Quick Look Back at Fenway

On this week’s show, I talked about my trip to Boston. Just like the Orioles, I split the Jake-viewed series 1-1. I was there for Ubaldogate on Friday and Saturday’s game.  I won’t rehash the entire episode, but I do want to talk not-so-briefly about why this was an important trip for me.

I hated the whole Boston/New York games problem during the Dark Period. I didn’t want their fans overrunning our stadium, but I didn’t want to be there in person to suffer through their gloating when the Orioles lost another game in embarrassing fashion to division rivals. Because let’s face it, that’s what happened most of the time. The Orioles went a combined 172-302 against the Red Sox and Yankees from 1998-2011.

As uncomfortable as it was at home, there was no way I was going to go watch the team get skulldragged in another city, where the “unfriendly confines” of another stadium might make the experience even worse. So I waited for the Orioles to stop being an embarrassment. I waited a long time. To put it in perspective, the Orioles’ last winning season before the Dark Period was in the summer after I finished middle school. The Dark Period ended the summer before I put my daughter in kindergarten.

I was never a fair weather fan, I just didn’t need to spend a ton of money to travel with a team that was probably going to let me down. Again. I had a lot of experience with that at home, I didn’t need to take that show on the road. So when the opportunity came up this season, I was as much excited about the trip as what it represented: the team isn’t terrible any more. The Dark Period is truly over.

On the ride up, the radio was on point. It’s as if it knew where I was going, and what I was going to do there.

Massachusetts played just as I was about to cross from Connecticut to Massachusetts. Pretty weird. I couldn’t tell you if it was on when I actually crossed, because that song sucks, and I changed the station.

Once I got into town, I had a blast. I won’t bore you with the tales of walking through beautiful parts of the city, or the amazeballs food and drinks I (over) consumed while there, but I did snap a few pictures while I was at the ballpark. I regret having not taken a tour of Fenway Park, but it will provide a convenient excuse to go back sometime.

The park looks great day or night.

Ugh. It made everything taste like Dirty Water. I now have a souvenir cup I am sure never to drink out of again.

I prefer our statues at Camden Yards.

Also, it turns out that my next phone needs a better camera.

@BirdsEyeViewBal pic.twitter.com/ETOBsoRyUQ

— BalSportsReport (@BalSportsReport) April 18, 2015

I highly recommend making a trip up to Boston. I found the city to be clean and inviting, with plenty to keep you busy over a long weekend (historical stuff, nightlife, etc.). As far was Fenway was concerned, I was prepared to be let down by the wear and tear on the park, but if you sit out in the bleachers, the experience will provide you pretty decent views, excellent people watching, and if you’re lucky, a little Orioles Magic.