??? ???? ???? ?Fenway Park Timeline

Record:?85-77, 2nd in American League East
Manager:?James F. Williams
Attendance:?2,586,024

The Red Sox entered the 2000 season trying to make the post-season for a third consecutive year, something they had never done before. Over the winter, the team dealt prospect Adam Everett for Houston outfielder Carl Everett and also signed Korean left-hander Sang-Hoon Lee, known for his long, orange-tinted hair.

Pedro's brother Ramon Martinez, who the club had acquired in 1999, pitched the home opener and Boston trounced Minnesota 13-4 behind home runs from each side of the plate by Everett.

The center fielder made less positive news on July 15 when he butted heads with plate umpire Ron Kulpa in an argument. Everett was suspended 10 games but still led the team in home runs (34) and RBIs (108).

Pedro Martinez towered above everyone else in 2000 and followed his spectacular 1999 with another brilliant campaign. For the second year in a row, Pedro won the Cy Young Award with a 1.74 ERA and an MLB-record 0.7373 WHIP. Derek Lowe saved 42 games in 74 relief appearances and Nomar Garciaparra won his second consecutive AL batting crown with a .372 average, the highest single-season average ever for a Red Sox right-handed hitter.

Despite these individual achievements, the Red Sox failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in three years. On October 6, CEO John Harrington announced that the team would be put up for sale after plans for a new Fenway Park across the street collapsed.

In December, the Red Sox signed outfielder Manny Ramirez to an eight year, $160 million deal, the largest in team history.

In 2000, two noticeable additions were made on the roof in right field. Before the season, a Hood milk carton was installed on the right-field light tower and on September 4, 2000, the Red Sox officially retired Carlton Fisk's #27 and added his number to the right-field roof fa?ade.

For the third time in five years the University of Massachusetts captured the Baseball Beanpot, downing Northeastern 13-8 in the championship game at Fenway Park.

2000 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park

April 25 University of Massachusetts 13, Northeastern 8 (Beanpot Championship)*

April 25 Boston College 8, Harvard 5 (Beanpot Consolation)*

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*Starting in 1990, Fenway Park has hosted the annual Baseball Beanpot, baseball's version of the longstanding Boston hockey tradition. Originally, the competition featured the same schools that battle for Hockey Beanpot: Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University and Harvard University. However, when BU dropped their baseball program after the 1995 season, the University of Massachusetts took their place. The Baseball Beanpot has been held at Fenway Park every year since its inception except for in 2004 and 2010, when the tournament was played at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, MA.

Record:?82-79, 2nd in American League East
Manager:?James F. Williams (65-53), Joseph T. Kerrigan (17-26)
Attendance:?2,625,333

The 2001 Red Sox approached spring training with the two-time defending American League batting champion (Nomar Garciaparra), the two-time defending American League Cy Young Award winner (Pedro Martinez), a potent slugger added in free agency (Manny Ramirez) and a pair of veteran pitchers bolstering the staff (Hideo Nomo and David Cone).

However, Garciaparra learned of a split tendon in his right wrist at the start of spring training and missed all but 21 games in 2001. Martinez went 7-3 in just 18 starts during an injury-plagued season as well. Still, Ramirez and Nomo lived up to immediate expectations. In his Red Sox debut on April 4 in Baltimore, Nomo threw the first no-hitter by a Red Sox pitcher since Dave Morehead did in 1965. The Japanese pitcher went on to lead Boston's pitching staff with 13 wins and struck out a league-leading 220 batters. Two days after Nomo's feat, Ramirez hit the first pitch he saw at Fenway Park for a three-run home run, the first of 41 he slugged in 2001.

The Red Sox celebrated the 100th Anniversary of their membership in the American League throughout the season, displaying a special commemorative logo on the center of the Green Monster (the first time this had ever been done except for the 1999 All Star Game), as well as a commemorative patch on their uniform all season. The Red Sox also produced an Emmy Award winning DVD on the history of the team, gave away promotional items over the summer and staged events celebrating the anniversary. Pumpsie Green, the first African-American to play for the Red Sox, returned to Fenway Park for the first time since his playing career.

Though the Red Sox were in the race for most of the summer, Jimy Williams was fired and replaced by the team's pitching coach Joe Kerrigan in mid-August. Infighting engulfed the Red Sox soon thereafter and the team unraveled over the season's final few weeks.

This on-field disappointment was tragically overshadowed by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. After baseball resumed following a hiatus of several days, the Red Sox rallied to win their final five games but the team still finished 13 games out of first place.

On December 20, the Red Sox were sold to a group led by John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino. After 69 years under the stewardship of Tom and Jean Yawkey and their trustees, the club entered a new era. At their introductory press conference the next day, the new ownership group pledged to Red Sox fans to fulfill five commitments: to field a team worthy of the fans' support; to preserve all that's good about Fenway Park and take that experience to a higher level; to market aggressively to a new, broad region; to be active participants in the community; and to end the Curse of the Bambino and win world championships for Boston, New England and Red Sox Nation.

In 2001, the John Hancock sign was installed over the scoreboard in center field.

The Boston College Eagles baseball team flew high in 2001, winning the year's Baseball Beanpot. Another Massachusetts/Connecticut High School all-star game was also played at Fenway Park during the summer.

2001 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park

May 2 Boston College 10, University of Massachusetts 5 (Beanpot Championship)*

May 2 Northeastern 7, Harvard 2 (Beanpot Consolation)*

June 19 Massachusetts High School All-Stars 7, Connecticut High School All-Stars 2

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*Starting in 1990, Fenway Park has hosted the annual Baseball Beanpot, baseball's version of the longstanding Boston hockey tradition. Originally, the competition featured the same schools that battle for Hockey Beanpot: Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University and Harvard University. However, when BU dropped their baseball program after the 1995 season, the University of Massachusetts took their place. The Baseball Beanpot has been held at Fenway Park every year since its inception except for in 2004 and 2010, when the tournament was played at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, MA.

The Red Sox

Record:?93-69, 2nd in American League East
Manager:?William G. Little
Attendance:?2,650,063

On January 16, 2002 Major League Baseball approved the December 2001 sale of the Red Sox to the group headed by John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino.

Soon after the new ownership took control of the club on February 27, General Manager Dan Duquette was relieved of his duties and replaced by interim GM Mike Port. The next month, the club hired Grady Little to manage the team. Little was a member of Boston's coaching staff in the late 1990s and his ascendancy to the managerial position generated an enthusiastic clubhouse response.

On April 27, Derek Lowe threw a no-hitter against the visiting Devil Rays. Lowe, who was converted to the rotation in 2002, led the team with 21 wins, while Pedro Martinez posted a 20-4 record to give the Red Sox their first pair of 20-game winners since 1949.

July was a somber month at Fenway Park as the Red Sox lost two giants in their fields. On July 5, Ted Williams passed away in Florida at the age of 83. A celebration of Ted's life on July 22 drew over 20,000 people to Fenway Park. On his way home from the tribute, longtime team broadcaster Ned Martin passed away.

On July 23 Nomar Garciaparra marked his 29th birthday by hitting three home runs in a 22-4 victory over Tampa Bay. From that day on, Boston never came closer than four games to first place, finishing second for the fifth year in a row.

In November, the Red Sox announced the signing of Billy Beane as their new general manager but after 24 hours Beane changed his mind. Two weeks later, the Red Sox promoted 28-year old Theo Epstein to the job.

Immediately after purchasing the Red Sox in December 2001, the new ownership group, led by John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino, began work on a series of improvements to Fenway Park that would be ready by Opening Day of 2002.

Under the direction of Vice President/Planning and Development Janet Marie Smith, an architect with a background in urban development who had teamed with Lucchino in Baltimore to oversee the design of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the Red Sox immediately began to improve Fenway Park?€?s amenities and infrastructure, while staying true to the ballpark?€?s unique charm. Nearly 400 new seats were added, including 161 new ?€?dugout?€? seats that were built on the infield side of both dugouts. In addition, a media interview room was built adjacent to the Red Sox clubhouse along with a new room for players?€? families.

While accomplishing as much as possible before the start of the season, new ownership continued to discuss, plan, and implement more improvements to Fenway Park in 2002. In June, the club hinted at the possibility of adding seats on top of the Green Monster and in July, temporary advertisement signs were added above the left-field wall, the first advertisements on the wall since the 1946. On September 5, 2002, the Yawkey Way Concourse, an expansion of the park onto the adjacent street, added 25,000 square feet and doubled the space for fans on the first-base side of the ballpark.

The 2002 renovations, though extensive, were just the start of what would be a 10-year plan of major projects to improve and preserve Fenway Park.

In 2002, Northeastern defeated the defending champion Boston College Eagles in the Baseball Beanpot championship game.

2002 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park

April 16 Northeastern 8, Harvard 4 (Beanpot Semi-Finals)*

April 16 Boston College 7, University of Massachusetts 5 (Beanpot Semi-Finals)*

April 23 Northeastern 7, Boston College 6 (Beanpot Championship)*

April 23 University of Massachusetts 5, Harvard 3 (Beanpot Consolation)*

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*Starting in 1990, Fenway Park has hosted the annual Baseball Beanpot, baseball's version of the longstanding Boston hockey tradition. Originally, the competition featured the same schools that battle for Hockey Beanpot: Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University and Harvard University. However, when BU dropped their baseball program after the 1995 season, the University of Massachusetts took their place. The Baseball Beanpot has been held at Fenway Park every year since its inception except for in 2004 and 2010, when the tournament was played at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, MA.

As the club celebrated Fenway Park's 90th year of existence, a midsummer tradition was created under the team's new ownership when the ballpark hosted 21,000 visitors for a Father's Day catch on June 9, 2002. In every year since, the Red Sox have staged an annual Father's Day event that gives fathers and their families the opportunity to walk on Fenway Park's famed field, either by playing catch on the outfield or by walking around the warning track.

July was a somber month for the Red Sox family as they lost two giants in their fields. On July 5, Ted Williams died in Florida at the age of 83. A celebration of Ted's life on July 22 drew over 20,000 people to Fenway Park. On his way home from the tribute, longtime Red Sox broadcaster Ned Martin suffered a massive coronary and passed away as well.

Later in the year, Fenway Park opened its doors on Halloween to local trick or treaters for the first time in the ballpark's history. Similar events took place at the park in 2003 and 2006, while the organization has also made several visits to area schools, clinics and community centers as part of Halloween and other holiday celebrations in recent years.

2002 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park

June 9 Father's Day Catch

July 22 Ted Williams: A Celebration of an American Hero

October 31 Fenway Park Trick or Treat

The Red Sox

Record:?95-67, 2nd in American League East (Wild Card)
Manager:?William G. Little
Attendance:?2,724,162
Postseason:?Won American League Division Series

In his first winter as the club's general manager, Theo Epstein acquired third baseman Bill Mueller (who went on to win the 2003 batting title), second baseman Todd Walker, first baseman Kevin Millar, pitchers Mike Timlin and Bronson Arroyo and a power hitter from Minnesota named David Ortiz.

With the team playing well early, a sold-out ballpark on May 15 watched Pedro Martinez beat Texas, 12-3. The capacity crowd began a streak of sell-outs at Fenway Park that became a Major League Baseball record on September 8, 2008 when the club reached 456 consecutive regular season sellouts.

Although the offense was robust, Boston had the second worst ERA in the majors through early June. In an effort to stabilize the staff, the team hired Dave Wallace as the team's full-time pitching coach on June 9.

Even with problems on the mound, the 2003 Red Sox could hit for power. The team hit a franchise-record 238 homers during the season along with an MLB-record .491 slugging percentage. Emblematic of this potency was a 25-8 victory over Florida on June 27, in which the Red Sox scored 14 runs in the bottom of the first inning and set a MLB record by crossing the plate 10 times before the first out of the game was recorded.

Boston won the Wild Card and rallied from a 2-0 deficit against Oakland in the ALDS. They Red Sox faced the Yankees in a dramatic American League Championship Series. The meeting with the Yankees was a raucous affair (including a brawl-filled Game Three) and the teams split the first six games. The Red Sox led Game Seven 5-2 in the eighth inning but the Yankees tied the game with a rally off Pedro Martinez at Yankee Stadium. In the 11th Inning, New York's Aaron Boone sent the Red Sox home with a walk-off home run to left field.

Disappointed with the season's conclusion, the Red Sox soon began a busy offseason. Grady Little was replaced as manager with Terry Francona and Epstein persuaded Arizona's Curt Schilling to waive his no-trade clause and accept a trade to Boston. The team also added reliever Keith Foulke and tried to acquire Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers. However, after the Red Sox reached an agreement with both the Rangers and Rodriguez, the Players' Association refused to approve the slugger's re-structured contract. Adding fuel to Boston's rivalry with New York, the Yankees traded for the reigning AL MVP in February 2004.

In 2003, 269 barstool seats were added atop Fenway Park?€?s fabled left-field wall. Fans had first heard of the idea the previous year, when the team?€?s Vice President/Planning and Development Janet Marie Smith mentioned the possibility of seats atop the iconic wall. Unveiled on Opening Day, April 12, 2003, the Green Monster Seats instantly became some of the most coveted tickets in baseball. Boston Magazine would later dub the seats as the best seats in Boston and in 2008, the seats topped a list of the 10 best seats in baseball compiled by USA Today, which combined nominations from readers and votes from their staff.

Along with the new Green Monster Seats, permanent advertisements were featured above the left-field wall, similar to the temporary signs that were installed in 2002. On the actual wall, National League scores were added to the left-field scoreboard for the first time since the wall was rebuilt in 1975, and advertisements were placed on the wall itself for the first time since 1946.

In addition to adding the Green Monster Seats, the team also expanded the Dugout Seats beyond each dugout towards the outfield and built 87 Home Plate Seats by moving the backstop closer to home plate. Despite these additions, the capacity of the ballpark remained the same because the club converted standing room into new ticketed seats.

After proving successful during a one-month trial the previous September, the Yawkey Way Concourse officially opened at the start of the 2003 season. In August 2003, after a gradual soft opening, the opposite side of the ballpark received a major upgrade in concourse space when a new Big Concourse was officially unveiled. Fans found 25,000 more square feet of space in this expanded area beneath the bleachers and right-field grandstand and enjoyed new menu options from new concessions stands with their own kitchens. Along with new, larger restrooms (including the largest women?€?s?€? room in the Major Leagues), the width of the concourse doubled from 30 feet to 60 feet and usable space between Gate B and Gate C tripled, complete with picnic tables and other family friendly amenities.

While Fenway Park underwent many permanent improvements in 2003, the ballpark was also temporarily transformed into a concert venue when Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band played two sold-out shows on September 6 and 7, 2003. They were the first major concerts at Fenway Park since the Newport/New England Jazz Festival in 1973 but every year since the Boss?€? two historic shows in 2003, Fenway Park has hosted a major concert.

Boston College's offense tallied 21 runs in two games at Fenway Park in 2003, en route to capturing the Baseball Beanpot.

2003 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park

April 23 Harvard 8, University of Massachusetts 7 (Beanpot Semi-Finals)*

April 23 Boston College 13, Northeastern 7 (Beanpot Semi-Finals)*

April 24 Boston College 8, Harvard 6 (Beanpot Championship)*

April 24 Northeastern 6, University of Massachusetts 1 (Beanpot Consolation)*

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*Starting in 1990, Fenway Park has hosted the annual Baseball Beanpot, baseball's version of the longstanding Boston hockey tradition. Originally, the competition featured the same schools that battle for Hockey Beanpot: Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University and Harvard University. However, when BU dropped their baseball program after the 1995 season, the University of Massachusetts took their place. The Baseball Beanpot has been held at Fenway Park every year since its inception except for in 2004 and 2010, when the tournament was played at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, MA.

In the second year under the ownership of John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino, the Red Sox opened Fenway Park to fans in many new ways. In May, the team paid tribute to the mothers of Red Sox Nation by offering mothers and their families a chance to walk on the field's warning track. Mother's Day events have been held by the club ever since. The following month, the first "Picnic in the Park" was hosted by the Red Sox Foundation, the team's official charity that was created by the club's new ownership in 2002.

In the first week of September, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played two sold-out Fenway Park shows, the first concerts at the ballpark in 30 years. The performances by the Boss were the first in a string of concerts that have been held at Fenway Park every year since.

A few days after Springsteen's performance, the American Red Cross, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Red Sox hosted the first blood drive at Fenway Park in remembrance of the lives that were lost during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The drive has become a regular tradition at the ballpark and several thousand donors take part each year.

Also of note in 2003 was the creation of the club's Fenway Enterprises department, which opened Fenway Park for event space for the first time in the park's history. Over the last several years, Fenway Enterprises has helped to dramatically increase the number of events (both public and private) that the ballpark holds, including birthdays, weddings, charity efforts and an assortment of other events.

In 2003, the club also began to offer year- round tours of Fenway Park for the first time and in December, the club held their inaugural Christmas at Fenway. The event welcomed Red Sox fans to Fenway Park in the middle of winter and offered them the first opportunity to purchase tickets for the upcoming season. At the event, the team's recent acquisition, Curt Schilling, also made his first public appearance on behalf of the club.

2003 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park

May 11 Mother's Day Walk

June 15 Father's Day Catch

June 29 Red Sox Foundation's Picnic in the Park

Sept. 6-7 Bruce Springsteen Concerts

September 11 Inaugural Fenway Park Red Cross Blood Drive

Dec. 13-14 Christmas at Fenway

Record:?98-64, 2nd in American League East (Wild Card)
Manager:?Terry J. Francona
Attendance:?2,837,304
Postseason:?Won World Series

The Red Sox added Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke over the offseason and when the Yankees acquired Alex Rodriguez, the Boston/New York rivalry reached a new level. Spring training began with great anticipation but Nomar Garciaparra hit the disabled list with a right Achilles injury on March 31 and wouldn't play until June 9.

The Red Sox started the season well and led the division by 2? games at the end of April. However, the team slumbered over the next two and a half months and played .500 baseball through most of July.

Needing some type of spark after the doldrums of the previous several weeks, a July 24 game between the Red Sox and Yankees provided a sudden catalyst for the team. Jason Varitek and Alex Rodriguez skirmished in the early going of this Saturday afternoon game and Bill Mueller hit a walk-off, three-run homer off Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera to further electrify the Fenway crowd.

Seven days later, in a trade-deadline deal, the Red Sox acquired Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz in a bold four-team swap that sent fan-favorite Nomar Garciaparra to the Cubs. In a separate trade, Dave Roberts was snagged from the Dodgers.

From August 16 to September 3 the Red Sox went 16-1 and ran away with the Wild Card to earn their second consecutive postseason appearance. Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz combined for 84 home runs and 269 RBIs, while Schilling earned 21 victories. He was one of five Boston pitchers with ten or more wins.

The Red Sox swept Anaheim in the ALDS and ended the series on an Ortiz walk-off home run at Fenway Park. Boston advanced to the ALCS for a rematch with the Yankees but dropped the first two games in New York. Compounding matters was an ankle injury suffered by Schilling in the ALDS. The Red Sox returned to Fenway Park and were blown out in Game Three 19-8. The odds seemed stacked against any type of Boston comeback.

The Yankees led Game Four by a run heading into the top of the ninth but Kevin Millar drew a walk off Mariano Rivera to start the inning and pinch runner Dave Roberts came in to take his place at first base. With the next batter, Bill Mueller, at the plate, Roberts stole second base with perhaps the most famous sprint in team history. Two pitches later, Mueller drove in Roberts with a game-tying single and David Ortiz hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 12th.

Rivera blew another save in Game Five and Ortiz was the hero again with a walk-off single in the bottom of the 14th inning. The ALCS returned to New York for Game Six, which the Red Sox won thanks to a gutsy effort by Curt Schilling, who pitched through his ankle injury. With momentum on their side the Red Sox closed out the historic comeback and sealed the pennant with a resounding 10-3 victory over New York in Game Seven.

The Red Sox moved on to the World Series to face the NL Champion Cardinals. Boston took the first two games at Fenway Park then headed to St. Louis where Pedro Martinez won Game Three. Derek Lowe took the ball in Game Four and threw seven scoreless innings after being staked to an early 3-0 lead. Foulke came on to record the final three outs, clinching Boston's first title in 86 years. After nearly nine decades of waiting it was time to celebrate and an estimated 3,000,000 people jammed the streets of Boston for the 2004 World Series Victory Parade to see the Duck Tour Boats carry the World Champions.

In 2004, the Red Sox created a new Fenway Park neighborhood, the Budweiser Right Field Roof Deck. Built on top of the original 1934 roof in right field, which was reinforced as part of the project, the new area featured home plate shaped tables, sitting four people each. Along with the 192 new seats, the additional space created room for 250 standing room patrons. New amenities included unique menu items, in-seat service, new restrooms and an open-air bar, which was made from parts of the bowling alley taken out of the basement of the Jeano Building. A new cargo-sized elevator was installed to access all levels of the ballpark in right field, and the Jimmy Fund sign, which had stood on the roof for decades, was taken down and replaced with an emblem on the Green Monster.

While the Jimmy Fund sign moved to the left field wall, a new symbol of the club's longtime affiliation with the non-profit organization was unveiled in the right-field area. On April 16, 2004, a statue of Ted Williams placing a hat on the head of a young Jimmy Fund patient was unveiled outside of Gate B.

In addition to constructing the Right Field Roof in 2004, the team followed the success of the Big Concourse and refurbished the Third Base Concourse with new restrooms, concessions and space. Abutting the concourse, the room formerly used as the Lansdowne Shop was renovated to create the Crown Royal Club (now the Absolut Club), a premium area to provide new amenities for Dugout Seat holders. Also, a few new Dugout Seat locations were created when new seating was constructed down the right-field line, altering Canvas Alley in the process.

Jimmy Buffett brought Margaritaville to Fenway Park with a couple of concerts in September 2004. The shows, which were part of Buffett's "License to Chill Tour," included several Buffett classics, in addition to renditions of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline." Earlier in the summer, Fenway Park opened it's gates during the Democratic National Convention in Boston, including for a 2,000 person party hosted by the Democratic Governors Association. During the final two months of the regular season, scenes from the Farrelly brothers movie "Fever Pitch" were filmed at Fenway Park during games, on non-game days and over multiple overnight shoots. The film crew returned in October after some of the movie's scenes were rewritten and filmed again at Fenway Park following the team's World Series victory in the fall.

Also of note in 2004 was the creation of Fenway Sports Group, a subsidiary of Red Sox ownership that would play an instrumental role in bringing future events to Fenway Park like the January 2010 college hockey doubleheader.

2004 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park

May 9 Mother's Day Walk

June 20 Father's Day Walk

June 27 Red Sox Foundation's Picnic in the Park

July 25-27 Democratic National Convention Events

Aug, Sep. & Oct.Filming of "Fever Pitch"

Sept. 10-12 Jimmy Buffett Concerts

December 11 Christmas at Fenway

Record:?95-67, Tied for 1st in American League East (Wild Card)
Manager:?Terry J. Francona
Attendance:?2,847,888
Postseason:?Played in American League Division Series

The Red Sox quickly went to work after winning the 2004 World Series. Matt Clement and David Wells joined the rotation after Pedro Martinez moved onto the Mets. The team also signed Edgar Renteria to play shortstop in lieu of Orlando Cabrera, and committed to taking the 2004 World Series Trophy to every one of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts and each of the New England states, as well as dozens of other places across the nation, the Dominican Republic, and Canada.

After the team received their championship rings before the home opener on April 11, Tim Wakefield led the Sox to an 8-1 victory over the Yankees. At 16-12, Wakefield won more games than any other Boston pitcher in 2005 but Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke dealt with health issues and the team ERA rose to 4.74.

David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez hit 47 and 45 home runs, respectively, but the team home run total dropped from 222 to 199.

The team was in and out of first place for much of the season. They wound up tied for first with New York at 95-67 but the Yankees prevailed in the head-to-head tie-breaker. The Red Sox claimed the Wild Card but were abruptly swept in the first round by the eventual world champion Chicago White Sox.

Following protracted contract negotiations, GM Theo Epstein resigned his post on Halloween. Though Epstein would return a few months later, interim General Managers Ben Cherington and Jed Hoyer piloted the team's Baseball Operations staff during much of the winter, which was highlighted by a November deal that brought pitcher Josh Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell to Boston in exchange for shortstop Hanley Ramirez and other prospects.

On March 23, 2005, John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino announced that the Red Sox were formally committing to remain long-term at Fenway Park. The decision was influenced by the success of the improvements they had already made to the nearly 93-year-old ballpark.

After winning the club's first World Series in 86 years, the team returned to Fenway Park in 2005 to find that their clubhouse had undergone significant improvements. An indoor batting cage was built in the tunnel between the locker room and the home dugout; an expansion of the clubhouse created a full second floor with space for a weight room and new interview room; and the Player's Lot was split into two sections. The clubhouse expansion also greatly benefitted fans sitting in the grandstand seats near first base as the roof of the clubhouse was turned into the First Base Deck and provided fans in the area with more concessions and much needed space.

In the Jeano Bulding, a new restaurant named Game On! opened in the space that previously held the bowling alley and Player's Club and the Player's Club moved to the Laundry Building near the Big Concourse.

In addition to the home clubhouse and First Base Deck improvements, a new field was installed with a sand-based drainage system, which allowed the field to remain playable for far longer than before, and the American League East standings were added to the left-field wall. In the Jeano Bulding, a new restaurant named Game On! opened in the space that previously held the bowling alley and Player's Club and the Player's Club moved to the Laundry Building near the Big Concourse.

On June 13, 2005, the left-field foul pole was dedicated as the Fisk Pole in honor of Carlton Fisk's iconic home run versus the Cincinnati Reds in Game Six of the 1975 World Series. Carlton Fisk participated in the ceremony, which took place before the Red Sox hosted the Reds for the first time since the 1975 Fall Classic.

After a one year hiatus, the Baseball Beanpot returned home to Fenway Park in 2005 and Harvard won their first Beanpot since the second year of the tournament in 1991.

2005 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park

April 21 Harvard 7, Northeastern 3 (Beanpot Championship)*

April 21 Boston College 8, University of Massachusetts 6 (Beanpot Consolation)*

?

*Starting in 1990, Fenway Park has hosted the annual Baseball Beanpot, baseball's version of the longstanding Boston hockey tradition. Originally, the competition featured the same schools that battle for Hockey Beanpot: Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University and Harvard University. However, when BU dropped their baseball program after the 1995 season, the University of Massachusetts took their place. The Baseball Beanpot has been held at Fenway Park every year since its inception except for in 2004 and 2010, when the tournament was played at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, MA.

Just a few days before the Red Sox 2005 home opener, Fenway Park hosted the red carpet film premiere of the movie "Fever Pitch," part of which was filmed at the park during the previous season. In July, the first "Hot Stove, Cool Music" concert benefiting Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein's "Foundation to Be Named Later" took place. Later in the summer, the Rolling Stones thrilled the ballpark's audience as the group kicked off its worldwide "Bigger Bang Tour." As part of the Stones' festivities, the Black Eyed Peas also performed. In late September, over 400 guests attended a Storybook Ball at the park. The event included appearances by several celebrities, sports figures and politicians. Due to the humid weather, a custom tent was built on the playing field for the first time in the park's history. Also introduced in 2005 was the Great Fenway Park Writers Series, a civic program that has brought some of the biggest names in the literary world to the ballpark over the last few years.

2005 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park

April 6 "Fever Pitch" Film Premiere

May 8 Mother's Day Walk

June 19 Father's Day Catch

July 16 Hot Stove, Cool Music Fenway Sessions Concert

August 21 & 23 Rolling Stones Concerts

September 4 Picnic in the Park

September 23 Storybook Ball

December 10 Christmas at Fenway

Record:?86-76, 3rd in American League East
Manager:?Terry J. Francona
Attendance:?2,930,588

The 2006 season began with high hopes but the Red Sox were devastated by injuries and failed to make the postseason for the first time since 2002.

On April 11, the newly acquired Josh Beckett won the team's home opener and Jonathan Papelbon earned his fourth save of the young season. In 2006, Papelbon converted his first twenty save opportunities in his first year as Boston's closer.

One of the season's most dramatic moments came at the beginning of May. With catcher Josh Bard struggling to catch Tim Wakefield's knuckleball through the season's first few weeks, Doug Mirabelli was reacquired from the Padres. Mirabelli flew from coast-to-coast and was whisked to Fenway Park in a police car, where he arrived just minutes before the first pitch and caught a 7-3 Wakefield victory on May 1.

On June 27, the club honored the 1986 American League Champion Red Sox team before that night's game against the New York Mets, who they met in the 1986 Fall Classic 20 years prior. Participants who were introduced to the Fenway Park crowd included Wade Boggs, Bruce Hurst, Dwight Evans, Jim Rice, Al Nipper, Marty Barrett, Oil Can Boyd and the team's manager, Joe Morgan. The next night, the Fenway Park crowd welcomed back Pedro Martinez who made his first start against the Red Sox since leaving the team after the 2004 season.

Jason Varitek tore cartilage in his knee on July 31 and wouldn't return until September. Varitek's loss was one of many, as the malady-ravaged Red Sox went 9-21 in August. The lowest point might have been a gruesome, five-game sweep by the Yankees at Fenway Park late in the month, which brought back memories of 1978's "Boston Massacre," when the Yankees visited Boston and took all four games of an early September series against the Red Sox.

Though the team continued to struggle, David Ortiz set a single-season, franchise record with 54 home runs, breaking the mark previously held by Jimmie Foxx. Though the team finished third in the AL East, it wasn't due to poor defense as the 2006 Red Sox compiled a MLB record fielding percentage of .98909.

On the last day of the season, Nicaragua-born Devern Hansack threw five no-hit innings in a rain-shortened 9-0 victory but he was not credited with an official no-hitter.

Following the disappointing season, the Red Sox won the right to negotiate with Japanese star pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka and signed him in the proverbial 23rd hour of the negotiating window.

Following the 2005 season, the third and fourth levels of Fenway Park underwent massive renovations. The glass of the .406 Club, which had separated fans in the club from the field, was taken down and the space was split into two open-air seating areas: the EMC Club on the third level and the State Street Home Plate Pavilion Club above. The EMC Club offered its members ?? la carte dining, a dedicated concierge and three full service bars while the Home Plate Pavilion Club provided an upscale buffet to accommodate its larger capacity. Both clubs offered some of the best views of the field and provided Fenway Park with new year-round function space that has enabled many groups and parties to host events at the ballpark. The Red Sox Hall of Fame plaques also found a new home in the hallway outside the EMC Club

On the fourth level of the ballpark, in addition to the Home Plate Pavilion Club, the team replaced the roof box seats with the Pavilion Club and Box sections. This new pavilion level included new restrooms, concessions and concourse space while adding over 1,000 club and box seats, which increased Fenway Park's seating capacity to 35,108.

In addition to the construction of the State Street Pavilion Level and EMC Club, the team removed the centralized speaker cluster in center field and replaced it with a new distributed sound system to provide a greatly enhanced level of sound quality and coverage in the ballpark.

To improve ingress near Gate D, a new staircase was built at the corner of Yawkey Way and Van Ness Street that cut over the player's parking lot to join the back of the First Base Deck and the ramp at Gate D on the grandstand level.

On September 27, 2006 the right-field foul pole, nicknamed Pesky Pole for decades, was officially dedicated to Johnny Pesky, who celebrated his 87th birthday that day.

Fenway Park staged its first Futures at Fenway minor league doubleheader in 2006. The Lowell Spinners, Short-Season A Ball affiliate of the Red Sox in the New York-Penn League, beat the Oneonta Tigers in the first game, before the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox beat the Rochester Red Wings, 5-4. Earlier in the year, Boston College won the 2006 Baseball Beanpot at Fenway Park,

2006 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park

April 25 Boston College 10, Harvard 2 (Beanpot Championship)*

April 25 Northeastern 7, University of Massachusetts 6 (Beanpot Consolation)*

August 26 Futures at Fenway: Lowell Spinners 3, Oneonta Tigers 1

August 26 Futures at Fenway: Pawtucket Red Sox 5, Rochester Red Wings 4

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*Starting in 1990, Fenway Park has hosted the annual Baseball Beanpot, baseball's version of the longstanding Boston hockey tradition. Originally, the competition featured the same schools that battle for Hockey Beanpot: Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University and Harvard University. However, when BU dropped their baseball program after the 1995 season, the University of Massachusetts took their place. The Baseball Beanpot has been held at Fenway Park every year since its inception except for in 2004 and 2010, when the tournament was played at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, MA.

With the 2006 NCAA Women's Final Four being played in Boston, Fenway Park greeted basketball fans for a ballpark-wide party on April 1. At the end of May, Massachusetts Senior Senator Edward Kennedy hosted an event celebrating the release of his book "My Senator and Me." Fenway Park also welcomed a series of musical events in 2006: Dave Matthews Band and Sheryl Crow played at the park twice in July, while the group Train performed during a Microsoft Tech Ed Conference party in June. The second annual "Hot Stove, Cool Music" concert was moved into Fenway Park's Big Concourse due to rain but the acts, including an appearance by James Taylor, still put on a great show.

2006 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park

April 1 NCAA Women's Final Four Party

May 31 Senator Edward Kennedy Book Release Event

June 15 Microsoft Tech Ed Conference Party

June 19 Father's Day Walk

July 7-8 Dave Matthews Band and Sheryl Crow Concerts

July 12 Hot Stove, Cool Music Fenway Sessions Concert

August 13 Picnic in the Park

December 9 Christmas at Fenway

Record:?96-66, 1st in American League East
Manager:?Terry J. Francona
Attendance:?2,971,025
Postseason:?Won World Series

With newcomers Daisuke Matsuzaka, J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo aboard, the 2007 Red Sox took first place on April 18 and never left, earning their first American League East crown in 12 years.

Several memorable games from the 2007 season stood out. Down 6-2 against the Yankees on April 20, the Red Sox scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth in a come-from-behind victory. Two days later, fans at Fenway Park witnessed Manny Ramirez, newly acquired J. D. Drew, Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs off New York's Chase Wright. Their blasts traveled a combined 1,711 feet.

During 2007 the Red Sox honored the 1967 "Impossible Dream" team, who returned to Fenway Park throughout the year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their American League Championship season. The 2007 Red Sox staged a miracle themselves on Mother's Day when they rallied from a 5-0 deficit in the bottom of the ninth to beat Baltimore, 6-5.

Several new additions and young players made a crucial difference during the 2007 season. In just his second start on September 1, right-hander Clay Buchholz threw a no-hitter against the Orioles at Fenway Park. Matsuzaka also made a fine debut with a 15-12 record. His 201 strikeouts also set a Red Sox rookie record.

First-year second baseman Dustin Pedroia hit .317 and earned the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Pedroia helped to set the table for Mike Lowell, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, who led the team in runs batted in with 120, 117 and 88 RBIs, respectively.

After sweeping the Angels in the Division Series, the Red Sox drew a tough match-up with Cleveland in the ALCS. Boston won Game One behind the strong pitching of Josh Beckett (who led the staff with 20 wins during the regular season) but the Indians took the next three games and pushed Boston to the brink of elimination.

With their backs against the wall, the Red Sox mounted an impressive ALCS comeback for the second time in four years. Beckett stifled the Indians in Game Five before Curt Schilling and Matsuaka won the final two games of the series at Fenway Park to send the Red Sox to the World Series against the NL Champion Colorado Rockies.

In the first three games of the Fall Classic, the Red Sox used the same pitching order that had made the difference in their recent ALCS comeback: Beckett in the first game, Schilling in the second and Matsuzaka in the third. With Boston leading three games to none, 23-year old Jon Lester, who had courageously overcome non-Hodgkin's lymphoma the previous winter, took the ball in Game Four and threw 5 2/3 innings, propelling the Red Sox to a World Series-clinching victory. Lowell, who went 6 for 15 against Colorado, earned MVP honors and with their sweep of the Rockies, the Red Sox now boasted an eight-game winning streak in World Series play.

2007 Season
40th Anniversary Reunion of 1967 Impossible Dream Team

The Red Sox organization celebrated the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Impossible Dream team over the course of the 2007 season, inviting back members of the squad to take part in a variety of activities throughout the year.

Before the club's home opener against the Seattle Mariners on April 10, more than twenty members of the team returned and were given an enthusiastic reception by the Fenway Park crowd during pre-game ceremonies. In late May and early June, the second chapter in the season-long reunion took place. For a week and a half, the 1967 team travelled throughout New England making appearances and reliving their historic season.

In August, members of the team returned for a third visit, and took part in the 2007 WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon at Fenway Park. The 1967 players also joined members of Tony Conigliaro's family in paying tribute to their late friend and teammate during the visit. When the 2007 Red Sox reached the World Series, the Impossible Dream team was invited back for a fourth and final visit. Four decades after they revitalized Fenway Park, the members of the 1967 team were part of another historic season and helped bring a bit of magic to the ballpark once again.

In 2007, the Red Sox unveiled the Third Base Deck on top of the previously expanded Third Base Concourse. Constructed using space previously used by NESN before their move to Watertown, MA, the new deck provided concessions, restrooms and space at the back of the third-base grandstand seats. A new staircase provided access from the concourse below and connected each level of the ballpark. A similar set of stairs found on Yawkey Way, halfway between Gates A and D, improved access from the street to the grandstand level.

Two levels below the Third Base Deck, the Yaz Door area under the third-base seating bowl was renovated and a locker room for Fenway Park's ushers, ticket takers and security staff was built. The team used additional space in the vicinity to build an indoor batting cage for visiting teams, who had previously used the center-field cage.

Close to the staircase that joined Yawkey Way to the back of the grandstand, the 20 Yawkey Way entrance for EMC Club members and suite holders was renovated. In addition, a total of 26 private suites on that level received a major upgrade with new exterior seating and a remodeled interior.

After signing Japanese star Daisuke Matsuzaka over the winter, the team expanded the press box to create additional working space for Japanese media and also added a fourth level of seating in the written press box area with improved sightlines. In addition, the team increased the park's power supply and performed life safety upgrades.

With the success of the inaugural Futures at Fenway in 2006, Fenway Park brought back the minor league doubleheader the following year. In the 2007 iteration, the Lowell Spinners beat the Hudson Valley Renegades, before the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs defeated the Harrisburg Senators in the second game.

2007 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park

April 25 Northeastern 2, Boston College 0 (Beanpot Championship)*

April 25 Holy Cross 8, University of Massachusetts 3 (Beanpot Consolation)*

August 11 Futures at Fenway: Lowell Spinners 2, Hudson Valley Renegades 1

August 11 Futures at Fenway: Portland Sea Dogs 12, Harrisburg Senators 11

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*Starting in 1990, Fenway Park has hosted the annual Baseball Beanpot, baseball's version of the longstanding Boston hockey tradition. Originally, the competition featured the same schools that battle for Hockey Beanpot: Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University and Harvard University. However, when BU dropped their baseball program after the 1995 season, the University of Massachusetts took their place. The Baseball Beanpot has been held at Fenway Park every year since its inception except for in 2004 and 2010, when the tournament was played at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, MA.

Sting took the stage at Fenway Park in 2007, as The Police rocked the ballpark in late July. That same month, the "Life is Good at Fenway" festival raised over $800,000 for children in need and the inaugural Latino Family Festival was held at the ballpark. A pair of political fundraisers was also held at Fenway Park in 2007.

2007 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park

May 13 Mother's Day Run the Bases

June 17 Father's Day Catch

June 24 Fundraiser for Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney

July 7 Life Is Good Festival

July 8 Latino Family Festival

July 15 Picnic in the Park

July 17 Hot Stove, Cool Music Fenway Sessions Concert

July 28-29 Police Concerts

August 6 National Council of State Legislators Event

December 2 Fundraiser for Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama

December 15 Christmas at Fenway

Record:?95-67, 2nd in American League East (Wild Card)
Manager:?Terry J. Francona
Attendance:?3,048,248
Postseason:?Won American League Division Series

The 2008 Red Sox season started in Japan, where the team played Oakland twice then flew back to the states to play an exhibition against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the LA Coliseum. Daisuke Matsuzaka started both the season opener in Tokyo and the Fenway Park home opener, which he won by a 5-0 margin on his way to an 18-3 season.

On May 19, Jon Lester threw a no-hitter against Kansas City at Fenway Park, the second in two years by a Red Sox pitcher after Clay Buchholz accomplished the feat in 2007. Jason Varitek, who also caught Buchholz, became the only catcher in baseball history to catch four no-hitters.

The Red Sox stayed at the top of the division for most of the year but the early months weren't without controversy. After a turbulent first half that included confrontations in the clubhouse and dugout, Manny Ramirez was sent to the Dodgers in a trade deadline deal that brought Jason Bay to Boston from the Pirates.

A year after being named the AL Rookie of the Year, Dustin Pedroia won the AL MVP with a .326 batting average, while Kevin Youkilis, the team leader in home runs (29) and RBIs (115), placed third in the voting.

Boston and Tampa Bay vied for the AL East throughout the summer but the Rays pulled ahead in the season's final few weeks. Boston won the Wild Card and for the third time in four years, the Red Sox bounced the Angels in the ALDS and set up an ALCS tilt with Tampa.

It seemed like a reprise of the 2007 ALCS as the Red Sox fell behind 3-1 in the series before winning Games Five and Six. But in Game Seven, Rays' starter Matt Garza surrendered just one run and young lefty David Price closed the door on a 3-1 Tampa victory. The Red Sox came close but the chance to play in consecutive World Series for the first time since 1915 and 1916 was not meant to be.

In 2008, the club repaired and waterproofed the concrete seating bowl in the bleachers and replaced all of the bleacher seats. At the same time, the area under the bleachers that was previously used as a batting cage was gutted and remodeled as a restaurant and bar, which opened in 2008 as The Bleacher Bar featuring a window into Fenway Park.

In addition to replacing the bleacher seats, the team continued work on the State Street Pavilion Level by adding more than 800 seats, which increased Fenway Park's seating capacity to 37,400. Most of the new seats were installed on the third-base side of the pavilion level, 412 of which were unveiled as the family-friendly Coca-Cola Corner. The seating area featured a new Coca-Cola sign, which was inspired by the historic sign that used to exist off Storrow Drive in Brighton, MA, and the three 25-foot high Coke bottles that had hung on the left-field light tower since 1997 were taken down. At the top of the pavilion level, eight new private suites, available on a single-game basis, replaced the six that were housed in the temporary boxes built for the 1999 All-Star Game and 12 more privates suites on the EMC Level below were renovated in the same fashion as the 26 that were redone the year before.

To improve circulation, a new staircase was built from the concourse near Gate A to the top of the grandstand behind third base and a new elevator was installed in left-field area to serve all levels of the ballpark. In addition, four new LED scoreboards were installed on the EMC Level fa?ade in right and left-field to provide more detailed game information and on September 28, 2008, the fa?ade of the right field roof got its own addition when Johnny Pesky's #6 was officially retired.

After the University of Massachusetts won the 2008 Baseball Beanpot at Fenway Park in April, the third annual Futures at Fenway took place On August 9. That day, Red Sox affiliates Lowell and Pawtucket both won and with their victories, Red Sox minor league teams improved to 6-0 in Futures at Fenway games.

2008 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park

April 15 University of Massachusetts 4, Boston College 3 (Beanpot Championship)*

April 16 Northeastern 7, Harvard 6 (10 innings) (Beanpot Consolation)*

August 9 Futures at Fenway: Lowell Spinners 4, Hudson Valley Renegades 3 (12 Innings)

August 9 Futures at Fenway: Pawtucket Red Sox 5, Charlotte Knights 2

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*Starting in 1990, Fenway Park has hosted the annual Baseball Beanpot, baseball's version of the longstanding Boston hockey tradition. Originally, the competition featured the same schools that battle for Hockey Beanpot: Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University and Harvard University. However, when BU dropped their baseball program after the 1995 season, the University of Massachusetts took their place. The Baseball Beanpot has been held at Fenway Park every year since its inception except for in 2004 and 2010, when the tournament was played at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, MA.

Three recent traditions kicked off Fenway Park's non-baseball events calendar in 2008, with walks on Mother's Day and Father's Day, as well as the Red Sox Foundation's Picnic in the Park on June 22. In late August, Fenway Park hosted a concert by Neil Diamond, whose song "Sweet Caroline" has become a sing-along tradition at the ballpark during the 8th inning of every Red Sox home game. The following month, Fenway Park held its first naturalization ceremony and more than 3,000 new citizens were sworn in.

2008 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park

May 11 Mother's Day Walk

June 3 Comcast Latino Family Festival

June 15 Father's Day Walk

June 22 Picnic in the Park

August 23 Neil Diamond Concert

September 17 Naturalization Ceremony

December 13 Christmas at Fenway

Record:?95-67, 2nd in American League East (Wild Card)
Manager:?Terry J. Francona
Attendance:?3,062,699
Postseason:?Played in American League Division Series

Entering the 2009 season the Red Sox added veterans Brad Penny and John Smoltz to the pitching staff but neither hurler performed as anticipated.

Jason Bay met every expectation in his first full year with the Red Sox and hit 36 homers while collecting 119 RBIs. While Bay supplied power, fellow outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury provided game-changing speed. Ellsbury stole an MLB-best 70 bases in 2009 and broke Tommy Harper's club-record of 54. The center fielder also set a team record on April 12 when he played in his 179th consecutive game without an error. Fourteen days after that, Ellsbury pulled off a straight steal of home plate in a win over the visiting Yankees.

David Ortiz didn't drill a home run until May 20 but he rebounded to hit 28 homers with 99 RBIs. Right behind Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis hit 27 home runs and J.D. Drew contributed 24.

Though the Red Sox led the division for most of June and July, they didn't stand pat at the trading deadline and acquired catcher Victor Martinez from the Indians. In August, the team also traded for veteran reliever Billy Wagner and reacquired shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who was the starting shortstop for the Red Sox in 2006.

The Red Sox slumped towards the end of the season but clinched the Wild Card on September 29 after a loss by the Texas Rangers. For the fourth time in sixth years, the Red Sox met the Angels in the ALDS but this time the Halos exacted a measure of revenge and eliminated Boston with an abrupt sweep.

As part of the 2009 improvements to Fenway Park, the original 1912 lower seating bowl, between sections 14 and 28, was repaired and waterproofed. The project replaced Dugout Seats, Field Box seats and Loge Box seats, while refurbishing and reinstalling the original wooden grandstand seats that were installed in 1934. Additionally, the removal of asphalt, which had been poured for decades, lowered the central aisle between the Field Box and Loge Box seats by approximately eight inches, resulted in improved views of the playing field for fans sitting in the lower rows of the Loge Boxes. Existing wheelchair and companion seating locations were also improved with better sightlines as well.

The Right Field Roof was also repaired and expanded for the 2009 season and approximately 560 new seats were added to the area, along with new restrooms, concessions and additional dedicated standing room space with drink rails. The renovation created the Cumberland Farms Deck above the Right Field Roof Box Seats. This new section added stools with drink rails and a standing room section on a new wood-decked terrace. The Budweiser Right Field Roof Deck was also expanded with 28 new seats at tables, including five new ADA locations and an extended standing room platform. Additional work on the roof in the right-field area included the renovation of the R19, R20, and R21 suites, concluding the improvements to the EMC Level suites that began after the 2006 season.

The roof of the Jeano Building next door to Fenway Park, which serves as the home of the Red Sox Front Offices, visiting team's batting cage, Third Base Deck, Third Base Concourse and Game On!, was also replaced during the offseason. The building, which was built in 1914, also had its windows fully restored along with the 4 Yawkey Way entry, the main entrance to the Red Sox Front Office. Nearby, the club transformed the Gate A ticket booths into display cases honoring several of the team's American League and World Championship seasons.

During the season, on July 12, 2009 the Red Sox dedicated the Center Field Flagpole to Red Sox legend Dom DiMaggio, who had patrolled Fenway's outfield from 1940-1952 and who passed away earlier in the year. Later in July, the Red Sox honored another Red Sox hero when they officially retired Jim Rice's #14 on July 28.

As soon as the 2009 baseball season at Fenway Park concluded, construction began in the left-field area of the park, where the grandstand seats that were installed in 1934 were removed and the process of repairing and waterproofing the concrete beneath the seats began. By early December, as the club prepared to install a hockey rink on Fenway Park's field to host the NHL Winter Classic and Fenway Sports Group's Frozen Fenway games at the start of 2010, new grandstand seats were installed in left field as temporary replacements of the 1934 seats, which would be refurbished and reinstalled in 2011 . On December 10, installation of the skating rink, (whose approximate position was from first base to third base) commenced and on-ice events started on December 17.

The Baseball Beanpot and Futures at Fenway returned to the ballpark in 2009, along with the reprise of the Cape Code Baseball League All-Star Game. In the first Fenway Park edition of the game held using the intra-league format, the Western All-Stars shutout the Eastern All-Stars.

2009 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park

April 13 Northeastern 5, University of Massachusetts 3 (Beanpot Championship)*

April 13 Boston College 9, Harvard 5 (Beanpot Consolation)*

July 23 Cape Cod League All-Star Game: Western All-Stars 3, Eastern All-Stars 0**

August 8 Futures at Fenway: Portland Sea Dogs 3, Bowie Baysox 2

August 8 Futures at Fenway: Norfolk Tides 7, Pawtucket Red Sox 3

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*Starting in 1990, Fenway Park has hosted the annual Baseball Beanpot, baseball's version of the longstanding Boston hockey tradition. Originally, the competition featured the same schools that battle for Hockey Beanpot: Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University and Harvard University. However, when BU dropped their baseball program after the 1995 season, the University of Massachusetts took their place. The Baseball Beanpot has been held at Fenway Park every year since its inception except for in 2004 and 2010, when the tournament was played at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, MA.

**From 1975 to 1987, on a biennial basis, Fenway Park hosted an all-star game between the Cape Code Baseball League and the Atlantic Collegiate League. The all-star game alternated between Fenway Park and sites closer to the ACL's teams, such as Yankee Stadium and Veterans Stadium. In 1988, the Cape Cod Baseball League returned to an intra-league format for their annual all-star game and in 2009, Cape Code League All-Stars returned to Fenway Park for the Cape Cod League All-Star Game, which was played again in 2010.

While the Red Sox surged to their third consecutive postseason berth in 2009, Fenway Park was also busy with concerts. Dave Matthews Band and Phish performed at the end of May, while Sir Paul McCartney brought his legendary act to the ballpark in early August. In September, scenes from the movie "The Town" were filmed in and around the ballpark and that same month, Fenway Park hosted its first bridal festival.

2009 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park

May 10 Mother's Day Walk

May 29 & 30 Dave Matthews Band Concerts

May 31 Phish Concert

June 21 Father's Day Walk

June 23 Democratic National Committee Fundraiser featuring Vice President Joe Biden

July 5 Picnic in the Park

August 2 Comcast Latino Family Festival

August 5 & 6 Paul McCartney Concerts

September Filming of "The Town"

September 27 Fenway Bridal Festival

December 12 Christmas at Fenway