My First Fenway

Some baseball parks fans visit for the team (go Padres!), some for the Dodger dogs (duh) or Dogfish Head (Citizens Bank), and some for their history: Wrigley Field, Yankees Stadium (new and old), and Fenway.  While in Boston last week for work, I finally got a chance to visit home to the Red Sox Nation.  Holy crap- Red Sox gear from head to toe, hats to shirts, and if my X-ray glasses weren’t broken, I’m sure I’d be eyeing some Sox boxers (Soxers?) catching balls as well…  The Angels were in town and while Boston came out swinging early, they fell behind and were down 5-4 through 6 innings.  But the Sox have had the Angels number for some time and Boston came out ahead 7-5, winning their 9th straight against LAA.  BTW, the next night they lost…

It was more a spectacle than a game, especially as the Sox crawled back from behind.  Pedroia was back from a 44 game stint on the DL the night before (he’s now back on it again), Papelbon finished the Angels off to close the 9^th, and the crowd was getting fresh on Sam Adams summer ale- OK, so the beer selection can’t compare to the Phillies ballpark.  Our group was also sitting just 2 seats away from where Ted Williams hit the longest ever home run at Fenway.  Even with their winning record this year (0.568), the Sox are still 6.5 games back in the AL East, but stubhub your way into Fenway if only to experience what it’s like to be so absorbed in a team.  And if you can’t get in, there are some great beer bars nearby that have the game on!

In other sports news, my Pads are still up.  I can’t believe it.  August is usually the month that owns them at the end…

And do me a Favre Brett, retire already.  For real.  Don’t you have a 401k or something you can fall back on instead of wish-washing your way through another football season?