Fenway Park's 100th anniversary
 

As many of you may know, the 2012 season will mark the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park. To mark the occasion, the Red Sox are in the midst of planning many events throughout the year, on the field and around the park.

Inside of Fenway this season, there will be displays for all fans to view, of memorabilia commemorating the anniversary and featuring items from the history of Fenway.

I am excited to say that I will have a role in this, as the Red Sox have borrowed a couple of dozen (mostly pre-war) items from me to enhance their displays!

Included among these items were cards (Cracker Jack Speaker, Hooper), other E and T cards, and some old Boston Globe papers from 1912-ish.

Some of these items will be replicated for the sake of security when they are on display, but they all should be noted as being from the "Scott S Collection". If you find yourself at Fenway this year, take a peek!

And while we're at it, please post any pictures of vintage Fenway / Red Sox items which would fit the theme.....

Awesome Scott, I contacted the Fenway crew a year ago, but went on the road. If there is anything I can donate, let me know.

Rawn

Thanks Rawn - I think they are just about finalizing their displays, but I can check with the person I've been working with tomorrow and see where things stand....

Very nice Scott! I like the sound of the Scott S collection. I am going so I will be on the lookout for your items. And in addition to Rawn, our fellow board member Steve F has some great stuff that would be right in line with the festivities.

Whaddam I, chopped liver? :p

Cheers,
Blair

100th
 

Awesome, Scott...can't wait to check out your items this Summer! Congrats!

Sent the Sox asst archivist Sarah some scans a while back. Hadn't heard from her though. I did snag a pair of tix out in the Dunkin' Dugout for the 20th. We'll be staying at Long Wharf a couplea nites, if anyone wants to meet n greet. Some great dive bars close by.

A century ago this month. Their new park receives it's finish work. And in Belfast, outfitting of the Unsinkable nears completion.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...nStudios-1.jpg

There are many that put my stuff to shame, Steve F, Mike S. Greg T and so many more I have left out, I'm just trying to help out. Scott S, Blair, eric and many more collectors that do not post here.

Rawn

:oops: How could I forget one of my friendly rivals in our never ending quest for Sox items!

I have a wrecking ball they can borrow or some TNT. lol

LOL...just a little razzing, my friend! This board does have a nice group of collectors chasing wonderful Red Sox items. Cool to see the team has an interest in displaying some of these historic treasures!

Cheers,
Blair

Surprisingly (at least for me to hear), it sounds like many of us may have better collections of vintage Sox memorabilia than the Red Sox themselves. They never started saving things until the '50s or '60s, and never allocated a budget to go out and acquire any key items (like the HOF and others have done over time).

So unless items are donated to the team, they don't actually own much in the way of vintage pieces.

I'll be at opening day and will keep my eyes open for the display. Do you know where it will be?

Did anyone see the PBS special Inside Fenway Park: An Icon at 100? Here's a snippet which features T202s and T207s of BoSox players (crudely taken with my digital camera). (sorry in advance if the link to where I have it saved on my photobucket account doesn't work!)

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47...h_MVI_1545.jpg

Pete: Thanks for posting this. I had not seen the PBS show and what you posted is probably exactly what I would have been most interested in. Thanks again.

Saw it - good show. Lots about the folks who work behind the scenes (inside and under the park) to make it all happen.

Cheers,
Blair

My friend from college went to work for the Sox when we graduated... 22 years ago... ughhh... She is still there and I caught a quick glimpse of her in the documentary. She is responsible for all player appearances and charity drives. Whenever I go to Fenway she makes sure to wear her 2 World Series rings just to piss me off. I keep reminding her that she is from NY and when we were in college she rooted for some other team (27 time champions). All in good fun. She gets us on the field for BP and takes us around inner Fenway when I go. I will be visiting her in May and will be given a tour of the 100 year collecitons. Can't wait to see the goods even as a Yankee fan, the place just gives off that baseball vibe. The PBS documentary was great, I suggest all baseball fans watch it!!

Tim

Tim,
You're a very lucky guy to have a connection like that. I would give almost anything to get that type of access!

I stopped by Fenway yesterday to take a peek at how their exhibits are coming along. There are still plenty of last-minute touches going on, but the park looks wonderful as always!

There are displays in many of the concourse areas - starting with older items in the left field concourse, wrapping around and using the old Yawkey Way ticket booths to display memorabilia from the '46, '67, '75 and '86 World Series, then continues out towards right field with items from WWII and more modern items. I'm sure people will enjoy!

This is one picture I took of a display at the top of the grandstand area behind home plate - the 4 newspapers were replicated from my originals, highlighting Fenway in its opening days of 1912...

Wonderful Scott. Can't wait to see her this Sat against the Devils. Wake up Sox!

Here are Some Interesting 1912 Photos
 

Here are a few pages from a photo album that I'm pretty sure was owned by Jerry McCarthey, the Sox batboy in 1912. These photos show some pictures of the new park, the team bench and warm-ups -- and, of course, Jerry himself. Most of the album has photos of Jerry's family, childhood friends and family travels.

http://www.vintageball.com/files/1912_Sox_album3.jpg

http://www.vintageball.com/files/1912_Sox_album2.jpg

http://www.vintageball.com/files/1912_Sox_album.jpg

Awesome one-of-a-kind photos, Robert - thanks for posting!

Sunny, 70*F, gentle breeze, ice cold draught at Remdawg's new rooftop. Beat the Rays!

edit: between innings, I did a quick walk-through and was disappointed to be turned away by security, at the all-new Royal Rooters' Club -an exclusive tavern for season tix holders to gather (extra $250/y). I was able to peer through a window and see lotsa old and newer images and artifacts scattered about. However, Lucky Lucchino reported, this may be part of the ballpark tours in the future.

Walking up the ramp from the gray doldrums of the Back Bay to the explosion of green will always give a rush and it was a fun victory, I left the old Gal somewhat diss-appointed, perhaps my old age is now kicking in. Still looking forward to the "real" 100th on the 20th with lunch at McGreevys just prior.

In the Van Ness St photo below, one of the structural quirks is visible, from renovations by Yawkey in '33. See it?