Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Some parks age better than others (Fenway Park is a dump)
LA Times ^ | April 21, 2012 | Bill Shaikin

Posted on 04/22/2012 6:48:26 PM PDT by presidio9

The Boston Red Sox alumni took the field Friday, from Jim Rice to Carl Yastrzemski, from Johnny Pesky to Pedro Martinez, all in a graceful celebration of Fenway Park's 100th birthday.

If Frank McCourt had had his way, the party never would have happened.

McCourt tried to buy his hometown Red Sox in 2001, with a plan to build a new ballpark on his Boston waterfront parking lots. He had the right idea.

Luke Scott of the Tampa Bay Rays took a lot of grief last week for calling Fenway "a dump." He had the right idea too. The Angels have held Sunday chapel services in the shower because there was no other space available in the visiting clubhouse.

Fenway Park is a tiny ballpark wedged into a tiny city block, with tiny seats from an era before fast food had been invented, let alone Lipitor.

It is a dump, but it is a beloved dump, where Grandpa saw Ted Williams and Dad saw Carlton Fisk and the kids saw David Ortiz.

When the triumvirate of John Henry, Larry Lucchino and Tom Werner beat out McCourt and a host of others to buy the Red Sox, the new owners decided to rehabilitate Fenway rather than abandon it. If the outpouring of civic affection on Friday was any indication, the good people of Boston have long made their peace with Fenway's limitations.

McCourt moved on to buy the Dodgers, and to sell them. With ownership of the team set to change hands in eight days, the new owners — Mark Walter, Stan Kasten, Magic Johnson and Co. — ought to keep the Fenway experience in mind.

Dodger Stadium has room that Fenway does not — room to

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; US: California; US: Massachusetts; US: New York
KEYWORDS: boston; bostonsucks; downbytheriver; fenwayparkdump; florida; massachusetts; newyork; tampabay; therivercharles
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-30 next last

1 posted on 04/22/2012 6:48:31 PM PDT by presidio9
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: presidio9

2 posted on 04/22/2012 6:53:58 PM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: presidio9

Yes but it’s their dump and the Sox fans love it. Everything else is irrelevant.


3 posted on 04/22/2012 6:55:43 PM PDT by Henry Hnyellar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: presidio9

I have been to fenway, and you can definitely tell it’s 100 years old. but old doesn’t necessarily mean bad.

red sox fans like their stadium just fine. they love the place the way they love their grandmothers, not the way we love, say, megan fox.

that’s an important difference.


4 posted on 04/22/2012 7:01:11 PM PDT by JohnBrowdie (http://forum.stink-eye.net)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Henry Hnyellar
Everything else is irrelevant.

Except the fact that while building your team around the most unusual home condtions in all of pro sports may be incredibly effective in the regular season, it has less effect in the post season where the competition is more elite. Fenway Park, not Babe Ruth, was the biggest contributor to a 94-year championship drought. Here's hoping the Sox stubbornly refuse to ever leave.

5 posted on 04/22/2012 7:04:59 PM PDT by presidio9 (Islam is as Islam does.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Henry Hnyellar

One can NOT LOVE FENWAY!!
It’s all about the game , the BoSox and the history!!
Yeah, it’s our dump...and we do love us some Fenway!

Thank God Frank McCourt moved to LA... whatttadope!


6 posted on 04/22/2012 7:05:43 PM PDT by acapesket
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: JohnBrowdie

To be honest, I don't even love my girlfriend the same way I love Megan Fox.

7 posted on 04/22/2012 7:06:52 PM PDT by presidio9 (Islam is as Islam does.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: JohnBrowdie

Who the heck is Megan Fox?

Oh wait... I’ll go ask my teen BoSox fan who is more important!

I already know the answer... she ain’t it!


8 posted on 04/22/2012 7:10:37 PM PDT by acapesket
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: acapesket; JohnBrowdie
I already know the answer... she ain’t it!

Your son is gay? Sorry to hear that.

Love him for who he is, not what he does.

9 posted on 04/22/2012 7:13:07 PM PDT by presidio9 (Islam is as Islam does.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: presidio9

As he said, She is not attainable, Fenway is a place he can go every day of the season and he will not get herpes from going there.

You have been in Presidio too long!


10 posted on 04/22/2012 7:18:08 PM PDT by acapesket
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: presidio9

I find Fenway & Wrigley charming - much better than the concrete bowls of the 70’s.


11 posted on 04/22/2012 7:20:54 PM PDT by P.O.E. (Pray for America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: P.O.E.
And one fellow liked Wrigley so much he used it as his home address.


12 posted on 04/22/2012 7:32:21 PM PDT by wally_bert (It's sheer elegance in its simplicity! - The Middleman)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Liberty Valance

Red Sox...70’s...Fenway Park. Good times.


13 posted on 04/22/2012 8:53:05 PM PDT by Conservative4Ever (Waiting for the new tagline to download)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: presidio9
I liked Fenway just fine Saturday, innings 7-9. :)
14 posted on 04/22/2012 8:53:49 PM PDT by MacMattico
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: presidio9

They’ve won two World Series in the last 10 years. The two they lost in the 70’s and 80’s could hardly be chalked up to the stadium. The Reds were the stronger team in 1976 and the error by the unfortunate Bill Buckner had nothing to do with the stadium when the Sox lost in 1986.

In 1967 they over achieved and made it to the World Series. They lost to another superior team in the Cardinals with one of the best pitchers of all time, Bob Gibson. The series still went seven and Gibson won three of the four games for the Cardinals. His pitching was dominant in any stadium, so I don’t see how Fenway had anything to do with the Sox loss.

1942 was the last time the Sox were in the Series before 67. This stretch of regular season lack of success does little to bolster your argument.


15 posted on 04/22/2012 8:58:01 PM PDT by Henry Hnyellar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: presidio9
GSM has done well.


16 posted on 04/22/2012 9:05:17 PM PDT by eyedigress ((zOld storm chaser from the west)/?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: acapesket

An actress with lots of tattoos. Pretty face but that is about it.


17 posted on 04/22/2012 9:07:22 PM PDT by xp38
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: wally_bert

18 posted on 04/22/2012 9:09:44 PM PDT by dfwgator (Don't wake up in a roadside ditch. Get rid of Romney.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: xp38

Got that!

Thought my hormonal child’s comment was pretty funny though!

God Bless Megan Fox whoever she is

Tattoos Blow


19 posted on 04/22/2012 9:28:32 PM PDT by acapesket
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: acapesket

Hmmm... Gay AND a Sawks fan?

You’re right.

No God could be that cruel.


20 posted on 04/22/2012 9:40:35 PM PDT by presidio9 (Islam is as Islam does.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-30 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson