August 2008
Boston Aug 4
Game Day Tours
It wasn’t as easy as it should have been to get out of bed on Monday. I wasn’t sleepy but I was groggy. We had decided that although the T worked fine to get us to Fenway, the stress would be less taking a cab. We shared one with fellow California camper Jerry and his wife Nan. The traffic was brutal but we got there. Breakfast was on the EMC level. The field was beautiful. The excitement was palpable. The continental food was excellent. Ben and colleagues reiterated the restrictions on the infield grass (no problem, as it turned out) and asked for lineups. Ken Miller, Tim Cyr, Pat Foley and I were the only Gulls present. I suggested drawing the names out of a hat. One of them replied, “how about this- since we’re the first four here, how ’bout we bat 1,2,3,4?” How could I argue with that logic? I ended up 3rd- a favorite spot for me through all my baseball and softball career. Pat was selected for leadoff because of his speed. He protested some but I reminded him that the second time through the lineup he’d be the first one to get that chance.
We took a tour of the facility which was great. They explained the history of the place including investments made and not made by owners. The requisite cuts on the Yankees were sprinkled throughout. They told a great story of the Yankee fan in row 37 of the right field bleachers who had his straw hat and nap ruined by Ted Williams’ 502 foot homer in 1946. I felt like I “owned the joint” after the tour.
Game On!
We of the returning Gulls plus the two Fallons played in the second game at 11:30. So I set up Karen with the video camera and went to the visitor’s locker room. I got dressed and caught up with Pat Foley. We went to the visitors’ batting tunnel and got in some swings. We then went out to the bullpen where Paplebon hangs out and warmed up. By the time the first game ended, I had a good sweat on and was pretty stretched out.
Walking on the field was a dream come true. It was immaculate, the sky was blue, there were fans in the stands and crusty old umpires there to keep us in line. I started at first and threw infield to Tim, Pat and Craig. I missed some scoops but in reality, I felt right at home there. Kenny was on the hill and his warmups were right in there.
We battled Berkman and the gang to a 1-1 tie in the first couple of innings. My first at-bat was what for me was a long fly ball to right center. On all 3 at-bats I swung at a first pitch fastball. In my second at-bat I won myself a shaved head (promise to Karen) as I lined one down the left filed line for a stand-up double. I got to third on a ground out and scored the go-ahead run on Toce’s infield hit (he’s STILL got wheels!).
The game went by fast. In the third, with the score tied 2-2, no one else wanted to catch so I did. I caught when I was 13/14 and again while coaching my sons. Toce had replaced Miller on the hill and he was throwing them in straight and sweet. They managed to get a guy on second with 2 outs. The next batter hit a single to the outfield. I knew a play might be coming. I threw the mask away and lined up blocking the plate. The outfielder did his job and hit Foley at short. I yelled “four, four four” and got ready. Foley wheeled and gunned a perfect charity hop right to me. I didn’t have to go up, down, left or right. I squeezed it in and reached down to tag the sliding runner. Dead meat! He never even reached the plate. The home fans went wild! I lifted up the ball triumphantly and looked up into the stands where my Uncle John, Aunt Diane and wife Karen were sitting. Wow, what a moment. What a day.
I got up a 3rd time with the bases loaded and grounded the first pitch to short. A Fielder’s Choice yielded a run and an out.
Gulls Win 3-2
So recapping my “Joesylvania” day at Fenway, I went 1 for 3 with a double, a run scored, an RBI and a stop at the plate. It would have been heaven to put another “dimple” in the monster (we’d never call them “dents” after ’78) but hey, at 51 I can live with this. Whenever I see a game on TV at Fenway, I can ask everyone in earshot if they ever played baseball on that field. Chances are, the answer will be “no”. And I’ll have a memory of a lifetime to make me glow inside.
Aftermath
I snuck out of the dugout (I’ve been there more recently than Manny!) and grabbed a photo with the recent championship trophies. I said my goodbyes to my Unle John and Aunt Diane. I was honored to have them come. Karen was proud of me. I felt like a little leaguer about to go grab his free soda after the game. We ate lunch at the Absolut room and wandered back to the field to catch the end of the last game. Tours were going on all over the ballpark. The old guys were taking their turn on the field and it would soon be over. The weather was perfect. My quads were sore. What a great great great experience. I want to extend a hearty “thank you” to Ben, the groundskeepers and the entire Red Sox organization. What a class act! I hope to come back in 9 years when both of my sons are 30. But even if Fenway isn’t here then, I can die a happy man!
Boston Aug 3
Fenway By Way of the “T”
Karen and I struck out at 11 after she met her childhood friend Cecilia in the hotel lobby. We took the Silver Line bus to the South Station and caught the red line toward Alewife a couple of stops to Park Street where we caught the Green Line to Kenmore. Along the way, we picked up our Pittsburgh fan friend who had 5 hours to kill and decided to go out to Fenway to see his former player Jason Bay in person.
We arrived at Kenmore Station and there was a buzz of people. We just followed the crowds and decided to “get our base” at Game On restaurant. After a great burger we entered Yawkey Way and got in line for a beer. Some guy cut in front of me but before I could complain, I recognized the smiling face of “Mahk” Repucci, a fellow camper who was there with his lovley wife. They ended up being our tour guides for the day. They were perfect hosts.
We had great seats in the new “Coke Sign” section 18. Here are some pictures.
Jason Bay started things off right by throwing out a runner trying to take 2 and the Sox took the game from the A’s 5-2 after a rain delay which didn’t dampen our spirits in the least. Our whole section was campers and families- David White from Atlanta, The Millers, Canada Dave and his wife, Kevin Nolan and his son, The Habers, JJ Jackson from Toronto, Tim Cyr, Pat Foley, Jeff Adams, Craig Winterfelt and his wife and a host of others. Daisuke Matsuzaka went six innings, allowing four hits and striking out eight for his 12th win.
Mark and Debbie drove us across the Charles and down the Cambridge side past GA Tech of the North (MIT) and on to the Tavern on the Water. There we had apps and drinks and later we were joined by the Haber boys. We cabbed it from there to the North end, where we picked out a nice Italian restaurant and enjoyed a chicken and pasta dish with a nice red. The street was blacked off for the weekly Sunday festival they celebrate. We cabbed home and just had an awesome, terrific day 2. But as good as it was, the best for me was yet to come.
Boston Aug 2
Travel/Hotel
Four-twenty came early today but the adrenalin was better than coffee to get it going. I had actually packed the night before so Karen and I jumped in the baby Caddy at 5:03 for Newport News. Airtran treated us well and we landed at Logan at 8:15. A quick bus trip on the Silver Line “T” bus got us to the World Trader Center stop, only 2 blocks from the Renaissance.
The hotel is great- only 5 months old. We’re on the 16th floor and we can see the harbor. They have a 42in Plasma that plays ESPN 24×7 (shhh…that’s what I told Karen).
We timed sightseeing departure to hit the “No Name” restaurant at 11am at the fishing pier which is right across the street. This no-frills seasfood restaurant has been operating in the same family since the early 1900′s. The seafood chowder was good. We then cabbed to Faneuil Hall and bought a couple of gifts, including a signed picture of Yaz that’s going in the Red Sox sanctum at 1205 Hanna Rose Court once it is shipped there. We grabbed at beer at Cheers (so we could use the facilities) and bought some wine at a corner store based on advice from brother Fridrichsen in Alabama. A nap was waiting for us at the hotel (sweet).
At 5:30, John and Diane arrived. My uncle John was 2 years younger than my Mom. He and Diane have been married 45 years. We have not been close recently, But I expect that to change.
John drove us across the Zakim Bridge so we could see it up close (man after my own heart).
Because of the detour over the bridge, we got to see the “T” maintenance yard and some other industrial properties 
We made our way to the Prudential building and parked in the garage below. A nice stroll through the shopping corridors later saw us at the Hub restaurant at the top of the building.
Dinner was fabulous. We caught up about our families and the server was unobtrusive. Karen was funny, with the right mix of sincerity and irreverance. I learned a lot of details about John and my Mom’s childhood (lousy). Their 2 older siblings had died of childhood disease and their mom and another sibling died in childbirth. Their stepmom was not loving and their dad, my grandfather Oscar, had problems with the grape. But John had 
moved on to become very successful as a salesman and an entrepreneur. We shared stories about failure and renaissance. We found out both Diane and Karen are Christmas-aholics. John and I discovered that our disconnectedness over the last 20 years was more about focusing on our own families to nuture them in contrast to our childhood experience and less about not wanting to know one another.
Here’s the view of Fenway from the Prudential building and a picture of the 4 of us after dinner. It was a great first day in Boston, capped by the Red Sox beating the A’s 12-2 with Tek hitting 4 doubles and Bay hitting his first dinger. Tomorrow we’ll see the Sox in person if the weather cooperates.
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