Yankees). It was an exciting game played before a crowd of 27,000 screaming fans excited to see the new park. The game was a close one going into extra innings with the hometown Red Sox taking a 7-6 victory. Fans say the Sox have been beating the Yankees ever since. The event was so historical; there were plans for a front page story. But news of the Titanic sinking took its place.
How has a small park in the middle of Boston been able to survive 100 years?
“I think the city of Boston and the Red Sox really care about preserving it. Fenway is by far the best place to watch a game. The memories of players such as Babe Ruth and Ted Williams helped create a feeling that makes it different than other parks. It’s a magical place,” says Red Sox fan Kimberly Krzyaniak.
Fenway Park to fans is an experience: the smell of the grass, the view of the monster in left field, the taste of a Fenway Frank and seeing your team taking the field. Fenway Park is a place where no matter how old you are you get to be nine years old for a day. It takes you back to a much simpler time for a little while.
The Red Sox originally played at Huntington Avenue Ball Grounds but the park was not up to par compared to parks of its time. Team owner John I. Taylor-- looked into finding a new place to play. Taylor saw a piece of land in the Fens district in Boston and thus the name Fenway.
Fenway Park has a rich history beginning with the original grandstands that still stand today to the burning of the left field bleachers. If you went to the park in the 1920’s there was a roped off section of ash in the field bleachers because the team wasn’t winning and they didn’t have money to fix them.
In the 1930’s the team owner Tom Yawkey rebuilt the bleachers and added the most iconic item in Fenway Park. The Green Monster is a 37-foot wall built to keep people from sitting on the street and watching the game for free.
The Monster has a history of its own. Originally, just known as the wall, it held the score board still in Fenway today. It includes a hidden message. Yawkey and his wife’s initials are on the wall in Morse code using lights on the scoreboard. The monster was covered in ads until the “Splendid Splinter” Ted Williams showed up. Williams who was the best hitter for Mr. Yawkey’s team, found them distracting while batting and they were removed and the wall was painted green in 1947; the monster was born.
The Monster originally had a net to catch homerun balls hit over it but it was so tall a ladder was placed on the wall. This ladder caused at least two inside the park home runs and several triples. The current owner John Henry placed seats on top of the Monster so fans could have a new experience in 2003 as part of a renovation project.
Henry purchased the Red Sox and Fenway Park in 2002. Since then he has been preparing for the 100 year anniversary by renovating the ball park. He increased the size of the concourses and made the park fan friendly, like a roof deck . He added statues around the park to preserve its history. He even included a place to honor the Red Sox Hall of Famers.
“I think they have helped modernize the park. It gives a bit of the past and present feeling. It’s the best of both worlds” Krzyaniak said.
Six of the team’s seven World Series victories were in this park, including the 2004 World Series victory which brought an end to the 86 year drought. This brought people back to Fenway.
“Opening Day of 2005 was my favorite day at Fenway Park,” said Kevin Barnes lifelong Red Sox fan. “I flew up from Florida to meet my mother at Fenway. It was a picture perfect day watching them raise the World Series banner. Across the diamond sat the hated Yankees, who I got to say showed a lot of class that day. The atmosphere was electric with past and present players, as well as the Fenway faithful.”
Though winning the World Series isn’t the biggest highlight for some Red Sox fans. Red Sox fan Jesse Jackson, recalled the 1999 All-Star Game hosted at Fenway. This was a heartfelt event as it was the last time Williams would ever be in Fenway.
“Williams came out on a golf cart on to the field and all the players rallied him. It was a moving sight. The day got even better when our guy Pedro Martinez took to the mound and struck out the side.” Many fans were hoping baseball would allow the All-Star game to come back to Fenway in honor of 100 years.
Petitions were put together and fans begged for the park to be honored. Though Major League Baseball wants to honor the park, they felt it was just too soon for Fenway to host the Mid-Summer’s Classic.
In recent years several high profile teams such as the Yankees and the Mets have left their historical stadiums for the new cookie cutter style ballpark with all the modern amenities. The Red Sox were under pressure to rebuild in 1999 next to the current park since other teams were rebuilding. There also were talks of moving the team to Foxborough with the Patriots. The fans of Boston would not allow this. They consider Fenway Park the cathedral of Boston, their place of baseball worship.
With the 2011 season coming to a close it is time to prepare for the anniversary, but how? The Red Sox are currently taping videos of fans telling their favorite memories of Fenway, even giving fans a chance to be a part of the walkways of Fenway. The Red Sox are selling bricks to fans and giving them the chance to place a saying that will be there as long as the park itself.
What is the most fitting way to celebrate the anniversary of Fenway Park? It is to replay the game that started it all. The Red Sox will take on the rival Yankees on April 20, 2012. “I don’t think baseball would have it any other way,” said Krzyaniak.
Fenway Park has been part of baseball history for 100 years. It has been the home of many celebrations and a lot of heartbreak. There has to be a reason Fenway Park is known as America’s most beloved ballpark. Could it be because so many games have been played here over the last hundred years or could it be the memories made here? Could it be the stories passed from generation to generation about seeing Ted Williams hit his final homerun or where you were when David Ortiz blasts the homerun to keep the 2004 season alive at Fenway Park? The stories of Fenway Park shared from fan to fan are what have keep this beautiful park open for so many years.
How the Red Sox really honor the park?
Krzyaniak said, “The most fitting way for the Red Sox to honor Fenway would be to win the World Series just like they did in 1912.”
