I truly believe that when I die, my head stone will read, “here lies a man who converted his wife from a Cleveland Indian’s fan to a die-hard Boston Red Sox fan.”
My wife Teri grew up in the Cleveland area. But once we got married, and I dragged her to New England, she slowly converted to Red Sox mania.
So, I was astonished when she said to me that we had never been to a Yankees-Red Sox game, in all the years we’ve been married.
Yanks Vs. Sox
Much to my surprise, our anniversary was on the same day that the Yankees and Red Sox were playing in Fenway Park.
So, we flew to Beantown and marked off a bucket list item for her — as you will see in the video below.
The only disappointment: I spent $200 to have the Red Sox put up on the big scoreboard a happy anniversary message to her. I kept telling her to look at it, and she couldn’t see it because there were so many eye-catching distractions in Fenway.
Still, I would recommend a trip to see the Red Sox for everyone. And as you’ll see in the segment, there are many people who mark off that bucket list item, and they are not Red Sox, or even Yankee fans.
The stadium is over a century old. It has gone through numerous renovations, including bleachers on top of the green monster, the high left-field wall that is iconic to baseball.
My first Yankee Red Sox game was in 1962. I was six years old and my family took me up there to see the Yankees beat the Red Sox 10 to 6. Now, ironically, I was a Yankee fan back then. I loved Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris who I got to see play. By the mid to late 1960s both Maris and Mantle were no longer with the Yankees and I had no heroes to root for.
Then my Irish heritage seemed to gravitate me more towards Boston. So, by the late 1960s and early 70s I was a full-fledged Boston Red Sox fan.
Lots of Fenway History
In college, three buddies and I snuck in a bottle of schnapps to imbibe during a Sox-Yanks game. The ushers missed since one buddy stuffed it down the front of his pants.
This was around the time when fans were getting rowdy at Fenway, and actually throwing bottles at Yankee centerfielder Mickey Rivers.
And one of our Jetsetter’s, Ken Lakin, a prominent Boston lawyer, talks about that in the segment. We wonder if he could be charged with intent. You tell us.
As a baseball fan, that time was a lot of agony. Many years the Red Sox were not that good. And then the years when they were good, they would disappoint us by ruining good seasons with September slumps like in 1978 or by getting into the World Series and blowing it in excruciating style — see 1986.
In 2004, things changed. The Red Sox came from three games down to beat the Yankees with fourth Street to win the American League pennant, and then beat the St. Louis Cardinals by sweeping them with fourth Street games in the World Series for their first World Series in 86 years.
For a Red Sox fan, it was the most excruciating time to get there. While watching those games, as I was living in Las Vegas, I would continue to sit in the same seat in front of a television for very superstitious reasons.
Since then, the Red Sox have had more World Series championships in the 21st-century than any other team in baseball.
And that is a tribute to Sox fans over the decades who still attended while bitching all those years. Granted, many attendees were there to honor the history of Fenway.
With all that history, you owe it to yourself to get to a game, even if it’s not a Yankees-Red Sox game.
Jetsetter Fenway Tip
Summer is obviously a great time to go. But we would suggest trying September. If there’s a pennant race going on, the games will be much more interesting. If there’s not a pennant race, it might be easier to get tickets.
Tickets behind home plate or along the first and third base lines can be expensive. We suggest trying the centerfield bleachers, as you will see in our segment. It does not diminish the excitement or the view of the game.
Notice also, that we offer you an Undercover Jetsetter trick to get tickets on the day of a game that is a lot less cheaper.
Once you’re there in the friendly confines, spend some time before the game to really feel the echoes of the past — knowing Babe Ruth and Ted Williams played on these hallowed grounds.
Remember too, David “Big Papi” Ortiz’ oration in Fenway that rallied the city of Boston and the region after the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.
In another segment here on Wingding, we show you where to stay, and where to eat in beantown, one of the best food towns in America.
But first, let’s get to the game.
John Daly and Susan Anzalone are the Co-Creators and Co-Hosts of Undercover Jetsetter, a show on travel, food, wine, mixology, and golf. They show you how to jet set the world and at home. They also co-authored the book, The TV Studio In Your Hand: How to Shoot, Edit & Deliver the Easy Way on Your iPhone. Join them for tips and hacks on the road, at home, or in the kitchen. Yes, as you will see, all on the iPhone.