Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Batter Up!

I love baseball, especially Red Sox baseball. Opening day is this Sunday. The game is nationally televised, so it's been set at the ridiculous time of 8:00pm. I can tell you the last thing I'd want to do is sit in Fenway Park on an early April evening, freezing my butt off, even if it is opening day against the Yankees. I will be comfortably settled here, watching it with Skip, enjoying our first meaningful baseball game in many months.

In 2004, the year the Red Sox ended their 88-year long drought of World Series wins, we started going to games at Fenway Park. We discovered that the Park had set up a few wonderful spots for wheelchair fans and a few awful spots as well. In our very first visit, we found ourselves sitting in the front row, along the first base side, right beside the ball boy (who collects foul balls and such during game play). The seats were unbelievable. It was the clinching game of the American League Divisional Series, where the Red Sox swept the Angels in 3 games. It was a wonderful game, with lots of scoring, that went into extra innings. David Ortiz (Big Papi) hit a 2-run HR over the left-field wall (the Green Monster) in the bottom of the 10th to win the game for the hometown team. That was such a great feeling, to see the ball go over the wall and join in the celebration as the crowd erupted.


Another excellent spot for wheelchair seats is up in a relatively new area of Fenway, the right-field roof box. This area is set up with tables and waitress service. Along the top rung of tables, there are at least 3 tables that can accommodate wheelchair users, with the table seating 5. Skip doesn't have the best view of the action, but it is otherwise a wonderful way to take in a game.



Honestly, it doesn't get much better than a wonderful, sunny Sunday afternoon at the ballyard with your friends.

7 comments:

awb said...

We had an incredible trip to Fenway a few years ago, sat on the monster, in a private box one night, and even in the owners box on another. Got to go into the green monster look at all the old autographs, even sign the wall ourselves, great trip.

Andy

kmilyun said...

Ok first confessing that baseball is not really my thing I love going with friends for the fun and hot-dogs - the hot dogs on hot dog day.

Nothing like Fenway here but . ...

Glad you all got out and had a super time!

Muffie said...

since I was three years old! I love baseball, but our ballpark doesn't have those disabled-friendly seats as yours does.(They're behind each section!!) I enjoy it just as much from my seat in my family room (and I don't have to worry about acting phoolish in public!) Good luck with your Red Sox -- beat those d**n Yankees!!
Peace,
Muff

Muffie said...

Sorry -- chopped off my first line -- said I was a diehard Phillies Phan!!
Muff

Cranky said...

Andy - nice getting access to all those spots, like inside the Green Monster. We sat on the monster one year. Great game, Curt Schilling against Kevin Brown of the Yankees. Sox won, it was lovely sunny Sunday.

Jan - lovely to get out with friends, eat the hot dogs in the sun, even if the game isn't your cup of tea.

Muffie - I was rooting very hard for the Phillies in the last two World Series. I was cautiously optimistic when they took the first game from the Yankees, bummer about the remainder of that Series.

Unknown said...

I just have to share a baseball moment. My uncle was a life long Yankee fan, his dear friend a life long Red Sox fan. They loved the rivalry and ribbing each other. In their twilight they even shared a diagnosis of Alzheimer's. And yes, you guessed it 2004 just never happened in their memory. Ribbing and rivalry continued and maybe one day the Red Sox will win. :)

Caregivingly Yours, Patrick

Cranky said...

Patrick - great story! I do feel sorry for the Sox fan, though, never knowing the curse had ended.