Then And Now
Monday, May 9, 2016 – Fenway Park, Section 30
Red Sox 14, A’s 7
May 9 is what I like to call my “Fenniversary” – the anniversary of my first game at Fenway, 29 years ago in 1987. Since I was in the park again on that date, I decided to start by heading out to the same seat I was in that day (Section 8, row TT) and take some pictures from the same angle. I originally planned to take a couple of quick pics and then head to my real seat, but the sun was directly in my eyes when I got there so I had to wait a while for it to sink behind the third base stands. The lighting is different right before sunset than during an afternoon game, but otherwise I think I got them right. (They’re black and white because that’s what I had in my 110 camera for a school project at the time.)
Fenway Park, 1987 and 2016. It looks so different without the club section behind home plate (which was added in 1989), just one lone tree peeking up.
The shape of the outfield seating area and bullpens hasn't changed, but the back wall was lowered and all the scoreboards added. Also, painter's caps were popular in the 80's.
Left: Dwight Evans in right, Ellis Burks in center, and a screen over the Green Monster. Right: Mookie Betts in right, Jackie Bradley Jr. in center, and seats (and a bunch of ads) on the Green Monster.
It was Star Wars Day at Fenway (they played on the road on May 4th, which is the traditional day) and they played the following video before the game, starting with “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…”
Since I had waited for the sun to set to take my pictures, I was still out in Section 8 in right field when the game started. Usually I don’t like to get up while an inning is in progress, but with Clay Buchholz pitching so slowly, I couldn’t wait till the inning break. He walked the first batter on a full count, and then when he threw ball 2 to the second batter I got up. As I walked around behind the back row of the grandstand, the second batter doubled, driving in a run, and then the third batter grounded out. By the time the fourth batter flied out on a 3-1 count, I was in my seat, meaning that I was able to go all the way from Section 8 near Pesky’s Pole to Section 30 in left field and only miss one at-bat!
Christian Vazquez and Clay Buchholz talk things over on the mound.
Buchholz’s pace was an indication that this would not be an early night. But by the time he exited at the end of the fifth, the game was going long for an entirely different reason. The Red Sox offense turned a 4-1 deficit into a 7-4 lead with a 6-run fourth inning and never looked back. When they’re scoring like that, I’ll sit there happily all night!
Jackie Bradley Jr. had a great night - three hits, including a grand slam, and six RBI.
I normally wouldn't post a picture that was blocked by someone in front of me, but it's OK - the guy in the row in front of me got up and danced after all 14 of the Red Sox' runs scored. But this cracks me up - Christian Vazquez and Hanley Ramirez greet Travis Shaw as he crosses the plate in the fourth... "Hi Travis! Travis, Travis, over here!" "Oh, hey guys!"
Big Papi is ready to go. He had two doubles and a single on the night.
Just how many people were on base for Jackie Bradley Jr.'s grand slam? Half the team is there to greet him at home plate!
This was my first chance to see Carson Smith this year. He walked a batter and worked around an error in a scoreless seventh. Unfortunately it was also my last chance to see him this year, as he ended up undergoing Tommy John surgery by the end of the month.
I moved down closer to the field for the last two innings.
Xander Bogaerts tosses the ball between innings.
The game went into the books as a 14-7 win, and I got a good shot of outfielders Chris Young, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Mookie Betts celebrating the vistory.
