âTake me out to the ballgame, take me out with the crowdâ plays overhead on the speakers as my friends and I sit in the bleacher seats in Fenway Park on a Friday night in early September. Bright lights illuminate the players on the field as well as the crowd. The aroma of fresh popcorn, stale beer, and dirty water dogs permeates the air. A crowd of boisterous fans made up of college students, children, and season ticket holders, dressed in team colors, fills the ballpark. Â
Due to Worcesterâs close proximity to Boston, Holy Cross students have easy access to Fenway Park, home of the Green MonsterâŠ. if you know you know. The Wall, as it is simply called, looms over left field, adding historic charm to the stadium. It is the highest among the walls in current Major League Baseball fields. Itâs legendary for preventing home runs that would typically clear the walls of other ballparks.Â
With baseball season quickly coming to an end, my friends and I decided to take the afternoon train from Union Station to Lansdowne Station, getting off right in front of the stadium. We scanned our tickets, which were inexpensive, and made our way to our bleacher seats. We were met with die-hard Red Sox fans who encouraged us to cheer after any base stolen, every hit, the first pitch, and anything else we thought was worthy of applause. In addition, my friends and I rallied to the concession stands to score a variety of junk food, topping the night off with a soft serve ice cream presented in a plastic Red Sox hat! Although Iâm a loyal New York Mets fanâŠ.. LGMâŠ.. it felt necessary to experience the Boston Red Sox lore and the electric atmosphere at Fenway.Â
Between innings, the jumbotron displayed trivia questions, captured fans dancing, and announced raffle ticket winners. During the seventh-inning stretch, the iconic âSweet Carolineâ was harmonized by the entire crowd. And no game would be complete without âThe Waveâ, as standing spectators raised their arms in succession creating a contiguous circuit all the way around the field. As the game concluded, a sense of community was built and we all gathered together in support of baseball. Only then did I truly understand the loyalty of Red Sox fans and the energy they exude in good times as well as bad. As a result, I totally recommend a trip to Boston to visit the stadium and catch a glimpse into the fun celebrations to be had at Fenway. Go Red Sox! With that said, you won’t catch me in FoxboroughâŠ. as my loyalty belongs to the Gang GreenâŠâŠ J-E-T-S for life.Â