I haven't been to Fenway for years, but I plan to pay a visit this summer to my hometown team (the Orioles) in Baltimore. Camden Yards is a also a pretty sweet venue! And you're right: ballgames are great places to simply connect with strangers -- something this country needs badly right now.
Jun 2, 2023·edited Jun 2, 2023Liked by Susan Campbell
I have soooooo many Fenway memories
Most are very good ones
The very first time I went to Fenway was September 1969
A doubleheader against the Orioles
I was a catcher in little league so I aware that the Red Sox were starting a rookie catcher making his major league debut
Some guy named Carlton Fisk
The next game was in August 1974 also against the Orioles
Juan Marichal in his only season with Boston pitched his first game since
May , coming in relief and pitching 6 innings getting the win
The coolest part of that game was going with a former player who had ties to both Boston and Baltimore
Jack Harshman actually started his major league career in New York with the Giants and gained some fame pitching in Chicago
He still holds the White Sox team record for most strikeouts in a game with 16
After his playing career he became a youth counselor and he was in charge of the state receiving home in East Windsor
He coached a team of kids from the receiving home and he would take them to Boston once a year for a game against one of the teams he played for , either Chicago, Baltimore or Cleveland
I have a friend who’s mother cleaned at the receiving home and she got two tickets so me and Larry went to the game
Jack was a teammate of Brooks Robinson in Baltimore
In 1958 he hit more home runs as a pitcher than Brooks Robinson
He was traded to Boston in 1959
That was the year Boston finally broke through the color barrier with Pumpsie Green and Earl Wilson
He finished his career in the majors in the same game that his teammate Don Newcombe did
Two guys that started their careers pitching in New York finished it in Cleveland
Wow. Carlton Fisk. (I was a catcher, too, and I read everything about Yogi Berra I could get my hands on). I manage to make it to Fenway maybe three times a year.
My father-in-law, who passed away long before I even knew my wife, was first signed by the Sox and played minor league ball for them and the Tigers. He never made the bigs but did meet his wife when he played in the minors down south. He returned with her to CT where they raised their three kids. If it wasn’t for the Red Sox, my life would have been very different.
It's funny, because even when we leave the park (and we always have kids with us so we always have to leave early), it's like you walk around sustained by that vibe. I flat love the place.
It's been several minutes since I've been to a Red Sox game. A friend of mine's husband organized a busload to go to a game. He had scored a ticket from someone for a seat directly behind home plate. We took turns sitting there. If that is my last ever experience at a MLB game, I'm good. Sitting so close to the action was really something. And no ducking foul balls (Second to the last game a foul ball landed in the row right behind me. I ducked and covered - no interest in attempting to catch it.)
I haven't been to Fenway for years, but I plan to pay a visit this summer to my hometown team (the Orioles) in Baltimore. Camden Yards is a also a pretty sweet venue! And you're right: ballgames are great places to simply connect with strangers -- something this country needs badly right now.
I am old enough to have cheered along with Wild Bill Hagy, when I was in college.
Section 33. He was a classic!
I have soooooo many Fenway memories
Most are very good ones
The very first time I went to Fenway was September 1969
A doubleheader against the Orioles
I was a catcher in little league so I aware that the Red Sox were starting a rookie catcher making his major league debut
Some guy named Carlton Fisk
The next game was in August 1974 also against the Orioles
Juan Marichal in his only season with Boston pitched his first game since
May , coming in relief and pitching 6 innings getting the win
The coolest part of that game was going with a former player who had ties to both Boston and Baltimore
Jack Harshman actually started his major league career in New York with the Giants and gained some fame pitching in Chicago
He still holds the White Sox team record for most strikeouts in a game with 16
After his playing career he became a youth counselor and he was in charge of the state receiving home in East Windsor
He coached a team of kids from the receiving home and he would take them to Boston once a year for a game against one of the teams he played for , either Chicago, Baltimore or Cleveland
I have a friend who’s mother cleaned at the receiving home and she got two tickets so me and Larry went to the game
Jack was a teammate of Brooks Robinson in Baltimore
In 1958 he hit more home runs as a pitcher than Brooks Robinson
He was traded to Boston in 1959
That was the year Boston finally broke through the color barrier with Pumpsie Green and Earl Wilson
He finished his career in the majors in the same game that his teammate Don Newcombe did
Two guys that started their careers pitching in New York finished it in Cleveland
Wow. Carlton Fisk. (I was a catcher, too, and I read everything about Yogi Berra I could get my hands on). I manage to make it to Fenway maybe three times a year.
My father-in-law, who passed away long before I even knew my wife, was first signed by the Sox and played minor league ball for them and the Tigers. He never made the bigs but did meet his wife when he played in the minors down south. He returned with her to CT where they raised their three kids. If it wasn’t for the Red Sox, my life would have been very different.
Whoa. That is so very awesome.
I was about to write that Fenway is a magical place...darn you! Glad it was fun for all. Go Sox!
Well, it has to be said: Go, Cards! But yeah. Go, Sox. Good game even if they lost. The vibe at that place is just...yeah, magical.
Night games especially. When the sky gets dark and the lights are emphasizing just the park, the whole place slips into another dimension.
It's funny, because even when we leave the park (and we always have kids with us so we always have to leave early), it's like you walk around sustained by that vibe. I flat love the place.
Great post about this storied ballpark which stoked so many fond memories....thank you for sharing.
It really is a magical place.
It's been several minutes since I've been to a Red Sox game. A friend of mine's husband organized a busload to go to a game. He had scored a ticket from someone for a seat directly behind home plate. We took turns sitting there. If that is my last ever experience at a MLB game, I'm good. Sitting so close to the action was really something. And no ducking foul balls (Second to the last game a foul ball landed in the row right behind me. I ducked and covered - no interest in attempting to catch it.)