The Boston Red Sox have a long, storied history full of all-time greats, eight World Series championships, and great success as of late. From recently retired and likely future Hall-of-Famer David Ortiz to youngster Mookie Betts, the Sox roster was loaded with talent in 2016. The team has hopes to head to the postseason again in 2017.
Fenway History
Fenway Park, located in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium still used today. The team, founded in 1901, wasn’t known as the Red Sox until 1908 and didn’t move into the comfy confines of Fenway until their owner had it built prior to the 1912 season.
The early days of the Red Sox were full of future greats that are remembered today, including the indomitable pitcher Cy Young, as well as Tris Speaker, Harry Hooper, and Smoky Joe Wood. The team captured the first modern-day World Series pennant in 1903 and went on to grab quite a few more before 1920 when the controversial trade of Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees took place.
This exchange remains a sore spot for fans and led to years of disappointing play on the field. The team rebounded in the ’40s and returned to (and lost) the World Series in 1946. The Red Sox-Yankee rivalry is still strong and is not expected to die down anytime soon, as they both compete in the AL East.
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In the early 20th century, the dimensions of Fenway Park were limited by its locale, and upgrades and additions only served to enhance the stadium’s quirkiness. For example, bullpens were installed in front of the bleachers in the ’40s, which shortened the distance down the right field line – a boon to lefty hitters like Ted Williams.
Fenway is probably most famous, though, for its enormous green wall, known as the Green Monster. Interestingly, the wall was not always green. Before 1947, it was plastered with advertisements.
Catching Boston Bombs
Fenway Park is no stranger to home runs, as the park is one of the smaller ones in Major League Baseball. In 2016, 198 homers flew over the walls, with the longest coming off the bat of Hanley Ramirez – a 460-foot bomb.
If you’re hoping to grab a home run ball, there are a few places in Fenway where the odds are more in your favor. According to the heat map of Fenway, it’s clear the left field is tops. This means the Green Monster is the way to go, as those are the only seats in the left field. If a ball makes it up to the top of the Monster, your chances are excellent.
Other good spots are around the triangle area (section 40) – that odd little area where center field peaks – and the areas around it, specifically sections 35 and 41. There are a few juicy spots in right field, too – check out sections 1, 2, and 3, which are close to Pesky’s Pole.
As the Boston Red Sox ready themselves for the 2017 MLB season, fans are looking forward to grabbing a seat at Fenway Park and cheering on their favorites. If you’re hoping to grab a seat on the Green Monster this year, make sure you check out the amazing selection of Red Sox gear at Fanatics.com and see if you can’t grab a souvenir while you’re at the game.
Sources
- http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BOS/
- http://www.businessinsider.com/major-league-baseball-stadiums-ages-2016-4
- http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Boston_Red_Sox
- http://mlb.mlb.com/bos/fenway-park-living-museum/timeline/index.jsp?year=1912
- http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/fenwaypark100/timeline.jsp?year=1947
- http://www.hittrackeronline.com/detail.php?id=2016_1012&type=ballpark
