HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY FENWAY PARK!

04/20/2012

(I started writing this entry on the morning of April 20th, 2012)

Fenway Park, the bbaseball stadium that my Boston Red Sox call home, is turning 100 years old today.
I am extatic that I will be apart of this historic event.
I have been to about 300 games over the years.
I have been there in the morning for 11AM Patriot Day game, I have been there when the night turns to morning for some extra inning games. I have been there when there was snow on the field and I have been there when the temps hit tripple digits. I have seen double headers there and my share of rainouts. I have seen in side the park home runs and 3 home run games, I have seen home plate stolen and homeruns robbed. I have seen hall of fame players and player's first at bat or first pitch of their careers and I have seen the last of them too. I've sat high in the bleachers, behind the vidio board and I sat in the exclusive 406 seats, dressed up as if I was going to a business meeting. I Sat right behind home plate and somewhere in the right field grandstand.

I have gone with many people over the years from my parents and siblings, friends, classmates, coworkers and friends of my friends. I have gone with doctors and lawyers, teachers, counselors, people in the telephone company, and yes, even with the love of my life.

I have seen the transformation of Fenway park in recent years as they decide to renovate the historic ball park instead of tearing it down. They have added 6000 seats...somewhere and seen the stadium sellout a record 722 in a row...and counting.

It's a piece of baseball history and a Mecca for fans of both history and baseball.
Today, April 20th, 2012, Fenway park will turn 100 years old and I will be happy to say I will be there. happy birthday Fenway park.

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Amazing, just amazing.

Walking into Fenway Park, before we walked up the ramp to the field, there was pictures and signs from over the last 100 years including plaques from teams I never heard of. We walk up to the field, then to our seats where there is a can of Welch's grape juice under each seat with a cup that has today's date. We were going to break the Guinnus book world record for most people at once giving a toast. The previous record was 27000+ and there was 38000+ people at fenway park.

Composer John Williams conducted the Boston Pops in his latest piece, ”FanFare for Fenway” Composer Keath Lockhart and the Boston pops played the national anthum which was followed by a fly over by two WWII fighter jets. .

213 former players came out from different parts of the park to take their position they played with the two oldest Red Sox retired members being wheelchaired out to second base by the most two most resent retired Red Sox players.

The players came out to the theme of field of dreams. Jim Rice, Dwight Evans, Bill Buckner, Jerry Remy, Rico Petrocelli, Jim LonBorg, Luis Tiant, Bruce Hurst, Tony Conigliaro, Carlton Fisk, Denny Doyle, Rich Gedman, David Henderson, Sam Horn, Pedro Martinez, Lou Merloni, Nomar Garciaparra, Jose Canseco, Kevin Millar, Terry Francona, Allan Embree, Mike Timlin, Keath Foulke, Mike Lowell, Alex Cora, Luis Alicea, Pumpsie Green, Bill Lee, Dennis Eckersley, Mo Vaughn, Carl Yastrzemski, Tim Wakefield, Jason Varitek, David Ortiz, Johnny Pesky, Bobby Doerr, Don Aase, Bob Zupcic, Denis Boyd and so, so many more players.

Then the current players came out from the dougout, wearing replica jerseys and caps from the 1912 team. The Yankees were also wearing the uniform of the 1912 team which was the New York Highlanders.

Caroline Kennedy through out one of 3 “first pitch” honors from the same spot her great grand father, Mayor Honey Fitz Kennedy, through out the very first “first pitch” to open Fenway Park 100 years ago.

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino joined Caroline in the box seats to throw out another “first pitch”

Two members of the 2004 world series champion team, Pedro Martinez and Kevin Millar, lead the Guinnus book toast. They obviously had a few drinks but as they were being silly. Millar indicating for everyone to drink with his signature “cowboy up” saying.

Concluding the ceremony, Pesky, Doerr, Rice and Fisk calling out “PLAY BALL!”

In between each inning, on the video board, they showed clips from over the years as well as “happy birthday” wishes from famous people, mostly from Boston. The first one was from the President of the USA.

*side note: the song “sweet caroline” by Neil Diamond was written with Caroline Kennedy in mind