Fenway Park

Today is a glorious day in Boston--70s, sunny, everybody in a good mood. Natalia's class headed to Fenway Park for a field trip today and, with nothing better to do, Celia and I joined them.

It was fun to see Fenway sans fans. I've been there a couple times before for non-game events, and the ballpark seems different when there are no players on the field...it is such a peaceful place, and everything is manicured beautifully. I learned some Fenway history/facts that I did not previously know (apparently the grandstands were added about 20 years after the park was built, which would seem to explain some of the idiotic sight lines behind load-bearing poles) and I finally got to see the field from the Monstah seats. I can see why people take out mortgages to watch a game from there.

More than anything else, though, it was fun to see little kids and their parents taking in all the sights, sounds, and stories. I remember my first trip to Fenway--I don't remember anything about the game (they probably lost) or who my favorite player was way back then, but I vividly recall the feeling of emerging from the dank concourse and having the full emerald field roll out before me. So green, so noisy. Even attending Sox games as an adult, that same sight always takes my breath away for a split second. I'm not sure how many kids on the field trip had been to Fenway before (many of them sported Sox gear though) but they all seemed to enjoy the trip. And the parents, more so than their children, listened attentively as the tour guide shared tales of the red seat, the purpose behind the Green Monster, and the team's history. The kids were all intent on seeing Wally, but he must have been sleeping off last night's victory in his bunk behind the scoreboard.

I carried Celia around in the Bjorn. She seemed very content. She will probably remember nothing of her first official trip to Fenway but it will be fun to tell her about our trip when we return on the occasion of her first Sox game. No doubt that will be years in the future...perhaps after the sellout streak has ended, and regular people can once again enjoy a game at the ballpark without spending a month's salary.

After the tour ended we headed over to the souvenir store where I financially supported the hometown nine by purchasing an officially-licensed hat for my daughter. It's a cute hat--one with the two red stockings on it--and not a trace of pink. (I'm not against pink hats per se...and, in fact, those who know me well know that I do not shy away from wearing pink. But as with all kids merchandise, the default color for girls clothing is pink, and the default color for boys clothes is everything else, which I find annoying. So Celia's first Sox hat is blue and red, thank you very much, and no, I do not plan on buying her a pink Jacoby Ellsbury shirt either.)

$20 for a kid's hat...a bargain, right? I would feel much better about my purchase if I knew that none of the money was going to pay Dice-K's salary.