Is Fenway Park The Oldest Baseball Stadium?

Fenway Park is a baseball park located in Boston, Massachusetts, near Kenmore Square. Opened in 1912, it is the oldest baseball stadium in use in the United States, and is the home field of the Boston Red Sox.

Fenway Park’s History

Fenway Park is a baseball park located in Boston, Massachusetts, near Kenmore Square. When it first opened in 1912, it was the home of the Boston Red Sox, and it is currently the oldest and smallest stadium in Major League Baseball. Fenway Park has a long and storied history, and it is still one of the most popular places to watch a baseball game.

Opening Day

Fenway Park opened on April 20, 1912, when the Boston Red Sox played the New York Highlanders (now the Yankees). More than 27,000 fans came to the game, which the Sox won 7-6 in 11 innings. Construction had begun on Fenway just months earlier, and the project was completed at a cost of $650,000.

The First Game

On April 20, 1912, just shy of three years after it began construction, Fenway Park hosted its first game. The new stadium cost a then- whopping $650,000 to build (the equivalent of nearly $18 million today), and replaced the aging Huntington Avenue Grounds as the home of the Boston Red Sox.

Nearly 27,000 fans turned out to see the Sox take on the New York Highlanders (now the Yankees). Boston mayor John F. Fitzgerald — the grandfather of future president John F. Kennedy — threw out the first pitch, and Boston went on to win 7-6 in 11 innings.

Fenway’s Early Years

Fenway Park opened on April 20, 1912, when the Boston Red Sox played the New York Highlanders. The park has a long and storied history, and it is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball.

The park was built on what was then a slaughterhouse lot known as “Fenway Junction.” The area was so named because of the three railway lines that converged there. Construction of the park began on September 25, 1911, and it cost $650,000 to build.

Fenway Park was originally designed to hold about 35,000 fans. The first game at Fenway Park drew a crowd of 27,379, which was a sellout. The Boston Red Sox have sold out every home game since May 15, 2003 – a streak of 794 straight games.

Over the years, Fenway Park has undergone several renovations. The most notable renovation occurred in 1934, when the park was redesigned by architect Benions Mason. The renovations included adding seats in right field and constructing a new concourse underneath the stands.

Fenway Park Today

Fenway Park is a baseball park located in Boston, Massachusetts, near Kenmore Square. It is the home ballpark for the Boston Red Sox, the city’s American League baseball team, and has a capacity of over 37,000. Fenway Park is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball (MLB), and has been hosting Sox games since 1912.

The Green Monster

Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, is the oldest baseball stadium in the United States. The park opened on April 20, 1912, and has been home to the Red Sox ever since. The most iconic feature of Fenway Park is the Green Monster, a 37-foot high wall in left field that has been a part of the stadium since its opening.

The Pesky Pole

The right field foul pole at Fenway Park is one of the most iconic features of the stadium, and also one of the most controversial. Officially named the Fisk Foul Pole, after Carlton Fisk hit a walk-off home run in game six of the 1975 World Series off it, the pole actually predates Fenway Park itself. It was originally erected in 1912 at the Polo Grounds, home of the New York Giants, where it was known as “Coogan’s Bluff.” When the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958, they left the pole behind, and it was purchased by Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey. He had it installed in Fenway Park in time for Opening Day in 1961.

The foul pole has been the source of some controversy over the years. In 1978, Yankees outfielder Reggie Jackson hit a ball off thepole that was ruled a homerun by umpire Rich Garcia, despite the protests of Red Sox outfielders Bernie Carbo and Dwight Evans. The ruling stood, and gave Jackson a career-high 41 homers for the season. In 2006, Red Sox outfielder Wily Mo Peña hit a ball off the pole that was ruledin play by umpire Wally Bell, despite replays showing that it clearly bounced overthe wall. The ruling cost Peña a homerun, and sparked controversy among fansand commentators who felt that Bell had made an incorrect call.

Red Sox Nation

Fenway Park is an iconic baseball stadium located in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the home of the Boston Red Sox, the city’s Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise. When it opened in 1912, Fenway Park was the first stadium built specifically for baseball. It has a capacity of 37,731 and is currently the oldest ballpark still in use by an MLB team.

Fenway Park has been used as a filming location for many movies and television shows over the years. It was also the site of two World Series games in 2004, making it the first ballpark to host World Series games in three different centuries.

In addition to being a popular tourist destination, Fenway Park is also a beloved part of Boston history. It is one of the city’s most cherished landmarks and a source of pride for Red Sox fans everywhere.

Other Oldest Baseball Stadiums

Fenway Park is a baseball park located in Boston, Massachusetts, near Kenmore Square. Fenway Park is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball. It is also the oldest stadium in use by any professional sports team in the United States.

Wrigley Field

Wrigley Field is a baseball park located on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. The home of the Chicago Cubs, it first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park and was commonly known as Cubs Park from 1920 to 1926. It was then renamed for chewing gum magnate and team owner William Wrigley Jr. in 1926.

Wrigley Field is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball that is still used for games today. (Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, is a close second, having opened just a few months after Wrigley.) The Friendly Confines have been the home of the Cubs since 1916, making it the second-oldest ballpark in continuous use by the same team (Fenway again being first). It is also the last of the so-called “Jewel Box” parks built before World War II.

Yankee Stadium

Yankee Stadium, located in the Bronx, New York City, is the home ballpark for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). Opened in 2009, it replaced the previous Yankee Stadium that served as the Yankees’ home from 1923 to 1973 and then from 1976 to 2008. The ballpark is one block north of the original, on an approximately 10-acre site. It cost an estimated $2.3 billion to build.

Dodger Stadium

Dodger Stadium, located in Los Angeles, California, is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball west of the Mississippi River. The stadium opened on April 10, 1962, with the Dodgers defeating the Cincinnati Reds, 6–3. Dodger Stadium is currently the largest baseball stadium by capacity in the United States, with 56,000 seats.

Conclusion

No, Fenway Park is not the oldest baseball stadium. That honor goes to Boston’s own Fenway Park, which opened in 1912.