Sports
Boston celebrates sports and history on Patriots Day.
words by > Cecil Harris
Boston has long been a sports-mad city, brimming with athletic history. At no other time is that more true than on April 16, Patriots Day. Fans will begin by watching their beloved Red Sox take on the Los Angeles Angels at Fenway Park, the major leagues’ oldest baseball stadium. The day continues with the Boston Marathon, the world’s oldest annual road race.
Patriots Day was originally observed on April 19 in honor of the Revolutionary War battles of Lexington and Concord, which took place on that day in 1775. Since 1969, Patriots Day has been the third Monday in April.
This year, Patriots Day comes the day before the 95th anniversary of Fenway Park, providing yet another reason to celebrate this baseball stadium’s nostalgic charm. Fenway has a hand-operated scoreboard inside the “Green Monster,” a 37-foot wall in left field. Watch the game from the Monster seats—added in 2003 at $50 a piece—or popular right-field, roof-deck seats. Stadium tours cost $12 for adults, $10 for children.
After the game, fans spill out onto Kenmore Square, near the 25-mile mark of the Boston Marathon, to catch the end of the race. More than 25,000 runners participate—world-class athletes alongside weekend amateurs—in a race first held in 1897. Chestnut Hill, more commonly known as “Heartbreak Hill,” near Boston College, is the most formidable part of the 26.2-mile course.
The Boston Marathon, once strictly for locals, has become an international event, attracting some of the planet’s greatest long distance runners. It is part of the World Marathon Majors series that also includes races in Chicago in October and New York City in November.
Basketball lovers seeking fun outside the city can head an hour and a half west to Springfield, home of the Basketball Hall of Fame, where the game’s rich history is on display alongside interactive games.
This April, there’s something for every type of sports fan in Boston and its surrounding area.
Check it out
World-class runners like Fasil Bizuneh rave about the New Balance RC205, a shoe made for distances up to a marathon. It’s lightweight and comfortable yet provides strong support and excellent shock absorption in the heel. Bizuneh, an Indianapolis native, wore his while winning the Dallas Half-Marathon and finishing second in the USA Half-Marathon Championships. $91.95 www.newbalance.com
Sporting Event Calendar
April 2-8
The Masters, Augusta National Country Club, Augusta, Georgia This year, defending champion Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and the rest of golf’s elite battle for the coveted green jacket in the year’s first Grand Slam tournament.
April 9-15
US Men’s Clay Court Championships, Westside Tennis Club, Houston Andy Roddick is a three-time champion of this event, which leaves Houston after this year. First held in 1910, the tournament is America’s second-oldest national championship, after the US Open.
April 20-22
St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field, Chicago Play ball! Just a few weeks into the baseball season, the Cubs—after having added manager Lou Piniella, $136 million left fielder Alfonso Soriano and $40 million pitcher Ted Lilly—seek dividends in their first series against their longstanding rivals and defending World Series champions.