“America’s Most Beloved Ballpark”: Fenway Park Home of the Boston Red Sox

By Fiona Russo

If you come to the great city of Boston when there is a Red Sox game, it will be such a great sight. So many fans will be roaming the city streets waiting to watch their favorite team at Fenway Park, also known as “America’s Most Beloved Ballpark.” The Red Sox were founded in 1901 by John I. Taylor. This famous Boston baseball team got its name from the first professional Boston baseball team called the “Boston Red Stockings,” which now is the Atlanta Braves. The Red Sox started playing at the Huntington Avenue Grounds, which is where part of Northeastern University stands today. The owner of the Red Sox wanted to look for a new neighborhood for his team. In 1911, he found the Fenway neighborhood. John I. Taylor’s father, General Charles H. Taylor, helped design the park with other real estate entrepreneurs. They together called themselves “the Fenway improvement association.” On June 24, 1911, John I. Taylor announced that the Red Sox would have a new home. The construction of Fenway Park started on September 25, 1911. Finally, Fenway Park hosted its first exhibition game including the Red Sox and Harvard College on April 9, 1912. On April 20, 1912, the Red Sox played against the New York Highlanders for their first official game at Fenway Park. The Red Sox played 105 regular season games that year and went on to win the World Series in Major League Baseball. They won the World Series in 2013, 2007, 2004, 1918, 1916, 1915, 1912, and 1903.

Going to your first Red Sox game, and actually every Red Sox game, is so thrilling and exciting. My favorite games to go to are Red Sox versus Yankees games. The Yankees are the main rival for the Red Sox, and those games are always very entertaining and especially loud at Fenway Park. Finding a parking spot in Boston is probably the most difficult when there is a Red Sox game going on. The restaurants on the city streets by Fenway Park are filled with people hanging out before the game. Every game at Fenway Park is filled with fans and it is difficult to spot an empty seat. After a few innings everyone lines up to get a sausage or a delicious Fenway Frank. The line for ice cream is so long that it could almost circle the park. During the 3rd inning, younger fans can go the the souvenir shop to meet the Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster. Red Sox fans well, Boston sports fans in general, have the most spirit I have ever seen. We sing “Sweet Caroline,” by Neil Diamond as loud as we can during the 7th inning stretch. “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is another song we sing at some Red Sox games. Each Red Sox player has their own song they picked to play as they walk up to bat, followed by all the fans yelling out their nicknames and “Let’s go Red Sox” with perfectly timed claps. Sometimes when the fans get bored and no action is happening on the field, the fans get together to start a wave around the park. Red Sox games at “America’s Most Beloved Ballpark” are the best and you definitely should not miss them if you come to Boston. If you ever go to a Red Sox game make sure you try a famous Fenway Frank and say “Hi” to Wally the Green Monster.