You are not a true baseball fan unless you have been to Fenway Park at least once

Michigan

So says Sports Illustrated in describing the charms and history of the place. So..... anyone want to relate some of your impressions of
Fenway Park?

perkdog

As much as I love the Red Sox, I have not been to Fenway park since 1995. I refuse to pay all that money and help fund these guys ridiculas salaries.

ArnyVee

On my only trip to Boston, I visited Fenway. Very nice ambiance, but I have to go with the first park that I ever visited as my favorite...Dodger Stadium.

But, Fenway was very nice and I had a great time as I did at PacBell Park in SF when we visited there.

TomGshotput

For a lot of people who go to Fenway, there is a good chance most of the money is funding the ticket and parking scalpers as much as the Red Sox (or were those the rediculous salaries you were talking about). For a few dollars you can take a tour and if it's before game time likely see someone throwing in the bullpen or taking grounders in the infield. For $100 you can buy a bleacher seat with a worse view than your living room. It's the only stadium I've ever been to, but the history of the park is such a small fraction of the total enjoyment. I guess anyone watching a game in Candlestick might think differently. . .

JrMacdaddy

I paid $250 for a seat behind home plate three years ago against the Yankees. It was the Arod/Varitek brawl game.

Best $250 I ever spent. When it was over I didn't want to leave.

I watched one of the greatest regular season games in recent history.

I watched Boston's finest give some unruly hunyuk the beat down.

I gladly spent $7 (or whatever it was) for a beer (about 8 or 9 times).

I gladly shelled out $40 for a parking spot (along with the others I was with).

I laughed with the Yankee fan who sat next to me when I told him what I paid for the ticket and listened to him tell me he paid face value (even bought him a beer).

Total cost was probably over a $1000 for the whole weekend.

I'd do it all again without thinking twice.

Connecticoin

<< <i>As much as I love the Red Sox, I have not been to Fenway park since 1995. I refuse to pay all that money and help fund these guys ridiculas salaries. >>



Fenway is a lot nicer now than it was 12 years ago. I actually thought it was kind of a dump in the 1980s.

Wrigley is a park every baseball fan should visit as well.

stown

I went to games 1 and 2 of the '04 World Series.

It's an experience that I cannot put into words.

MUST be on a baseball fan's top 5 things to do before you die list.

frankhardy

I say that Sports Illustrated is crazy then. That's a ridiculous statement.

stevek

<<< You are not a true baseball fan unless you have been to Fenway Park at least once >>>

WTF should I care about an American League stadium?

Ahmanfan

what is face value for a ticket behind home at fenway?

and $40 for parking? thats n u t s.

TheVon

I took the subway, or the "T", whatever it's called there so parking was zip. Also got the tickets off of mlb.com the morning they went on sale so I paid face value too.

I had a blast and I'd also do it again in a heartbeat. As someone else mentioned, the guided tour of the park is a must. It might also be the only way you'll ever get to gaze down on Fenway Park from the Green Monster. That was the best $12 I've ever spent.

JrMacdaddy

<< <i>and $40 for parking? thats n u t s. >>



That was the cheaper of the two locations. The other spot was $50. It was a gas station right next to Fenway.

Ahmanfan

I thought paying $30 next to wrigley was crazy.

MAD

A few of my Fenway memories:

I grew up in Brookline, Mass., so my first baseball game was of course at Fenway.

My brother took me. It was the Red Sox vs. the Minnesota Twins. Rico Petrocelli hit a 3-run homer to win the game.

The first game I saw with a Designated Hitter was at Fenway. My dad took me for my birthday I saw Orlando Cepeda hit a homer for the Bosox.

My family moved to Florida, so it was about ten years until my next Fenway experience.

I went to college near Boston and I remember going to see Yaz try to get his 3000th hit. I was lucky enough to be there the day he finally.....got #3000.

It was 20 years until I visited Fenway again, it took a concert to bring me back --

My girlfriend and I flew to Boston to see Springsteen in 2003. We met my Cousin Bruce and his wife, who flew in from West Virginia. Back to back nights in the front row for the Boss at Fenway. It was great.

I lost my broher 18 years ago and when I was there at Fenway with my Cousin, who was very close to my brother and I saw the green monsta, I admit I got a little misty thinking of my brother and that first game at Fenway, some 35 years earlier.

I was at Game 7 of the 1997 World Series the Marlins beat the Indians, it was exciting and I took my dad to see his first World Series game in 2003 -- the Yankees and the Marlins. Roger Clemens pitching for the Yankees, it was exciting, just wasn't Fenway.

Marc.

ArnyVee

<< <i>I was at Game 7 of the 1997 World Series the Marlins beat the Indians, it was exciting and I took my dad to see his first World Series game in 2003 -- the Yankees and the Marlins. Roger Clemens pitching for the Yankees, it was exciting, just wasn't Fenway.

Marc. >>



Marc,

I don't think that anyone would confuse Joe Robbie Stadium-Pro Player Stadium-Dolphin Stadium for Fenway (or any park for that matter), but those WS games were VERY exciting! First times that I've seen that park full (for a non-Dolphins game) and boy was that thing rockin'!

But, the loudest I've ever heard any arena/stadium was at the Florida Panthers playoffs where the rats were flyin'! Wow, what a noise level in that place! It was beautiful

Stingray

That is a ridiculous statement, how saying if you have not been to a game at old Tiger Stadium. How are you suppose to do that now. Not everyone can get to a game to a paticuliar stadium.

markj111

I have been to many stadiums. Fenway had lots of charm and history, but the seats were extremely cramped. Wrigley has the history, plus it is much more comfortable. I loved Tiger stadium. We were in the upper deck, but very close to the field. My first game was at Connie Mack stadium in 59. I have been to 14 ML stadiums.

Michigan

I loved the old Tiger stadium, being close to the field of play was a real bonus, the obstructed views because of the posts was a drawback
however if you got stuck in those areas. The new Comerica Park in Detroit is nice but rather stale and corporate feeling and the fans are not as close to the field.

MPeter

Why does the media always assume everyone loves Boston and New York? It's kind of a joke to me. I could care less about Fenway Park. If it's not your home stadium, it's just another stadium. It's kind of like a person in Kansas City sitting back one night and saying......"hmmm, I want McDonalds tonight, but not the one down the street. I want to go to the one in Boston...it's got so much history.....so much more for me." Then they get there and realize it's the same old thing.

JrMacdaddy

<< <i>it's just another stadium >>



Have you ever been in the Metrodome?

Reminds me of a classic line from Happy Days wehn Mr. C said to Fonzie that his motorcycle was JUST a motorcycle.

Fonzie replied, I suppose your mother is JUST a mother.

BobaFett72

I have seen about 30 games in Fenway over my lifetime, many involving the Indians. The sox have won 26 of the game I have attended.

Note; I am not a sox fan lol.

I've gotten free tickets from work 3 years in a row to see a variety of games, and we also have a discount ticket program that allows you late entry into any game for $5 (you get tix maybe 20% of the time)

I splurged last year and paid $175 for awesome seats; once or twice a year I dont mind it for the experience (I was able to chat with the Indians as they were stretching prior to the game) So it was worth it for me.

You sox fans should PAY ME to go, as your team wins when I am there.

I saw the Varitek/Arod brawl game; that was during the W.S. season, that same season I played softball IN Fenway and actually hit a ball off the Green Monster (that was pretty fawkin cool!)

The seats are uncomfortable, but I feel right on top of the action, plus the crowd in Boston is a fun, loud crowd. When Ortiz comes up with the game on the line i have NEVER felt that kind of energy in any ball park, ever (even in the playoffs) It was amazing.

They have done a good job maintaining the Park and updating it, adding seats where they could. I don't see Fenway being ripped down... ever. Even if they build a new stadium, the old one is such a Boston Icon that there would be blood in the streets before a wrecking ball chipped so much as a pebble off the structure.

BobaFett72

"and $40 for parking? thats n u t s."

If your smart, just avoid parking anywhere near Fenway and you can take the commuter rail right to the FENWAY stop, or take the T (Green Line) to Kenmore square, its a 10 minute walk.

You can park all day in boston for $7 at Post Office Square on the weekends (its near Government Center T Stop) hop on the green line and 15 minutes later get out and walk Fenway. Plus if you park near Fenway it takes forever to get out and back to a highway.

jaxxr

Went to Fenway in the early 80s, was a guest so no prices, also was at a hotel walking distance away, no parking.

Loved the park, switched seats, or stood in about five different areas, ALL seats angled to the pitchers mound, the seats in the RF bleachers gave the feel you were actually on the field.

I live in Chicago, been to Wrigley and Old Comiskey many times, both nice but Fenway much more enjoyable.

ziggy29

Been there once. We went there in 1997, visiting friends in Somerville. As fate would have it, they were playing the Yankees at the time and all we could get was right-center field bleacher seats...months in advance. So we bought those and walked a few blocks to catch the T into the city near the ballpark.

Red Sox and Yankees fans were good-naturedly exchanging F-bombs at each other and laughing about it. "F You!" "No, F You! Yankees suck!" "F you too, and 1918!" (Back when '1918' was an effective taunt.) And so it went.

Great experience. That was one of the parks we really wanted to get to. Wrigley is another; haven't been to Chicago yet, though.

stown

<< <i>exchanging F-bombs at each other >>



I don't know about back then but you can't cuss there anymore.

Seriously.

One of the guys I went with got thrown out earlier in the year and I personally saw a dude get escorted out of the bathroom for dropping one.

Again, seriously.

Bosox1976

Wrigley is a laid-back, festive atmosphere, with baseball as a sideshow.

Fenway is an intense, festive atmosphere, where baseball is taken seriously and the heckling is the sideshow.

I remember my first Cubs game - attended with 3 other Boston guys. We started heckling before the game, with some fenway-caliber (insightful) taunts. The wrigley fans didn't know what to make of it. Different type of fun, mellow party.

My 50 year old secretary went to Fenway with her husband this year. They compared a weeknight devil rays game with the White Sox world series game they attended out here in Chicago - felt the red sox experience was more intense, more fun, and more palpable energy.

Everybody should give Fenway a shot once. The experience is so much more than the ballpark. Go to a Yankees Sox game. Better than most playoff games IMHO.

MAD

<< <i>

<< <i>I was at Game 7 of the 1997 World Series the Marlins beat the Indians, it was exciting and I took my dad to see his first World Series game in 2003 -- the Yankees and the Marlins. Roger Clemens pitching for the Yankees, it was exciting, just wasn't Fenway.

Marc. >>



Marc,

I don't think that anyone would confuse Joe Robbie Stadium-Pro Player Stadium-Dolphin Stadium for Fenway (or any park for that matter), but those WS games were VERY exciting! First times that I've seen that park full (for a non-Dolphins game) and boy was that thing rockin'!

But, the loudest I've ever heard any arena/stadium was at the Florida Panthers playoffs where the rats were flyin'! Wow, what a noise level in that place! It was beautiful >>





Arny, Funny you should mention that because, I have had season tickets to the Panthers since the beginning and I was there throughout the entire 1996 season. It was amazing, but the Miami Arena added to that noice by being the smallest arena in the league and a perfect hockey venue.

The small size and uniqueness is what makes Fenway a must attend. I would love to go to Wrigley. Although I have never been there it's always fun to watch a Cubs home game because of Wrigley. By the way, old Tigers Stadium looked like a place you'd enjoy seeing a game.

Marc

Barndog

I love Fenway Park. I sort of miss the net over the left field wall. Anyway, it is a great experience, not sure if it is what SI cracks it up to be...I think the writer likely didn't mean it literally -- or at least he shouldn't have. I saw grown men cry when I was at opening day in 2005. The park, Pesky, the rings, the music, the NYY, and the F-16s made it an experience I will never forget.

Leiascards

Nothing beat the old Toliet Bowl known as Arlington Stadium. Only true baseballs fans would even dare venture into that pit..

ctsoxfan

I wish I had listened to the above parking advice, which I know, and always forget to follow. Parking near Fenway was even more than $40 last night (in some spots), and you absolutely can't get out of there anytime after the game ends without waiting an hour to get to a highway.

But last night proved again that its the best park in baseball, even though its hardly the most modern or convenient. The fans I was around were truly into the game, knew the players, and were very knowledgeable about baseball. Of course, you still get a fair number of playoff-only type casual fans this time of year, but I was pleasantly surprised to be surrounded by real fans last night, for the most part. One drawback there for me - the most uncomfortable seats you will ever sit in (at least in the field boxes, where they should be nicer!)...I know it would take away from the charm to put in modern seats, but especially if you are a tall guy, the seats will definitely seem on the small side, with little legroom.

DeutscherGeist

I can understand Fenway, Wringley, Tigers Stadium. How come Yankees stadium is not even mentioned especially since that is historical and the home of a storied franchise.

I am upset they want to tear Yankees Stadium down. At least I read some of you say that there will be blood in the streets before so much a pebble is harmed at Fenway.

Michigan

<< <i>I can understand Fenway, Wringley, Tigers Stadium. How come Yankees stadium is not even mentioned especially since that is historical and the home of a storied franchise.

I am upset they want to tear Yankees Stadium down. At least I read some of you say that there will be blood in the streets before so much a pebble is harmed at Fenway. >>




Yankee Stadium deserves mention as well. The house that Ruth built. For some reason it is usually left out of discussions of "classic"
baseball stadiums.

JrMacdaddy

JrMacdaddy

JrMacdaddy

JrMacdaddy

Bottom9th

Been to Fenway many times and it's a true baseball masterpiece. Last time I was there was Papelbon's MLB debut it 2005. The last few years I have had to settle for Fenway South (Tropicana Field)