First Time at Fenway: Inside the Ballpark
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Welcome to part 3 of the “First Time at Fenway” series where Fenway newbies can become seasoned vets in no time. In this next part titled: “Inside the Ballpark” I’m going to tell you about you poplar features of the park itself and help you understand Fenway fan slang. By the time part 3 concludes, you’ll have all of the relevant information you need for your first time at Fenway!
A staple at Fenway that's wicked hard to miss when you enter the park is the large 37-foot-2-inch-high, green, left-field wall. This wall is referred to by fans as the “Green Monstah” and is a popular target for right-handed players who wish to send a ball “Outta tha paahk.” In the case of the “Green Monstah," size DOES matter. The monstah is the highest wall in current major league baseball fields and oftentimes prevents home runs that would normally clear the walls in other ballparks – a disadvantage for many opposing teams. If you evah hear a Boston fan use the term "fear the monstah," they are threatening their opponents with the height of this monsterous wall. However, a side effect of home run preventions on the wall is the increase in doubles or “wall balls.” This lends Boston another advantage as seasoned players have adapted to fielding balls that bounce off the monster returning it to second base faster and preventing the double.
One thing you may notice when yah see the seats at Fenway is that standing out from the regular green seats circling the park is one red seat sitting 33 rows up in the right-field bleachers. This seat is wildly significant as it marks the spot where Ted Williams supposedly hit the furthest home run in history. If yah see a player hit the ball near or on that seat during a game – you might overhear a townie remark that the player hit the ball “wicked fah!” In addition to Boston fan slang involving the distance of the park’s red seat, ANY ball that makes it “wicked fah” is considered a “dingah” so you might hear people in the crowd chant “I wanna see some dingahs!” during the game as well.
Who doesn't want to witness a home run at Fenway? If you happen to see a home run during your visit to the park, you'll witness an exceptionally maniacal crowd. Fenway fans are known to go absolutely nuts even with smaller plays, so you can imagine the hype of the park when a player hits a homer! When a Boston player steps up to the plate who is known for hitting some good distance balls, you’ll most likely hear fans exclaim: “knock it adah thaa paahk!” In other words, they want that player to hit a home run! If he successfully sends a dingah beyond the walls of Fenway, be ready to hug a random rosy-cheeked fan next to yah because personal space no longer matters when there's a play worth celebrating!
Beyond the booming sound of the crowd cheering after a player “knocks it adah the park,” make sure to feast your eyes on the Boston dugout where they will be engaging in “tunnel time.” “Tunnel time” is a homerun celebration invented by the Boston players and performed every time a teammate hits a home run. The act involves putting the star hitter into a laundry cart and rolling him along the length of the players’ pit.
To conclude the final part of the "First Time at Fenway" series, I'd like to offer a few extra words of advice:
- Bring your energy
- Come hungry
- Don't be a Yankees fan
- Dress the part!