The Mets and the Red Sox don’t play too often but they did during the 2018 at Fenway, and I was fortunate enough to be there (along with many, many other Mets fans). Fenway is a ballpark you should make every effort to get to, even if the Sox are not playing the Mets. It’s the oldest ballpark and any baseball fan can appreciate that.
It’s historic
Whereas ballparks have come and gone, Fenway Park has remained. It is essentially the same as it was when it opened in 1912 (with the addition of modern technology, of course). The Green Monster is legendary. Baseball greats played in this ballpark. You don’t need me to go on and on about the history — we all know that this is one of the most important aspects to Fenway.
It’s a small park
Capacity at this stadium is just over 37,000 which means that tickets are not always easy to get, both in terms of security seats and in terms of pricing.
If you do enjoy some drinks during the game, get standing room tickets, get to the park early, and secure an area in the Sam Adams Deck. They have tables you can lean against and see the game. Plus, you are close to the bar and can just pop over and grab a drink, rather than having to maneuver your way through lines.
Get there early
Even if you do have a seat at the game, I would still suggest getting there early to spend some time walking around the park (both outside and inside) since everything is so close. Yawkey Way, now renamed to Jersey Street, is the place to be on gamedays as it’s filled with fun gift shops and great places to grab a bite. Even on days without a game, you can find it filled with people, especially tours.
There also are long lines to get into the stadium so be sure to take that into account as well.
You may recognize Red Sox win songs
Not that we want the Red Sox to win while playing the Mets, but unfortunately that is what happened when I saw them play in 2018.
Little did I know that all Red Sox fans would then explode into song and dance when Fenway started playing “Dirty Water” from The Standalls, the Red Sox win song at the time. “Tessie” by Dropkick Murphys and “Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night are other Red Sox win songs that you may hear.
Sweet Caroline is also synonymous with the Red Sox, so you know that you will hear that sometime during the game, too.
The Yankees rivalry is always prevalent
What do Mets fans and Red Sox fans have in common? We both hate the Yankees. As you can imagine, during the game, the entire ballpark erupted into a very loud “F*** the Yankees” chant. I was telling this to a friend who is a Sox fan and was informed that this does not just happen when the Mets are in town, it is a fairly common occurrence.
What’s sweeter than fans of opposing teams coming together over a shared rival?
Fenway Franks
The iconic food of Fenway Park is the Fenway Frank. These franks have been being served in the area since Kayem, the local purveyor, introduced them in Chelsea, MA in 1909. What makes them different? They are grilled, rolled, or steamed and then placed in white bread rather than your ordinary hot dog bun.
The Mets and the Red Sox don’t play again until 2021, so keep a lookout for that. But, if you happen to be in Boston during baseball season, try to grab tickets to a game. You’ll be experiencing America’s pastime in its oldest ballpark, and there’s something to say about that.
