Mammoth Blog

Fenway Park sellout for record 456th straight game

Boston Red Sox owners and players greeted fans and handed out commemorative tickets to mark the Major League Baseball team's record-breaking 456th straight regular-season sellout on Monday.

The Red Sox began their streak on May 15, 2003 and broke the Cleveland Indians' mark, set from June 12, 1995 to April 2, 2001 at Jacobs Field.

Just down the street named Yawkey Way in honor of former Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey, Boston pitchers Tim Wakefield and Mike Timlin, two of four players who have been with the team throughout the streak, smiled and handed out the souvenir tickets.

Nearby, team owners John Henry and Tom Werner and president Larry Lucchino shook hands with and thanked fans at the turnstiles as they entered 96-year-old Fenway Park for the game against Tampa Bay.
«We don't have any projections for how long it can go on,» Lucchino said. «We've seen other teams with long streaks fall off. As long as we stick to the basics and put a team worthy of the fans' support on the field» it should continue.

Wakefield, the longest tenured member of the team after coming to the Red Sox in 1995, also thanked fans for their support before one middle-aged female fan had a surprise for him.
«Thank you,» she said as she leaned forward and kissed his left cheek.

Fenway has the smallest seating capacity in the majors, 36,984 for day games when two sections of the centerfield bleachers are covered with a black material to help the hitters' background. It seats 37,400 for night games. Source>>>