Growing up in Connecticut I was fortunate to live close by the minor league team of the Boston Red Sox. In my family there was NO other team to root for. That's because my mother's side of the family knew Jimmy Pearsall. So it was inevitable that I was born to root for this team, just as my mother was.
I remember going to watch the Bristol Red Sox as they were known in the 1970's at good old Muzzy Field with my parents a few times.
They played in this ball field from 1973 to 1982. This ball field has been used for both football and baseball games since 1912 and the grandstand (pictured) was built in 1939. Due to its age, it is only fitting that it served as the minor league field for an historic team. Today, Muzzy Field is used for high school and college games, having served its purpose in Major League Baseball. By today's standards, it would not even be considered, even as a training facility. May future generations enjoy this field's rich history. For a photo gallery and a little history of this small town field, click the link and enjoy: http://www.bristolredsox.com/muzzyfield.php There was some great baseball played in this park!
The next stop for the minor league Red Sox team was Beehive Field up the road in New Britain...and the bus stopped here! Upon that move, they then became known as the New Britain Red Sox. They played here from 1983 (when the field opened) until 1994 when they left the State of Connecticut.Since I spent all my summer's at my grandparents, I was able to go to some of these games as they were only 20 minutes away. Once I graduated from high school in 1986, I didn't really go to the games that much. For 1980's minor league baseball, this was not a bad field and this team did have some very notable players who went on to became great players in the majors. The following link will give you a glimpse of who those players were: http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/New_Britain_Red_Sox. One of those on that list became more notable when he appeared on the Mitchell Report late last year...none other than The Rocket himself, Roger Clemens.
Beehive Field has been relegated to the high school league now and is the home field for the New Britain High School Hurricanes. The new field is known as New Britain Stadium and houses the minor league team of the Minnesota Twins.
And then of course, there is nothing like the one and only, granddaddy of them all...FENWAY PARK! Built in 1912, it still stands as the home field for the Boston Red Sox. They've added some extra seating within the last decade, but other than that, it has had little change. There's nothing like watching this game from the "bleacher" seats! Of course, if you go when I have been there in the early part of the season when in high school...you want to wear warm clothes and bring an even warmer jacket for those "chilly" New England nights!
Ahh...I can smell the good 'ole fenway frank! For those that haven't been to Fenway or enjoyed a Fenway Frank...both are worth the trip.
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