Fenway Park

Lore & Background

Fenway Park opened on April 20, 1912, five days after the Titanic sank, and has hosted the Red Sox ever since. Its most famous feature, the Green Monster—a 37-foot-high left-field wall—was built to compensate for the short distance to left field (310 feet down the line). The wall's manual scoreboard, still operated by hand, and the iconic Citgo sign above the left-field bleachers have become symbols of Boston baseball. The park survived multiple threats of demolition, including a 1999 plan for a new stadium, but a 2002 renovation preserved its character while adding modern amenities. Fenway hosted the 1946, 1961, and 1999 All-Star Games, and the 1912, 1918, 1946, 1967, 1975, 1986, 2004, 2007, 2013, and 2018 World Series.

In Their Own Story

The late afternoon sun slants through the gaps in the grandstand, casting long shadows across the emerald grass. A young fan, clutching a hot dog, watches as the grounds crew rakes the infield dirt. From the right-field bleachers, the old manual scoreboard clicks as a number flips. The air smells of roasted peanuts and history. In the distance, the Green Monster looms, its hand-painted ads faded but proud. A vendor's cry echoes: 'Get your Fenway Franks!' The game hasn't started, but the park is already alive.

Reader's Guide

For Red Sox supporters, Fenway Park is more than a venue—it's a pilgrimage site. The tradition of singing 'Sweet Caroline' during the eighth inning, started in 2002, unites the crowd in a shared moment of joy. The 'Fenway Faithful' are known for their passionate, knowledgeable support, often standing for the entire game. The park's tight concourses and obstructed-view seats are part of its charm, a reminder that baseball was once a more intimate game. Before the game, fans gather at the 'Yawkey Way' (now Jersey Street) to soak in the atmosphere, and the 'Green Monster seats'—added in 2003—offer a unique perspective. The 'Fenway Park tour' is a rite of passage, allowing visitors to touch the wall and stand on the warning track. For locals, a day at Fenway is a family tradition passed down through generations, a link to the past that feels eternal.

Did You Know?

• The Green Monster was originally covered in advertisements, not green paint; it was painted green in 1947.
• Fenway's right-field foul pole is named 'Pesky's Pole' after Red Sox shortstop Johnny Pesky, who hit a game-winning home run around it in 1948.
• The park's manual scoreboard has been operated by the same family, the Zukas, for decades.
• Fenway Park did not host the first-ever night game in Major League Baseball; that game was at Crosley Field on May 24, 1935.