Baseball Stadiums: Huntington Avenue Grounds

Normally my baseball stadium visits are to current ballparks, but over the years I have ventured to see historic sites of former ballparks.  I made one such visit while in Boston earlier this year.

Just down the street from my hotel was the site of the Huntington Avenue American League Baseball Grounds.  The facility was better known as the Huntington Avenue Grounds, which was the first home of the MLB franchise now known as the Boston Red Sox (known as the Boston Americans from 1901 to 1908).  The Red Sox played at Huntington Avenue Grounds from 1901 to 1911, and moved into Fenway Park in 1912.

The ballpark was torn down after the Red Sox moved to their new ballpark.  The site is now home to Northeastern University's Cabot Center, which is home to the university's women's basketball and volleyball teams.  A plaque on the building is the first sign that a Major League Baseball stadium used to be at this site.

A plaque on the Cabot Center commemorating the former site of the Huntington Avenue Grounds,

The plaque details what really makes Huntington Avenue Grounds important within American baseball history as site of the first World Series game, which pitted the National League's Pittsburg Pirates against the American League's Boston Americans.

Around the corner from the Cabot Center you will see a sign for World Series Way, which directs people to the most important aspects of this site.

Sign for World Series Way with the Cabot Center in the background.

The plaque on the Cabot Center was erected in 1956, but it wasn't until 1993 that a marker commemorated the location home plate.  In addition to home plate, a statue of Boston starting pitcher Cy Young on the pitcher's mound was also dedicated.  Those are found in a courtyard just to the left of the World Series Way sign.

Current sight line from home plate to the pitcher's mound at Huntington Avenue Grounds.

Robert Shure's statue of Boston Americans starting pitcher Cy Young,
who was the first person to throw a pitch in a World Series games.

Closeup of text etched into the statue near Cy Young's foot.

Unfortunately there is nothing left from Huntington Avenue Grounds because like many ballparks of its era it was built with wood.  However, there is a marker providing some detail about the history of the site near the Cy Young statue.

Marker detailing the importance of Huntington Avenue Grounds within the history of American baseball.

If you are interested in seeing more photographs of Huntington Avenue Grounds as it appeared in October 1903 during the first World Series and other images during its history, you can check out an online display from the Boston Public Library (see it here).

Good Eats: Boston

About a month ago I was in Boston attending the American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting, which was hosted at the Hynes Convention Center in the Back Bay.  So during my stay for the week, I checked out a handful of restaurants and pubs in the area.  Some were places listed in guide books (thanks Lonely Planet's Pocket Boston guidebook) and some were just places I found or friends heard about.

Following a game at Fenway Park (read about it here), my friends and I wanted a beer and some food.  So we ended up at...

Bukowski Tavern (50 Dalton St., Boston, MA 02115)
As cliché as it sounds, a friend of a friend suggested we stop in there.  It was roughly on the route from Fenway back to our hotels, so we (my friends and fellow geographers Dawn and Jonathan) decided to make the stop.

FYI: Bukowski Tavern only accepts cash, so be prepared.  However, if you're not prepared there is a convenient ATM located inside the front door.  The pub hails its self as home of the "Dead Writers Society" with a neon sign displayed in the window.  There is a long bar on the left and tables on the right side with a smaller space by the kitchen.

I ordered a burger and a beer, specifically Berkshire Brewing's Dean's Beans Coffeehouse Porter that was served on nitro.  Maybe it was because we were all hungry or thirsty for a beer, but it was a great meal.  It was so good that a few nights later, Jonathan and I returned and had another beer.  However, I opted for a different brew choice, and ordered the Long Trail Brewing's Cranberry Gose.  It was good, but could have been more tart.

Sadly, I don't have any photos of the food because it was a darker tavern, but it's worth the visit if you're looking for a burger and beer place in the Back Bay.  Perhaps the coolest part about visiting Bukowski Tavern was finding it listed in the Lonely Planet Pocket Boston guidebook after I'd already eaten and had drinks there twice.

Saus Boston (33 Union St., Boston, MA 02108)
When you have a friend who really enjoys poutine, you end up eating French fries with cheese curds and gravy.  I'm not sure why Jonathan has a hankering for poutine, but he does.  Granted, I can't complain because I do love the ingredients separately and I'm almost always up for trying something new and different.

So after visiting the JFK Presidential Library, we stopped at Saus Boston near the Boston Public Market.  I opted for the regular poutine, but felt like it needed a bit extra and added a fried egg on top.  I struggled a bit to find a beer they offered, and eventually settled on ordering a tall boy of Jack's Abby House Lager.

Loved my poutine topped with a fried egg at @saus_boston. It goes great with my @jacksabbycraftlagers house lager. #eatlocal #goodfood #drinklocal #craftbeer #indiebeer #MAbeer

A post shared by Steven Ericson (@geo_steven) on Apr 7, 2017 at 10:17am PDT

I was extremely pleased with my pairing.  The House Lager is a Helles-style beer, so it's light and refreshing and not overly hoppy.  So I got to enjoy and savor the gravy and cheese curds of the poutine while having a beer.  I'd definitely go there again, and maybe try a few different toppings on the poutine besides the fried egg.

Atlantic Fish Company (761 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116)
On my last night in town, I finally sought out some seafood.  I asked for recommendations from the concierge, and was told about a place right next to Bukowski Tavern.  When I checked out the menu online, I was less than thrilled.  So consulting my LP Pocket Boston guide again, I found a place that I had walked past a few times over the past week and decided to go to Atlantic Fish Company.

The patio seating and much of the restaurant was packed when I arrived about eight o'clock.  As I was dining alone, I opted for a seat at the bar.  Dining at the bar is usually my preference when dining alone because I don't stand out at a table by myself and usually bartenders can be a bit more attentive to solo diners.

I enjoy a variety of seafood items, so I often order a sampler plate that allows me to try different items instead of just ordering a fish.  I opted for the Captain's Platter, but didn't want everything fried and ordered the shrimp and scallops to be blackened instead.

Captain's Platter with corn pudding.

The meal was delicious, so I was glad I listened to the LP guidebook and chose Atlantic Fish Co.

Legal Test Kitchen Logan Airport (Terminal A)
After much wrangling regarding my flights and concerns about getting home because of travel issues related to Delta flight delays and cancellations from the week prior due to tornadoes near the Atlanta airport, I ended up at Logan International Airport around 11:30 a.m.  I knew I wouldn't have much time between flights in Atlanta, and decided to get something to eat before boarding.

The previous night I marked seafood off my list of "must-eat" foods, but still hadn't had New England clam chowder while in Boston.  Thankfully the Legal Seafoods Test Kitchen was extremely close to my gate at Terminal A, so I sat down to get a cup of soup and a pint of beer.

Finally having some New England clam chowder in @visitboston this week. @legalseafoods did not disappoint, even at #loganairport. #eatlocal #goodfood #seafood

A post shared by Steven Ericson (@geo_steven) on Apr 10, 2017 at 9:02am PDT

The soup was delicious, which I expected because of Legal Seafoods's reputation.  It was be easy to dismiss eating at what has become a large chain in the region that now has locations even in Atlanta, but they've grown so large because of their excellence.  Make no mistake about it, if you want a good cup of soup while in town you definitely need to try the New England clam chowder at Legal.  It really was a great meal to close my stay in Boston, and left an excellent taste in my mouth to return and try more of Boston's good eats.

Baseball Stadiums: Fenway Park

My first visit to Fenway Park was in June 1999 on the weekend of the NHL Entry Draft when the Atlanta Thrashers came into existence with the expansion draft and selected Patrik Stefan with the first overall pick of the Entry Draft.

While I have photos of my visit, I was still using a film camera as digital cameras had yet to become available at reasonable prices.  So I don't have many photos of the stadium or game, but with a digital camera I was able to take a few more pictures of my visit this time.

Following my presentation at the AAG Annual Meeting about the intersection of Minor League Baseball and craft beer (read the abstract here), I made it to Fenway Park just in time to catch the national anthem.

Before making it into the park, my friends and I took a few pictures outside the iconic stadium.  We came up onto the stadium on Landsdowne Street, which is the back of the park and provides visitors with a view of the videoboard.

Street-level view of the videoboard.

Despite the presence of numerous bars and clubs, most fans don't hang out on Landsdowne Street but instead spend their time on Yawkey Way.  Since 2003, the City of Boston has allowed the Red Sox to close Yawkey Way before each home game, which has led to the conversion of the space into a giant street party with food vendors, memorabilia vendors, and more.

The party scene on Yawkey Way before the game.

While the party on Yawkey Way has become synonymous with the Red Sox, the image baseball fans from around the world come to see is the brick facade that features the name "Fenway Park."

Fenway Park facade with banners representing the team's World Series and American League titles.

After snapping the photos from outside the stadium, we made it inside the ballpark just in time to witness the national anthem and take out seats in the Infield Grandstand before the game's first pitch.

Once in my old wooden seat, I waited to snap a picture of the game's pitch.

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris delivering the first pitch to Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer.

Although I did not get my usual photo of first pitch from behind home plate, I did capture a close-up of Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer in the batter's box from my vantage point.

Closeup of Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer leading off for the visitors.

From my seat I was able to get some great shots of game action, so I got a picture of one of my favorite MLB players: Andrew McCutchen.  I also made sure to get shots of a few notable Red Sox players like left-handed pitcher Chris Sale and second baseman Dustin Pedroia.

Closeup of Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Andrew McCutchen.

Closeup of Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale.

Closeup of Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia.

Before going to explore the stadium in search of food and possibly a beer, I made sure to take a picture of the franchise's retired numbers which hang near the right field foul pole (a.k.a. Pesky's Pole - read Boston Globe story from 2012 explaining its history).

The Right Field Bleachers with the Red Sox's nine retired numbers plus #42 of Brooklyn Dodgers legend Jackie Robinson, who has his number retired throughout Major League Baseball.

The Red Sox detail the history of each of the nine men who have their number retired by the team, which you can read here.  Ted Williams (#9) and Joe Cronin (#4) were the first to have their numbers retired, which took place in 1984.  The most recent number retired belongs to Wade Boggs (#26), who has his number retired in May 2016.  In June 2017, the Red Sox are set to retire the number of David Ortiz (#34).

Eventually I hit the concourse to explore and find some food.  A few days before my trip I heard about the new outlandish food that Aramark (the stadium concessionaire) was offering for the season, so I felt like I should try out one of the lobster-based dishes (read about the food items here).  I was thinking perhaps lobster poutine.  Before finding the specialty food stand, I stumbled upon a jersey commemorating the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

Original "Boston Strong" jersey created following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

After my brief stop to snap a shot of the "Boston Strong" jersey, it did not take long to find the appropriate specialty food stand.  Unfortunately in the 3rd inning the concession stand had already run out of all lobster dishes.  I responded by asking for the Italian sausage and peppers sandwich, but sadly there was none to be had.

After leaving the stand, I decided to get the simplest and perhaps most iconic food item: a Fenway frank.

A Fenway frank with spicy mustard.

During my first visit to the venerable ballpark, I ate a Fenway frank while enjoying the game from a field box on the first baseline.  So this was not my first Fenway frank, but it was still quite good.  I kept it simple with just adding spicy mustard because I wanted to be sure to taste the encased meat.  Respectfully of Bostonians, whom I'm sure love their Fenway franks, it was OK.  The dog did the job, but it wasn't a particularly memorable meal.

So back in my seat after eating and watching the game progress, I felt like I needed to capture a few more pictures that people expect to see.  So as an urban geographer, I felt like I needed a picture showcasing the skyline.

The skyline from the third base line featuring the Prudential Tower and 111 Huntington Avenue (a.k.a. the R2-D2 building).

But no visit to Fenway Park is complete without a picture of the feature that makes the park so famous: the Green Monster.

The iconic Green Monster towering over Boston Red Sox left fielder Andrew Benintendi.

As has become tradition, I partook in the singing of "Sweet Caroline" during the middle of the 8th inning.  While I did not grow up rooting for the Red Sox and have not developed any love for the team over the years, I felt like it was appropriate to sing along as the tradition has become ensconced since 2002 (read a detailed history here).  I recorded video of the experience, which was pretty incredible.

As the game progressed through nine innings without a score, the debate began of how long should we stay considering the cold and a long travel day for myself and my two fellow geographers.  Sadly after a scoreless 10th inning, we decided it was time to head out for something more to eat, a beer, and a good night's sleep (more on the beer and food in another post).  I hate leaving baseball game's early, but felt like the long travel day merited an exception.  So we set out from the historic park.

Final Score: Pittsburgh 0, Boston 3 (12 innings)
Box Score

Presidential Pathways: #35, John F. Kennedy

Born: May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Mass.
Died: Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas
Burial Place: Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. (Visited: April 2010)
Library & Museum: Boston, Mass. (Visited: April 2017)

Burial Place

An eternal flame watches over the grave site of John and Jacqueline Kennedy.

Tombstone of President Kennedy.

Tombstone of the First Lady.

Library & Museum

Library and museum as seen from along the walkway.

Entrance to the library and museum.

Presidential seal in entryway of library and museum.

Special exhibit called "Young Jack" details the president's life before his run for office.

Portion of "Young Jack" special exhibit detailing the president's collegiate years.

Portion of "Young Jack" special exhibit detailing the president's years in the Navy during World War II.

The coconut the president used to write a message that led to his rescue following the sinking of PT 109 in the Pacific Ocean.

Beginning of the "1960 Presidential Election" exhibit featuring women in dresses to promote his candidacy.

Poster welcoming delegates to the 1960 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, Calif.

Mock Kennedy campaign office displaying a variety of campaign buttons, posters, and stickers.

Replica TV studio showing predicted outcomes in each state.

Electoral College map showing the final results of the 1960 presidential election.

A special exhibit featuring Freedom 7, which U.S. Navy Commander Alan B. Shepherd Jr. piloted
during the first American manned flight in space.

The White House Corridor features gifts from heads of state, including this carved replica of Michelangelo's Pieta,
which was given to President Kennedy by Pope Paul VI.

A permanent exhibit creates Robert Kennedy's Attorney General Office.

Closeup of Robert Kennedy's desk at the attorney general's office.

The Oval Office exhibit featuring President Kennedy's desk with a screen in the background displaying notable events
from his presidency.

A rocking chair presented to President Kennedy while aboard the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk.

Model of  Danish maritime training ship Danmark, which was used by the U.S. Coast Guard Academy during World War II.

President Kennedy enjoyed golfing.

Personalized golf balls with "Mr. President" printed on them for Kennedy.

Permanent exhibit First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy features some of her dresses.

Poster announcing the First Lady's visit to India.

A permanent exhibit "State Visit to Europe" preserves President Kennedy's trip to Europe during the summer of 1963.
A note card from President Kennedy's speech in West Berlin in front of the Berlin Wall on June 26, 1963.

Rotunda following the hallway retelling President Kennedy's assassination.

A portion of the Berlin Wall commemorating Kennedy's 1963 address in West Berlin.

Profile in Courage Plaza with a view onto Boston harbor.

Closeup of the Profile in Courage Award.

A quote featured in the Profile in Courage Plaza.