Boston’s Boys of Baseball have been cracking ’em out of the park on the second oldest, and incredibly iconic, Fenway Park field since 1912. Whether you are a sports fan or not, you must admit that the Green Monster and the Citgo sign bring up feelings of nostalgia for your home city.
It turns out Fenway Park has a younger, smaller, identical brother in South Carolina of all places!
Fluor Field at the West End in Greenville, SC is home to the Greenville Drive, the Class A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.
It boasts its own “Green Monster,” a 30-foot high wall in left field, equipped with a manual scoreboard. The dimensions all around the outfield wall are to the same specifications as Fenway Park, including “Pesky’s Pole” in right field.
The field was built in 2005 at the site of an old lumber yard, and saw its first minor league game played on April 6, 2006. The Drive shut down the Columbus Catfish 6 – 1.
Since then, 64 Greenville Drive players have gone on to “The Big Show” – most of them as members of the Boston Red Sox.
Fluor Field won the title of the 2006 “Ballpark of the Year,” given to the best new ballpark from the Major Leagues, Minor Leagues, or Independent Leagues. Fluor Field was even chosen over the St. Louis Cardinal’s Busch Stadium.
As if all that weren’t enough for a little minor league field in the heart of the South, the Greenville Drive and the City of Greenville have announced detailed enhancement plans for Fluor Field at the West End.
New fan amenities will include the addition of 100 seats on top of the Green Monster, an all-new club area extension on the suite level, a Ticket Plan Holder Lounge, enhancements to the Fieldhouse rooftop area, and renovations to the Main Street and Field Street Plazas.
So, should you find yourself in western South Carolina this spring or summer, you may be able to enjoy one of 70 Drive home games – perhaps from atop the mini Monstah!