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Fenway Park

Oh, Fenway Park! A classic Major League ball field that dates back to 1912. This venue is beloved by Bostonians and tourists alike. The park is the homefield of the Boston Red Sox, and it has undergone many changes and upgrades over the years, but it still retains much of its original charm.

History

Fenway Park threw open its doors for the first time on April 20, 1912, to become the homefield of the Boston Red Sox. The park was not quite completed at the time, but it had its main grandstand, plus a right-field grandstand and center bleachers. The original grandstand structure still stands today, and Fenway itself is notable as the oldest MLB stadium or field still be played on, and one of only three remaining classic ball fields in the United States.

Fenway Park suffered disaster in 1926, when a trio of fires destroyed the vulnerable wooden left-field bleachers. They stayed missing until 1934, when the old seating was finally replaced in a major renovation project that also included a nearly 40-foot tall wall around left field. The wall was eventually painted and dubbed the Green Monster for its new, highly visible color scheme.

Night baseball games came to Fenway Park in 1947, with the addition of a new lighting system.

By the 1980s, the park's roof was in need of major repairs. The resulting construction project added new rooftop seating and premium luxury boxes. Later in the decade, the press box was rebuilt, along with a brand-new upscale club.

John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino took over Fenway in the early 2000s and quickly began looking for ways to add more improvements to the park. Their efforts resulted in the massive Big Concourse concession area and Green Monster Seating on top of the famous wall, with a right-field roof deck following shortly thereafter. The very exclusive State Street Pavilion and EMC Club were added in 2006.

Notable Moments

Fenway Park is famous as ground zero of one of baseball's most memorable home runs, scored during the 1975 World Series. At that game, Carlton Fisk slammed a home run off the left-field foul pole, nudging the Red Sox to victory from a 6 to 6 tie.

The park also played host to Ted Williams as he hit a home run in his very last at-bat in a major league game in 1960. Carl Yastrzemski made his 400th career home run and his 3000th base hit in 1979 in the venerable Boston ballpark.

The park was the site of Roger Clemens' record-setting streak when he struck out 20 Seattle Mariners players in 1986. Clemens eventually matched his own record ten years later, but he did it at Tiger Stadium the second time around.

Getting There

Avoid driving to Fenway Park at all costs when there is a baseball game, as nearby parking is nearly impossible to find. The T subway offers a quick and convenient alternative, and parking fees near the stations are much cheaper than the minimum of $40 in the stadium area.

Surrounding Attractions

Fenway Park is the major attraction in Boston's Fenway-Kenmore area, but there are plenty of other sights and tourist attractions. Combine your visit to the ballpark with a trip to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, which houses an impressive collection of American, Asian and European works. The museum, which dates back to 1903, has both historic and contemporary artwork, encompassing paintings, fabrics, sculpture, ceramics, manuscripts, books, and more.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is also near Fenway Park and is well worth a visit, since it's one of America's largest museums. Dating back to the 1870s, it has an impressive Art of the Americas wing, plus sarcophagi, jewelry, and other Egyptian relics, thousands of pieces of Japanese pottery, and Chinese artwork.

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