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I’ll admit right away that I know very little about baseball and am not a devotee of the game. But my oldest child is passionate about playing it and with his first year in Little League, I’ve discovered the myriad pleasures of wiling away a warm evening on the bleachers.
My experience with going to professional games is very limited and specific. For me, the only baseball stadium is Fenway Park. Of course, one could do much worse than to have this hallowed spot as the sole point of baseball reference. It is a place so weighted with history, so full of the ghosts of long-unfulfilled hopes, that one need bring much knowledge or history of one’s own to get excited watching a game there. And with the exception of one trip to Yankee Stadium that I don’t really count because we left halfway through the game, Fenway is the only place I’ve ever seen a game, always in the company of relatives who are loyal citizens of the Red Sox Nation. I know they’ve added more seating since the last time I was there, but from what I can tell, going to a game there is still an intimate experience, full of tradition and strange-sounding landmarks like Pesky’s Pole and The Ladder.
And although his loyalty lies elsewhere (he’s a rabid Phillies fan) today I’m dreaming of sitting in Fenway Park with my boy. We’re sitting in the infield grandstand with a view of the manual scoreboard and of course the Green Monster that fabled high wall that has cowed so many great batters. All around us fans grumble about the slightest error, comparing what’s happening on the field to a play from a game 40 years ago. We skip the clam chowder and other recently-added fancy food choices and stick to Fenway Franks, sold to us by a vendor shouting “haht dahgs” in a thick Boston accent. Since this is a dreaming post, the Sox squeak out a win in the ninth inning, causing just enough angst to rouse the crowd, but joy and satisfaction as everyone’s secret optimism is realized.
For the less dreamily inclined, here’s a something practical: If you don’t want to go to a game, but want to check out Fenway Park you can take a 50-minute guided walking tour of the stadium. Since the stadium is right in the middle of Boston and is easily accessible by subway, getting there could easily be part of any family trip. For more tips, you might also want to check out my Monday Dreaming post about Boston. And if you can’t get to Boston but have a young baseball fan in your life, recommended reading is The Prince of Fenway Park by Julianna Baggott, which tells the fictional story of a boy who broke the famous Red Sox curse. Tommy and I are reading it together right now and it’s a lot of fun.
If you’re interested in sharing a Monday Dreaming post of your own, I’ve included a place to do so below using Mr. Linky (perhaps you might like to share a post about your own favorite baseball stadium!). If you’ve got questions about how this works, please see About Monday Dreaming.
Photo of Fenway used courtesy of Stephen Gilmer.
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6 Responses to “Mondays are for dreaming: Fenway Park”
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Ahh…Fenway. Great post. Dave and I took the boys there two years ago and the game was tremendous. The tour beforehand was a special treat. Did you know there’s a tiny door in the Green Monster? The person who manually updates the scores sits inside. Our tour guide said it’s a sought-after position, though I can’t imagine sitting in that unairconditioned closet!
Debra Moffitt’s last blog post..What Girls Wish Moms Knew (Tip #3)
Had to stop by and suggest the best kids and baseball books I have ever read. Dan Gutman writes a series of historical fictional books about famous baseball players Jackie and Me, Babe and Me, etc. They are so interesting, teach kids a lot about baseball, and most importantly get boys reading. I think they are written at about a fourth grade level. Moms of boys…ck them out!
Bridget’s last blog post..Photo Friday: Where the Wild Things Are!
I was in Boston with 2 boys (age 6 & almost 4) in March 09. We took the T to Fenway Park but didn’t take the tour because it was limited due to construction at the time. Loved riding the T! Kids ride free btw. Our Best of Boston list includes: riding the Water Taxi from the airport to our friend’s apt in the North End (but recommend the water taxi for other places like the USS Constitution & from the North End to the wharf near the Children’s Museum). The North End Church has a short historical presentation that held the attention of my 6 year old. Mike’s Pastry was our regular morning treat stop since we stayed on Hanover St.
What great recommendations from everyone!
Debra – thanks for the fun fact about the wall.
Bridget – I’ve heard about those books from other people – thank you for reminding me of them as I think Tommy will love them.
L.R. – GREAT tips. I absolutely adore Mike’s. IMHO they have the best cannolis in the world.
Before I had my son, I never dreamed of baseball stadiums. But nowadays I share your dream of taking my son to Fenway Park, just to share that experience with him. Funny, how kids change you.
Carolina’s last blog post..Today’s Tip: Vacation Rhymes With Education
Fenway is one of my very favorite places. We took that tour years ago and I was awed by the history, the mythology, the tradition. I know my dad will take H there someday — as soon as he’s old enough to appreciate its sacredness.