The Fenway Flashback Strikes Back

I'll never forget the first time I saw Star Wars.

My dad woke up one fine Saturday morning (July 23, 1977 to be exact) and announced to my brother and I "Call up a friend, I'm taking you to the ballgame!" We each rallied a friend and off we went to Fenway.

Back in those days it was fairly routine to go to the park on game day and get tickets. Even though it was only two years removed from the great 1975 team, Fenway rarely sold out. You could always get bleacher seats (they were actually bleachers back then too). So off we went through Newton, past Boston College, through Cleveland Circle and down Commonwealth Avenue towards Fenway.

We were particularly excited because a young pitching phenom named Dennis Eckersley was pitching for the visiting Indians. I was going to be quite a day.

Dad parked the car in his secret spot and we walked a few blocks to Fenway and went to the ticket office. No seats available there-"try the bleachers" said the gal at the counter. We went around to the other side of the park to the bleacher gate and to our shock, there were no seats available there either. A sellout at Fenway! It was unheard of!

Now my father had four very disappointed boys on his hands. He rallied quickly. "How about we go see that new Star Wars movie? It's playing at the Cleveland Circle Cinema."

A resounding "YEAH!" from the boys assured him the afternoon wouldn't be a failure after all.

We motored over to the cinema and got tickets. Dad bought us whatever we wanted at the concession stand to further establish his expertise in averting a disastrous day.

After the movie got out, we found out the Sox lost to Cleveland 9-8. We were very happy about our good fortune at not having wasted a day on a Sox loss. Plus we got to see "the awesomest movie EVAH!"

I have seen Star Wars (and all its sequels) dozens of times since that day, but it will forever be a Fenway Flashback memory for me.