Day at Fenway Park

Today was the second full day of our Boston Red Sox Destination week a.k.a. Ben's Senior Graduation Trip. This was the day scheduled to include a VIP tour of Fenway Park as well as a reception luncheon with a player. Ben and I were felling a little groggy from the night before and so we made our way down to the Dunkin Donuts next to the hotel. We are staying at the Hotel Commonwealth literally a 2 minute walk to Fenway. As a matter of fact you can see Fenway out our hotel window just across the highway. I will post pictures as I get back home and can do so.

After some coffee and a little Dunkin Donut love we made our way to the site of where we were to meet for the tour. And as sheep being herded we joined a somewhat large 150 person group. While standing outside the gates of Fenway in a very unassuming manner in swept Justin Pedroia and his wife. She appeared to be pregnant and they walked right through the people pretty much unnoticed. We buzzed about it for a few minutes and then again they reappeared and were on their way out of Fenway and melded right back into their own time and life. I could not help but ponder as they walked away what was their perspective on life as a big league couple? How was their life similar or different from the Boston Red Sox royalty of the past? I wondered if the Justin were able to visit with Ted Williams what would they have in common? I wonder.

We then were ushered into the ballpark and taken through a maze of follow the leader directly onto the field via the 3rd base side to the vaunted Green Monster. We were able to snap off some great photos including a staged one where we pretended to "crash" the wall and "make the grab". We thought it was funny and I guess that is all that matters. We also got the opportunity to go inside the monster and look it over and attempt to sign the wall inside leaving our mark. Ben and I tried to use a brand new Sharpie pen on concrete...you would think it was a lock for getting our names on a piece of American Folklore, a way to say historically, "we were here!" but you would be wrong...Not sure what you have to use, paint maybe, but a brand new sharpie does NOT do the trick, at least to our high standard of territory marking! But we did get some great photo ops and were told at least a dozen times throughout the visit that the interns shuttling us around and taking photos that "they would be included in a CD" to be mailed to us at a later date. Of course Ben and I being the compliant ones (ok, those of you who know us stop laughing) were always bringing up the rear and likely causing the comments from the shuttlers of "we NEED to move along now".

So the next part of the tour took us into the grandstand where we learned some trivia and facts about the historical ballpark that was built in 1912. The best piece of news was that when the ballpark reaches 100 years old it will automatically become a historic monument and henceforth it cannot be touched. Meaning they cannot tear it down ala, the old Yankee Stadium. Great news. We sat in the same old wooden chairs in the grandstand that many generations past have sat in and experienced joy and heartache. Then we were off to the pressbox area. Ok, if you read last night's blog you know that for Ben and I this was "old hat" for us. But we obliged our shuttlers and went anyway! It was fun to sit in the front row of the pressbox and look down onto the field.

And then we saw one of the purest sights that confirmed for me what it would be like to have the privileged life of being a big league ball player. Mike Lowell, the Red Sox third baseman came onto the field with his son of probably 5 or 6 years of age and proceeded to throw "BP" to himright square at home plate. We all sat and "ahhed" the whole scenario. It really was cute and the kid could hit the ball, consistently...it also shows that with privilege comes some level of advantage! I am sure we will see the Junior Lowell someday in a big league park near you...after the pressbox tour we headed for our last stop before the luncheon and that was on top of the Green Monster. This time we were looking over the field from the top of the wall. Again, a birds eye view of a field that has so much history and lore that you just have to sit and reflect on all of what has transpired over the years. It was the same feeling I had when were standing out in left field under the shadow of the Green Monster. All the great left fielders to have played in that very spot. The view from they had was the view I was now experiencing. What would it have been like to take fly balls out there on such a routine basis that you sort of forget you are playing in such a historic place? It also made me a little angry that a guy like Manny Ramirez would quit on his team a year earlier. He had what every child who has ever played baseball would want, the position of left field at Fenway Park. Eh. It is fun though to just bask in the moment and reflect when you find yourself in such historic surroundings. The "ghosts" as such are there to feed your thoughts and get your mind to play through just "what it must have been like".

We were then whisked away down a hallway that housed all the Sports Illustrated photo covers that included any Red Sox player over the years. The procession also included passing the Red Sox Hall of Fame with the dedicated plaques. Ben did not want any photos here. We then went into a newly remodeled area that looked like any brand new ballpark prime seating area! It included a dining area back from the seats with a gourmet kitchen and staff. I am sure they looked at us as the paupers getting to eat at the Kings Diner for a day. No doubt providing them with a chuckle. We hero worshippers at our ballpark fair of dogs, potato salad, slaw, chicken legs, pulled pork and a nice assortment of cookies, washed down with our choice of beverage. Ben, being the newly crowned adult that he is made a request for me to get him a beer. I thought what the heck and so I did. It was fun to share an adult moment with my son. A new experience for both of us. A few sips later he appeared to have had his "fill". We enjoyed our meal and stepped outside to overlook the ball park some more from yet another vantage point.

The next prize in the Destinations getaway was the meeting of the surprise player. For our tour it was to be Mark Kotsay, OF who had just come off the DL. We also had a special guest Don Orsillo whom Ben and I had met the night before in our pressbox journey. We wnet through the line and got a ball signed by Kotsay and another item signed by Orsillo. Then we came back through cattle style for a "CD" picture with the player and announcer. Finally, there were a couple more finishing touches to the gathering. A drawing for some signed baseballs and an opportunity for a picture with the World Series Trophies. We hit it out of the park on both! We won a baseball signed by Justing Masterson and we got our picture taken, to be included on the complimentary photo CD mailed to your house at a later date!

We were spent! At least Ben was, he was hurting from the previous day's running adventure through MIT. So we headed back to the hotel in brief preparation for the nights ball game. I took the opportunity to try and burn some calories! I took a run to the Prudential Plaza Mall in search of another copy of Senior Year. I wanted an extra signed copy for my good friend Dick Wagner. Who I was beginning to feel was more responsible all the time for this whole trip. I was in luck and there was a copy waiting for me behind the counter. After jogging back it was time to get ready for the game and head over.

The game was a good one! 6-5 Sox complete with a Youkilis (Dee likes to refer to him as the Eucharist - one of the only ways she and I connect with baseball) home run, Lowell HR, Pedroia RBI double, and a Papelbon save! Ben and I laughed and joked throughout the game, we celebrated all the good. We danced, we ate yet another Monster Dog! Something tells me it won't be my last (see game Thursday night). We sang the renditions of take me out to the ballgame and of course...Sweet Caroline, which I serenaded to Dee over the phone! We also sat next to a couple who were enjoying their 50th Anniversary gift from their daughter. They were retired teachers now living in Cape Cod. They really sounded like they made it! Lived in central Mass their professional lives and retired to a nice coastal community. All was well. They even had a granddaughter there across the way who love as she called him "Big Pupi"

It was a great day and night all around. We then went right back to the room intensely satisfied and sleep came easy. Today will be another lightning quick experience.