Monday, July 28, 2008

Deathtour~!: Fenway Park, Boston

So far, over the course of the Deathtour, I’ve been extremely fortunate not to encounter a rain out. Because I have to map out the tour in advance and because this is rather costly, I only give myself a single day in each city. So there’s no room for error, or in this case, rain. If a game gets canceled on the day I’m in town, I’m out of luck. So far, the closest I’ve come to not seeing a game was in Washington, where the start of the game was delayed by an hour. Tonight, I’m in Boston to see the Green Monster, Pesky's Pole, Manny being Manny, and the most important rivalry in the history of sports (according to ESPN’s coverage), but…it’s raining.

The game is scheduled to start at 8pm local time. As of twenty minutes before the top of the hour I’m still stuck in my hotel room waiting for the heavens to part and keeping an eye on the tube hoping for some positive news. Karl Ravach says the game could start by 8:15 but the window to get this game in is small. If this game goes late or enters another delay I may call it a night. But at least it looks like some of this game will happen, so it won’t be a total loss for me.

They’re taking the tarp off the field. That’s my cue to head to Fenway.

The walk was longer than I realized to the point that I thought I’d been walking in the wrong direction, but eventually I saw the lights.

When I get to my seat the tarp is still on the field making me question what I was watching on TV in my hotel room. The game is going to start at 9pm, giving me plenty of time to stare in awe at the Monster. It’s amazing to see it with my own eyes. I’m geeking out for the hand operated scoreboard and the old-timey style ads. Forget the game, I’m just going to stare at the wall for 9 innings.

Hey, Angel Hernandez is calling balls and strikes tonight. That’s the second time on this trip. Every time I see Angel Hernandez I remember back to a game at Wrigley where a drunk Mongo McMichael, former Bears football player and member of the 4 Horsemen, before singing Take Me Out To The Ballgame, said he’d ‘take care of the umpire’ for calling a poor game.

Sir Sidney Ponson is warming up in the bullpen. The scoreboard says his record is 6-1. That can’t possibly be right. Is there more than one Sir Sidney Ponson?

Even though I hate Boston fans for letting the success of a single championship go to their heads and turn them into the most repulsive and dislikable fans in sports, I will say that they know how to make the atmosphere electric. Everything gets a reaction, positive and negative. It doesn’t sound like there are too many Yankee fans. I’m a bit disappointed. I was hoping for some good back and forth chants from the crowd.

Boston goes up immediately in the first with a 3 spot. Now that looks like the Ponson I’m familiar with.

This has to be the worst section in the stadium. The location is fine but the seats are facing center field. And I’m behind Pesky's Pole. I have to crane my neck at a 90 degree angle to the left to see home plate. I can’t believe they haven’t restructured these seats in the last 90 years to face home plate. It’s only the third inning and my neck is developing a cramp.

Meanwhile, Boston keeps rolling with a run in the second, a run in the third, and a 2 run blast from Big Papi down the right field line. With not much to cheer about after two losses the last two nights, Sox fans are letting it all out tonight. And there’s activity in the Yankees’ bullpen.

The blimp is here tonight covering the game for ESPN. When I looked up they were showing advertising for UFC and Chris Leben was knocking someone out. Cool.

Yankees get 2 off Jon Lester in the 5th inning but the Sox get it back in the 6th. Ponson was pulled after 4. Someone give that man some Brandy.

The bleachers tried to get a wave going but failed. I’m still shocked to see it here. And there’s beach balls too. How embarrassing. I didn’t think I could have lower opinion of Boston fans but I do now.

Retired Massachusetts State Trooper Dan Clark overcomes a bad mic to put on a great show in belting out God Bless America in the middle of the seventh. He got a loud ovation and even I was clapping.

It’s approaching midnight. I’m not getting much sleep tonight, that’s for sure. Thankfully I only have one more day of this.

Boston finally wins this one sided affair a few minutes shy of 12am. All but one Sox player had a hit and JD Drew had 2 walks. As I’m walking out the Sox fans are jeering the few Yankee fans that are here. One of the New York fans comes back with chants of “26” and “2 out of 3”. I guess he’s got a point there.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The wave and beach balls? Terrible.

Even Miller Park only had the wave.