Fenway Park (Boston, Massachusetts)

4 Yawkey Way
Boston, MA 02215
(877) 733-7699
boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/ballpark/

Opened on April 20, 1912, the home to the Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, is full of history, especially between the team and their arch-rivals, the New York Yankees.

Today, Fenway Park remains the oldest major league ballpark in use. Home of the Boston Red Sox since 1912, Fenway Park still looks much as it did when it opened. The Red Sox (1907-present), then called the Somersets (1901-1902), and later renamed the Pilgrims (1903-1906), began playing at Huntington Avenue Grounds in 1901. Because of possible fires and embarrassment to the team and the City of Boston, Red Sox owner John Taylor decided to build a new ballpark to replace Huntington Avenue Grounds. Construction of a new ballpark located in "The Fens" of Boston began in September 1911. It took one year for the 27,000 seat ballpark to be constructed. Named Fenway Park and built of steel and concrete, the ballpark had only one level of seating. Wooden bleachers were located in parts of left, right, and centerfield. The facade consisted of red brick. Fenway Park opened on April 20, 1912 and original dimensions were 321 ft. (left), 488 ft. (center), and 314 ft. (right). An interesting feature at Fenway Park was Duffy’s Cliff, a 10 foot embankment which was in front of the left field fence until 1934.

The 1920’s were not the best of times at Fenway Park. First, Babe Ruth was sold to the Yankees, and then the team was sold. In 1926, the wooden bleachers along the left field foul line burned,and were not rebuilt. However, better times came to Fenway Park in the 1930’s. Thomas A. Yawkey bought the Red Sox in 1933. Beginning in the fall of 1933, renovations began at Fenway Park. Duffy’s Cliff was removed, wooden seats in right and center field were replaced by concrete stands and the entire grandstand was enlarged. The seating capacity increased from 27,642 to 33,817. The most significant feature added to the ballpark was the 37 foot high wall in left field. The wall was covered with advertisements and at the base was a hand operated scoreboard. A fire in January 1934 destroyed most of the construction, however the ballpark was ready when it reopened on April 17, 1934.

Throughout its history there have been continuing expansions and changes to Fenway Park. In 1936, a 23 foot net was placed on the left field wall to prevent baseballs from breaking windows in nearby shops as the fans were more than capable of breaking the windows by themselves. In 1940, bullpens were constructed directly behind the right field wall. The "Green Monster" was created in 1947 when the advertisements were removed from the left field wall and it was painted dark green. Night baseball at Fenway Park was first played in 1947. After the 1975 season, a $1.3 million video/scoreboard was erected behind the bleachers in centerfield and the press box was enlarged, enclosed in glass, and air-conditioned. The same year, the tin that made up the "Green Monster" was replaced by a hard jello surface. In the 1980’s luxury boxes were added where the press box was located, thus moving the press box. Additional seating has been added along parts of the rooftop, down each baseline creating a small upper deck consisting of several rows. New teal and red double wide seats have also been added. After the 2002 season, 250 bar style seats were added atop the Green Monster in left field, giving fans a new view of Fenway Park. Additionally after the 2003 season the team added additional seats atop the roof in right field. After the 2005 season, the Red Sox began work on the latest improvements to Fenway Park. The .406 Club, once enclosed was renamed the EMC Club and features 406 open-air seats (in part due to the stence of Sox fans) directly behind home plate in the same spot where the .406 Club seats were located. Additionally, a pavilion level of roughly 400 open-air club seats above the EMC club and more pavilion level seats down the baselines was added during the off-season increasing the seating capacity to over 38,000. Today, Fenway Park along with Wrigley Field, are two of the last remaining classic ballparks in baseball. Current ownership of the Red Sox is committed to improving and renovating Fenway Park instead of building a new ballpark.

 Major League Baseball - mlbNRHP - National Register of Historic Placesbaseball park / stadium1912_construction