Fenway Park Turns 100
The 100 most fascinating characters, moments, and tales in our beloved ballpark's history.
44-48. Five Fenway Myths.jpg)
- The Myth: There are no bad seats in the park. The Reality: Many of the right-field grandstands don’t face home plate; there are hundreds of obstructed-view seats behind the poles; and just try enjoying a game from the bleachers behind the bullpen.
- The Myth: The left-field wall favors right-handed hitters. The Reality: While the short distance to the wall does giveth to righties, the height of the wall taketh away by turning what would be home runs elsewhere into mere singles.
- The Myth: The Fenway diamond is oddly positioned because of the size of the lot and Boston’s street patterns. The Reality: Since games in 1912 started around 3 p.m., the field was laid out to shield the setting sun from batters’ eyes.
- The Myth: Sox fans have always flocked to Fenway. The Reality: Before 1967, the team often played before crowds of 10,000 or less, compared with 2011’s average turnout of nearly 38,000.
- The Myth: Swampy Back Bay soil prevented builders from creating an upper deck for the park. The Reality: The team simply ran out of time in 1912 to add one (though the footing remains).
49. On September 14, 2010, 5,189 new citizens were sworn in at a Fenway Park naturalization ceremony.