Boston Mayor John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald threw out the first pitch on Opening Day of Fenway Park's first season -- April 20, 1912. The Red Sox beat the Highlanders/Yankees 7-6 in 11 innings, giving the New Yorkers an 0-6 start to the season.
Fitzgerald's grandson, Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy, hopes to throw out the first pitch to begin the 2009 season.
Here's a shot of Fitzgerald (there's a clear resemblance!):
And while I was looking for that picture, I found this magnificent panorama of Fenway Park during the 1914 World Series. (Make sure you enlarge it.)
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During tomorrow's ceremonies, Red Sox players
will walk through the stands during the introductions in a Field of Dreams sort of way. Most of the players were unaware of this feature until Sunday afternoon and there were mixed feelings about it.***
"As long as they don't rip my right arm off," said Red Sox reliever Justin Masterson with a laugh. "I think I'll shake hands with my left."
Note: I found the Herald's staff picks and added them to that post.
That "walking through the stands" thing is really lame.
ReplyDeleteThat panorama is really awesome. I think that's the statehouse in the background, which is pretty cool.
As long as there are no riots, I'm fine with it (though we won't get to see it on the cable package -- which I have to order tomorrow morning!!!).
ReplyDeleteCan't they make the Yankee players walk through the crowd at Fenway when they come to town? I'd go to that game.
ReplyDeleteThe Phillies just now walked through a crowd, too.
In the panorama, I like how you can see the facade of what's now the parking garage across Lansdowne St. It's visible just above The Wall--looks like 000000000 kinda, but it's the same facade it has today.
Somebody's playing baseball (ATL 2 - PHI 0). Baseball's finally here!
ReplyDeleteRegular season baseball!!!
ReplyDeleteNice to see D-Lowe back to wearing #32.
ReplyDeleteExtra Innings is free for the first week, right? So you should be able to watch it tomorrow, although it's going to be rained the fuck out.
ReplyDelete35 minutes left in the W-L contest!
ReplyDeleteWill the person who posted his entry as a comment realize his error in time and email me? It's not looking good.
I'll be on a bus from Boston -> NY during the game, probably. Hopefully I can get someone to DVR it for me.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I found a pic I took last year from roughly the same spot--and you can barely see the State House in that, too, just above and to the right of the Ford sign.
ReplyDeleteFrancoeur has an OBP over .300 for the first (and maybe the last) time this year.
ReplyDeleteThat is an incredible panorama. Great post!
ReplyDeleteHoly shit, Myers is getting ROCKED.
ReplyDeleteThat was a long dong.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the wife-beater warmed up to Three Dong Night before the game.
ReplyDeleteMy on-screen guide (I have Fios) shows this game as "MLB Spring Training." Think about how many casual baseball fans, or fans of teams not playing tonight, just scroll right past that, when they would've tuned in had it said it was a real game. Terrible mistake.
ReplyDeleteDuring tomorrow's ceremonies, Red Sox players will walk through the stands during the introductions
ReplyDeleteThis is great! I feel a bit bad for the players, I can't imagine I would like that if I were them. But it's great for the fans.
which I have to order tomorrow morning!!!
ReplyDeleteOh geez. Can't believe you haven't done that yet. I know, I know, plenty of time...
Magic Number: 163!
ReplyDeleteExtra Innings is free for the first week, right? So you should be able to watch it tomorrow, although it's going to be rained the fuck out.
ReplyDeleteWe will be able to order it and watch it as usual. Not free, but we'll see the game.
Can't they make the Yankee players walk through the crowd at Fenway when they come to town? I'd go to that game.
ReplyDeleteThis made me laugh. :)
AB:
ReplyDeleteUp on the white board near the door to the clubhouse was written, "Only two believe we broke the curse," with an arrow to the Boston Globe predictions. Under certain writers, who shall remain nameless, the word "dork" was written when the writers did not choose the Sox to win the World Series (even those who picked the Sox to go to the World Series). The ones who chose the Sox? They "believe."
WTF is Kilgore's problem--saying the Red Sox will win the AL East because "pitching depth makes the difference," but picking the Rays to win it all, meaning they'll beat the team with the best pitching on the road?
ReplyDeleteKilgore's prediction makes sense. he's saying the Sox have deeper pitching over 162, but the Rays have more at the top end.
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree with that. But I don't think the Rays will make the playoffs, so...
Just for clarification: The dome referred to by commenters James and Jere as the State House is actually the Mother Church of the Christian Scientists, which sits near the Pru. The church was built in 1894 and looks much the same today.
ReplyDelete