Fanfare for Fenway and 100 Years of the Red Sox

It's funny that people are piling on John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino now about squeezing every dime out of Fenway and the Boston Red Sox.  They have been doing this ever since they got here.  By adding seats on the Green Monster, by purchasing sports teams like that NASCAR team and the Liverpool Football Club and by making us buy $250 bricks and creating content on NESN, the Red Sox ownership has been squeezing every last nickel for years.  Why the outrage now? 

Anyone know who the other guy is?

With that as a backdrop, Henry and company look for some more generation by introducing us to the 100th Anniversary Celebration of Fenway Park.  This is sure to be a great ceremony as Red Sox great from 1940's through the present will be on hand to celebrate the old girl's 100th birthday.  Ugly throwback uniforms and all.

I taped it so the boys could watch the pregame ceremony too.  They don't appreciate history as much as I do (yet), but I was interested to see their reaction to the players that I grew up with.  Here are some of the comments that they made.

"Who's Dwight Evans? I never heard of him before.  Is he good?"  This last question is a common occurrence during this feature

"Why did they nickname him Oil Can Boyd and why is he the only one with a nickname?  Is he any good, Dad?"

"A lot of old people, so many people"  My nine year old sprinkled this in intermittently during the whole ceremony, too.  I think he's aggravated at how long this is going and these guys are not moving very quickly.

"Why are the Yankees clapping? Don't they hate the Red Sox?"  They don't really look like they are clapping, but that is ok.

"Why are you clapping for Dave Henderson, Dad?  Is he good?"  Yes, he hit the most famous home run in Red Sox history  "I thought that was Carlton Fisk?"  Close enough, little man!

"Yeah, Pedro!!" (That was me and the boys looked at me like I had two heads)

"Who's that? Cee Lo Green?" No, it was Luis Tiant; my seven year old REALLY likes to watch The Voice. 

"Does Pedro Martinez take steroids?"  Still sticking with my reaction to Pedro, my nine year old looks confused.  When I asked him why he thinks he took steroid he said because he's crazy.  I also told him, yes he took steroids.

"Is that Wilt Chamberlain and Steve Nash?"  My seven year old was reminding me that I was taking precious time away from his viewing the Celtics game.  We take a side trip to ESPN to see that the Celtics don't have Pierce, Garnett, Rondo or Ray Allen suited up.  Is this what the team is going to look like next year?

"Why are they booing him?"  No it's Lou that they are chanting for Lou Merloni.  "Is he good?"  When I tell him no he matter of factly states that they were booing him.

"Jose Canseco?  Is he good?"  Yes, and he's looking for a job if you have one.  I think we're going to see him in Worcester this Summer.

Terry Francona did show up.  That's good.

"John Lackey is still playing Dad?  He stinks."  Agreed.

As the ceremony ends with the first pitches being thrown, I'm glad to have seen Nomar, Tito Francona, David Henderson, Mo Vaughn and Bruce Hurst.  A pretty cool event.  All in all, I'm glad the Red Sox tried to take more of my money if this what they are going to be doing.

photo courtesy of boston.com