GAME 5: "Good Times Never Seemed So Good"

I caught a second Red Sox/Mariners game at Fenway on Saturday afternoon.

I was searching for my seat right before game time. I had a seat WAY high up in the outfield bleachers. And it wasn't until I got to the top of the stairs that I realized I had gone up the wrong row (FYI: some rows go higher than others in the OF bleachers). I would have had to climb over a ton of people, or go back down & come back up the row one section over.

So, I found an empty seat next to a couple and sat down. And I made a buddy. Some guy from Springfield, Mass. (we didn't exchange names) who was born in Birmingham, AL & raised in Mobile, AL. I guardedly asked him, "Auburn fan? Or 'Bama fan?" He said, "OH, 'Bama all the way." Magnificent! I made a new buddy. He & I talked Sox & Tide all day long.

I sorta felt bad for his wife because he was giving me so much attention, but not too much. She was one of those girls that had to take a billion pictures, getting about 10 snapshots of the same pose to make sure she got just the right pose. And interrupting good sports talk at that. If it sounds like I was jealous that she was hogging my new buddy -- you're darn right I was! ;)

One thing I enjoyed about my two nights at Fenway is that I was among equals in terms of game knowledge. These people know their baseball, and they especially know their Red Sox. Maybe it was just bad luck, but in other stadiums this week (namely Washington & Baltimore), I sat in a section with masters of the obvious. And they had to blurt out their little modicum of baseball "wisdom" (read: "common knowledge") every chance they could seize. Not at Fenway. Even the women. The ladies knew their stuff, and they knew when to keep their yapper shut (unlike the annoying patrons in Baltimore & D.C.). I appreciated that.

Also, I have a new appreciation for the spirit of big city sports. I got a taste of it in Philly, and I got a big dose in Boston this weekend. All over town there are shirt vendors selling green "Beat L.A." shirts along with the standard fare of Red Sox & Harvard shirts. And, multiple times throughout the game, "Beat L.A." chants were struck up. It was totally fun & heart-warming even though I could care less about the Celtics.

Finally, I was pleased that I got to hear Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" play in the middle of the 8th inning. That was fun. Why is that a big deal? Well, its just become a Red Sox tradition this decade. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, which ironically fits with the first line of the song ("Where it began? I can't begin to knowin'..."). For an explanation of what this song means to Red Sox fans, click here.

In fact, I got to hear all the Red Sox favorites. Dirty Water. Tessie. And since Papelbon pitched the 9th, I'm Shipping Up To Boston. Wakefield was dealing. Manny hit a "homah." It was just a great day to be at Fenway!

And I loved every minute of it. I mean I really did. I sat around just letting my eyes soak it all in with a goofy grin on my face most of the time. And have you ever been sad when Thanksgiving dinner is over? Because it's so good, you get full, & you can't eat any more of it? That's sorta how I felt when I was walking toward Kenmore station to catch the subway back to my car. Fenway is a fun place to watch a baseball game. It is scenic. There's oodles of energy & passion. And they play good baseball, too.

On to the tab...

Gas
$40.30 @ $4.19/gal.

Tolls
$2.60

Commuter Parking
$3.75

Commuter Rail
$4.00

(If all of that sounds expensive just to get the stadium, compare it to paying THIRTY-FIVE DOLLARS at the lot next the to stadium. Outrageous! I almost wonder if they charge that much to make commuters like me feel better about themselves...)

Spicy Chicken Combo at Wendy's
$5.50

Fenway Frank & a Water
$7.50

(BTW, I give the Fenway Frank a rousing 5. I wasn't impressed. Generic bun & generic weiner. Certainly not anything to brag about, which Boston folks do)

Salad & Chicken Nuggets at Wendy's after the game
$3.00

Ticket via StubHub.com
$76.85

Fairfield Inn at Auburn, Mass.
$53

Pilgrimage Tab now stands at $1,210.48.