2012 marks the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park.
This book brings us back those 100 years to experience the park when the grass
was still growing, and the paint wasn’t quite dry. It retells the magical 1912
Red Sox season, while always bringing it back to the park itself. How did the
construction happen? What did the crowds mean for the structure? What changes
needed to be made to the original design? Did the home field help the Red Sox
win the World Series in 1912?
Simply put, this was an amazing book. The tales from the
1912 season would have been enough on their own. To see how a team went through
its season day by day was eye opening. Add in the influence from the new home
park, and the book just took off. Stout does a wonderful job of turning what
limited historical information there is into a flowing storyline. It was like
being in a time machine watching that first season develop. I loved hearing
about all the decisions and changes made to Fenway Park, even during that first
year. From Duffy’s Cliff, to the grandstand seats, every aspect of the park is
covered in wonderful detail. It was easy to see why it became so important to
so many people. This book makes it clear that not much of the park has remained
since that first season. But, somehow, nothing has really changed. I can’t
imagine a Red Sox fan that wouldn’t enjoy this book.
Rating: 4 bases
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