re: #645 Slap

Never been to Camden (moved away 4 months before it opened…), but having been fortunate enough to go to Fenway twice (‘86 and ‘87), I have to say that for ANY baseball fan, it’s a necessity if you can find a way to get there.

I swear, the first time I emerged from the corridor into the left-field seats, I felt overwhelmed by the FEEL of the place. Pure magic.

I’ll also add that I noticed tons of real baseball fans — people who loved the game as much as they loved the Sox, knowledgeable and respectful of good ballplayers regardless of team. It was like going to baseball church, truly remarkable.

The bleachers are a bit of a different matter. Second time was a night game, had right-field seats. Of course, a beachball was batted around, causing grousing from the baseball-literate longshoremen sitting in front of me. (They were a total hoot, and LOVED the game.) Mid-game, I hear a wave of laughter from the bleacher area, and looked over to find that the beachball had been replaced by an inflatable love doll…

Fun night. Joe Niekro got thoroughly shelled by the sox, and I think it was his very last appearance.

If you’re a baseball fan, go there if you can. It’ll stay with you the rest of your life, I promise…

Something that folk should try to do is see a game or two in small venues as well. I saw a minor league game on Staten Island a few years ago (seats right on the 1st base line). And wayyyyy back I got to see a Montreal Expo game in Jerry Park (sp?) which was probably the first game I went to at an age where I could appreciate baseball to some degree.