The 1964 Boston Red Sox (Credit: Boston Red Sox)
Fenway Park Timeline
1960-1969
1960
In his last season, Ted Williams went out in style and hit a home run in his last-bat on September 28 at Fenway Park. In early August, the ballpark hosted a group of Jehovah's Witnesses who convened for a four-day assembly.
Record: 65-89, 7th in American League
Manager: William F. Jurges (15-27), Michael F. Higgins (48-57), Del Baker (2-5)
Attendance: 1,129,866
After their fifth place finish the year before, the Red Sox entered the 1960 season without much hope. The team ended up at 65-89, 32 games behind New York.
With the end of Ted Williams' career, Jackie Jensen's offseason retirement and Pinky Higgins' deterioration, rumors swirled that the club could be sold. A group headed by Leo Durocher made a multi-million offer but Tom Yawkey squelched the rumors. Yawkey saved a little money when Williams, following his poor season in 1959, asked for a nearly 30% pay cut heading into 1960.
A year after integrating themselves, the Red Sox played the Indians in two spring training games in New Orleans, desegregating baseball in the city.
Manager Billy Jurges was frustrated and took a leave of absence on June 10, replaced by GM Pinky Higgins. One week later, Ted Williams hit the 500th home run of his career. Williams also drew his 2,000th career walk during the 1960 season, setting the career mark for patience at the plate by walking in 20.64% of his plate appearances.
Second baseman Pete Runnels hit .320, capturing the American League batting title that had eluded him when Williams beat him out on the final day of the 1958 campaign. Boston's pitching staff was led Medford, MA native Bill Monbouquette, who was an All-Star Game starter in 1960 at the age of 23.
But it was Ted Williams who stole the show in 1960. On September 24 on Jimmy Fund Day at Fenway Park, Archbishop of Boston Richard Cushing stood on the field with Williams as Ted was honored for his efforts to help fight childhood cancer. Four days later, on September 28, the Red Sox faced Baltimore in their last home game of the season. In the eighth inning, Williams stepped to the plate against Baltimore starter Jack Fisher and hammered the third pitch he saw into the Red Sox bullpen for his 521st career home run. It was Williams' final career at-bat.
September 28, 1960
"The Kid" Exits the Fenway Park Stage with a Bang
Though Red Sox fans expected Ted Williams to end his outstanding career on the final weekend of the 1960 regular season in New York, Williams privately told the team that he preferred to conclude his career in Boston. On a cold and damp Wednesday afternoon on September 28, Williams labored mightily to end with a flourish before just 10,454 fans. A deep drive off the slugger's bat in the fifth inning went a long way, but the heavy air knocked the ball down and kept it in the park. With the Red Sox trailing 4-2 in the eighth inning, Williams stepped into the batter's box against Baltimore starter Jack Fisher. On Fisher's third pitch, the Splendid Splinter hammered the ball into the Red Sox bullpen for a home run in his final major league at-bat.
The Fenway Park crowd stood and cheered hoping that Williams would tip his hat, but the Red Sox left fielder couldn't do something he had refused to do for the last 20 years. He crossed home with his head down and disappeared into the dugout. Manager Pinky Higgins sent Williams out to left field to start the ninth but quickly replaced him with Carroll Hardy before the inning started. This switch provided Williams with one last opportunity to tip his cap but again he refused and jogged into the dugout for the last time.
Williams only collected 310 at-bats in 1960 but he finished his prolific career in style thanks to a lofty 1.096 OPS. He also hit 29 home runs - one per 10.7 at bats - in his farewell season.
As part of the 1960 Mayor's Charity Field Day at Fenway Park, Eddie Pellagrini's Major League All-Stars were scheduled to play a team of Greater Boston College All-Stars. In spite of a heavy rain, the field day was still held but the baseball game was cancelled. In August, two William Randolph Hearst Sandlot tournament games were held, with Bob Guindon and Mike Ryan taking home MVP honors in the first contest. The next day, Tony Conigliaro and Walt Hriniak played for the Record All-Stars team.
1960 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park
June 14Mayor's Charity Field Day: Major League All-Stars vs. Greater Boston College All-Stars Game Cancelled*
August 5William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Record All-Stars 7, American All-Stars 0
August 6William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Record All-Stars 6, American All-Stars 3
*For many years, the City of Boston regularly held a summertime Mayor's Charity Field Day. Many of these field days took place at Fenway Park, with a variety of sports, games, activities and other amusements for the crowds. In certain years, the Mayor's Charity Field Day even included an abbreviated baseball game at Fenway Park that was usually played between local teams.
In August 1960, a group of Jehovah's Witnesses assembled at Fenway Park for a four-day Bible research and training assembly. August 14, the fourth and final day of activities, drew the largest crowd, with 28,468 people in attendance according to the Boston Globe. In October, a pair of local football clubs played a relatively low-scoring game.
1960 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park
January 28Junior Goodwill Dinner*
June 14Mayor's Charity Field Day**
August 11-14Bible Research and Training Assembly of Jehovah's Witnesses
October 9Jefferson Club of Roxbury 16, Crowley Club 9 (Football)
*For several years, Fenway Park hosted a Junior Goodwill Dinner that brought hundreds of local high school students to the ballpark. The tradition was started by Red Sox legend Joe Cronin and the event typically took place in late January.
**For many years, the City of Boston regularly held a summertime Mayor's Charity Field Day. Many of these field days took place at Fenway Park, with a variety of sports, games, activities and other amusements for the crowds. In certain years, the Mayor's Charity Field Day even included an abbreviated baseball game at Fenway Park that was usually played between local teams.
1961
On July 31, 1961, Fenway Park hosted its second Major League Baseball All-Star Game, which ended in a 1-1 tie. Absent from the AL roster was Ted Williams, who had retired the after the previous season. Williams was gone but an able replacement named Carl Yastrzemski took his place in front of the Green Monster in 1961.
Record: 76-86, 6th in American League
Manager: Michael F. Higgins
Attendance: 850,589
Though it took a while to right the ship, 1961 was the dawn of a new era. A rookie named Carl Yastrzemski took over for Ted Williams in left field. The thought of replacing a legend caused Yaz anxiety at the start, but Fenway Park became his home for the next 23 years of a Hall of Fame career.
Gene Conley, who'd won a third consecutive world championship ring for the Boston Celtics, rushed to join the Red Sox for a late spring training and won 11 games during the 1961 season. Don Schwall's 15 wins led the staff and Monbouquette recorded 14 victories.
On April 18, the club hosted the annual Red Sox-Boston Globe Baseball Clinic on. A particularly large number of Red Sox players offered tips and advice as part of the year's event, including Gary Geiger, Pumpsie Green, Jackie Jensen, Frank Malzone, Bill Monbouquette, Chet Nichols, Jim Pagliaroni, Pete Runnels, Chuck Schilling, Vic Wertz and Yastrzemski, as well as team manager Mike Higgins and members of his coaching staff.
Runnels had a team-leading .317 batting average and Geiger topped the club with 18 home runs, including an August 8 inside-the-park grand slam at Fenway Park. On June 18, the Red Sox played an exciting Father's Day doubleheader against the Washington Senators. Though the Boston trailed 12-5 in the bottom of the ninth of the first game, catcher Pagliaroni hit a game-tying grand slam and Russ Nixon's single won it. In the nightcap, Pagliaroni hit a home run in the 13th to win the game.
On July 30, 1961, Fenway Park hosted the MLB All-Star Game for the first time since 1946. During this era, baseball held two All-Star Games each season, and Fenway Park hosted the second game of 1961. Ted Williams returned to the ballpark to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the game.
The Red Sox finished with a record of 76-86, as two expansion franchises debuted and the league changed to a 162-game schedule.
Red Sox-Boston Globe Baseball Clinic
In the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s, the Red Sox organization and the Boston Globe teamed up to hold a regular baseball clinic at Fenway Park for thousands of local youth ballplayers. The event was initially called a "Spring training camp" for Massachusetts youngsters who had the opportunity to receive instruction from some of the Red Sox biggest names. The full Boston coaching staff and several players often attended, with upwards of ten players taking part in certain years. Among those who provided lessons was Bill Monbouquette, a Medford, Massachusetts native who had previously attended the clinic as an audience member when he was pitching in high school.
Red Sox-Boston Globe Baseball Clinic Dates
April 12, 1952
April 25, 1953
May 1, 1954
April 16, 1955
April 26, 1958
April 22, 1959
May 7, 1960
April 18, 1961
May 5, 1962
April 27, 1963
May 2, 1964
April 21, 1965
May 21, 1966
April 29, 1967
April 20, 1968
May 17, 1969
May 16, 1970
June 17, 1972
May 25, 1974
July 31, 1961
Fenway Park Hosts 2nd All-Star Game of 1961 Season
Fenway Park hosted the second All-Star game in the ballpark's history in 1961. The game was also the second one played that summer, as baseball tried holding two midsummer classics per season for a five year period. Under this short-lived set-up, the first game customarily took place on the second Tuesday of July, while the second one was held at the end of the same month.
Even with 21 future Hall of Famers on the rosters, Fenway Park didn't sell out and only 31,851 showed up to watch the festivities. Recently-retired Red Sox legend Ted Williams threw out the ceremonial first pitch, which he also had the honor of doing before the 1953 All-Star Game (right after he had returned from serving in the Korean War).
The American League got on the board quickly thanks to Detroit's Rocky Colavito, who hit a change-up off NL starting pitcher Bob Purkey over the Green Monster in the first inning. The AL used just a trio of pitchers in the game, as Jim Bunning, Don Schwall and Camilio Pascual each tossed three innings. The lone representative of the Red Sox, Don Schwall surrendered the National League's lone run on an infield hit by Bill White that scored Eddie Matthews. At the end of the season, Schwall earned American League Rookie of the Year honors.
The National League pitching staff matched the excellence of the AL hurlers. Art Mahaffey and Sandy Koufax followed Purkey and each tossed two shutout innings, while Stu Miller pitched the latter three frames and recorded five strikeouts.
Practically at the same time as the ninth inning's final out was recorded the skies opened up. The tarp was placed on the field and Commissioner Ford Frick called the game a tie after just 30 minutes of waiting. Half an hour later, the sun was shining and many believed that Frick had acted too quickly. However, the game was already in the books as a 1-1 nine-inning draw.
From 1959 to 1962, Major League Baseball held two All-Star games each summer. Fenway Park hosted the second All-Star Game of 1961 on July 31 but the game was called after nine innings due to rain. This midsummer classic was the first such game to end in a tie.
1961 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park
July 31MLB All-Star Game: American League 1, National League 1 (Tie)
August 11William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Record All-Stars 1, American All-Stars 0
August 12William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: American All-Stars 5, Record All-Stars 3
July 31, 1961
Fenway Park Hosts 2nd All-Star Game of 1961 Season
Fenway Park hosted the second All-Star game in the ballpark's history in 1961. The game was also the second one played that summer, as baseball tried holding two midsummer classics per season for a five year period. Under this short-lived set-up, the first game customarily took place on the second Tuesday of July, while the second one was held at the end of the same month.
Even with 21 future Hall of Famers on the rosters, Fenway Park didn't sell out and only 31,851 showed up to watch the festivities. Recently-retired Red Sox legend Ted Williams threw out the ceremonial first pitch, which he also had the honor of doing before the 1953 All-Star Game (right after he had returned from serving in the Korean War).
The American League got on the board quickly thanks to Detroit's Rocky Colavito, who hit a change-up off NL starting pitcher Bob Purkey over the Green Monster in the first inning. The AL used just a trio of pitchers in the game, as Jim Bunning, Don Schwall and Camilio Pascual each tossed three innings. The lone representative of the Red Sox, Don Schwall surrendered the National League's lone run on an infield hit by Bill White that scored Eddie Matthews. At the end of the season, Schwall earned American League Rookie of the Year honors.
The National League pitching staff matched the excellence of the AL hurlers. Art Mahaffey and Sandy Koufax followed Purkey and each tossed two shutout innings, while Stu Miller pitched the latter three frames and recorded five strikeouts.
Practically at the same time as the ninth inning's final out was recorded the skies opened up. The tarp was placed on the field and Commissioner Ford Frick called the game a tie after just 30 minutes of waiting. Half an hour later, the sun was shining and many believed that Frick had acted too quickly. However, the game was already in the books as a 1-1 nine-inning draw.
The Junior Goodwill Dinner (an annual treat for local high school youths) and Mayor's Charity Field Day returned to Fenway Park in 1961, with the second event including a dog show, jugglers, dance teams and performances by entertainers Cab Calloway, Jerry Vale and Frankie Laine.
1961 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park
January 25Junior Goodwill Dinner*
June 20Mayor's Charity Field Day**
*For several years, Fenway Park hosted a Junior Goodwill Dinner that brought hundreds of local high school students to the ballpark. The tradition was started by Red Sox legend Joe Cronin and the event typically took place in late January.
**For many years, the City of Boston regularly held a summertime Mayor's Charity Field Day. Many of these field days took place at Fenway Park, with a variety of sports, games, activities and other amusements for the crowds. In certain years, the Mayor's Charity Field Day even included an abbreviated baseball game at Fenway Park that was usually played between local teams.
1962
On May 19 before the Red Sox game at Fenway Park, the club celebrated Armed Forces Day and 100 New Englanders were inducted into the US Air Force. The Red Sox finished with a losing record again, though two Boston pitchers threw no hitters in 1962, including Earl Wilson's gem at Fenway Park in June, the first by an African-American pitcher in the American League. Fans at the park were able to see the lineup that Wilson faced on the new electronic lineup board that was installed on the left-field wall before the season.
Record: 76-84, 8th in American League
Manager: Michael F. Higgins
Attendance: 733,080
Though there were a few individual accomplishments, 1962 was another down year for the Red Sox and attendance at Fenway Park dropped by more than 100,000 fans.
On April 21, the club held Golden Anniversary Day at Fenway Park, as the team celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 1912 World Series-winning Red Sox. Surviving members of the team Hugh Bedient, Bill Carrigan, Ray Collins, Larry Gardner, Olaf Henriksen, Harry Hooper, Duffy Lewis, Joe Wood and Steve Yerkes were in attendance.
Pete Runnels won his second batting title with a .326 average and Carl Yastrzemski improved in his sophomore season, hitting 19 home runs and collecting 94 RBIs with a .296 average. Frank Malzone led the team with 21 home runs and 85 RBIs.
Bill Monbouquette and Gene Conley each won 15 games, while 6'6," 230-pound Dick Radatz led the league in appearances and saves, winning Fireman of the Year honors with a 9-6 record and 2.24 ERA.
On June 26, Earl Wilson became the first African-American to throw a no-hitter in the AL when he no-hit the Angels at Fenway Park. Just over a month later, Bill Monbouquette threw his own no-hitter in Chicago.
Midway through the season, Gene Conley and Pumpsie Green left the team bus while it was stuck in New York traffic and went AWOL. Though Green returned the next day, Conley tried to board a plane for Israel without a passport three days later.
Though the end of the season was anticlimactic, the club made a few important moves in the final months of 196. In September, the Red Sox signed 17-year-old Tony Conigliaro of Swampscott, MA. In early October, Johnny Pesky replaced Pinky Higgins as manager and in late November, the team dealt Runnels to Houston for outfielder Roman Mejias.
In 1962, the lineups of both teams were posted on the left-field scoreboard for the first time. The electronic display showed the number and position of each player and was used through 1975, when a new electronic board was built on top of the bleachers in center field for the 1976 season. In addition, a row of seats was added to the roof boxes and the press room was refurbished after being destroyed by a fire in late March.
The American All-Stars defeated the Record All-Stars in a pair of one-run games in the 1962 William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament at Fenway Park.
1962 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park
July 31William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: American All-Stars 8, Record All-Stars 7
August 1William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: American All-Stars 5, Record All-Stars 4
Before the Red Sox game on May 19, 100 natives of Massachusetts and Rhode Island were inducted into the United States Air Force as part of Armed Forces Day. Exactly one month later, performers Zsa Zsa Gabor and Dennis Day appeared at the Mayor's Charity Field Day.
1962 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park
January 24Junior Goodwill Dinner*
May 19Armed Forces Day: 100 New Englanders Inducted Into US Air Force
June 19Mayor's Charity Field Day**
*For several years, Fenway Park hosted a Junior Goodwill Dinner that brought hundreds of local high school students to the ballpark. The tradition was started by Red Sox legend Joe Cronin and the event typically took place in late January.
**For many years, the City of Boston regularly held a summertime Mayor's Charity Field Day. Many of these field days took place at Fenway Park, with a variety of sports, games, activities and other amusements for the crowds. In certain years, the Mayor's Charity Field Day even included an abbreviated baseball game at Fenway Park that was usually played between local teams.
1963
In 1963, the Boston Patriots began playing their home football games at Fenway Park, which also featured the annual Mayor's Charity Field Day that year along with another Harlem Globetrotters game. On the diamond, several young Red Sox players gained valuable experience in 1963 but the team finished with 76 wins for the third season in a row.
Record: 76-85, 7th in American League
Manager: John M. Pesky
Attendance: 942,642
Several players truly came into their own in 1963, with 43-year old former Red Sox shortstop Johnny Pesky at the helm. Pesky had the team playing inspired baseball and through their June 28 game, Boston was 10 games over .500 and only 1½ games behind the Yankees.
It's been said that one play in the June 27 game changed the course of the 1963 season. The Red Sox trailed, 6-3, with two on and one out in the bottom of the eighth. Dick Williams belted a long drive destined for the Red Sox bullpen but Cleveland right fielder Al Luplow dove over the wall, landing just inches from the bullpen mound. A run scored on the sacrifice but Bressoud grounded out and ended the threat. The Red Sox went to Yankee Stadium and dropped four of the next five games and by the time the season was over they were in seventh place with a 76-85 record.
Bill Monbouquette became Boston's first 20-game winner since Mel Parnell and Carl Yastrzemski won his first batting title with a .321 average. Newly-acquired first baseman Dick Stuart led the league with 118 RBIs and finished with an impressive 42 home runs, winning Comeback Player of the Year honors.
Dick Radatz had one of the greatest years ever for any closer, finishing with a 15-6 record, 1.97 ERA and 162 strikeouts in 132? innings. Nicknamed "The Monster," Radatz appeared in the All-Star Game and had five strikeouts in two innings.
For the second straight year, the American All-Stars swept the Record All-Stars in the William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament games at Fenway Park.
1963 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park
August 1William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: American All-Stars 8, Record All-Stars 3
August 1William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: American All-Stars 6, Record All-Stars 3
In 1963, the Boston Red Sox and Boston Patriots agreed to a contract allowing the Patriots to play their home games at Fenway Park. In their first season playing at Fenway Park, the American Football League's Boston Patriots won six of their home games, en route to clinching a playoff berth. The Patriots opened their Fenway stint in grand fashion, beating the Oakland Raiders, 20-14, before a crowd of 26,494 on October 11. The Patriots' lone home loss came at the hands of the eventual league-champion San Diego Chargers, to whom the Patriots would fall in the AFL title game. Earlier in the year, the Mayor's Charity Field Day at Fenway Park showcased a softball game between a team of local media personalities and a team of local boxers. On the team of pugilists was Tony DeMarco and future Massachusetts State Auditor Joe DeNucci. The Harlem Globetrotters also returned to Fenway Park in August 1963 and played a team of US All-Stars.
1963 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park
January 24Junior Goodwill Dinner*
July 1Mayor's Charity Field Day**
August 23Harlem Globetrotters vs. US All-Stars (Basketball)
September 8Boston Patriots 38, New York Jets 18 (Football)
October 11Boston Patriots 20, Oakland Raiders 14 (Football)
October 18Boston Patriots 40, Denver Broncos 21 (Football)
November 1Boston Patriots 45, Houston Oilers 3 (Football)
November 10San Diego Chargers 7, Boston Patriots 6 (Football)
November 17Kansas City Chiefs 24, Boston Patriots 24 (Football)
December 1Boston Patriots 17, Buffalo Bills 7 (Football)
*For several years, Fenway Park hosted a Junior Goodwill Dinner that brought hundreds of local high school students to the ballpark. The tradition was started by Red Sox legend Joe Cronin and the event typically took place in late January.
**For many years, the City of Boston regularly held a summertime Mayor's Charity Field Day. Many of these field days took place at Fenway Park, with a variety of sports, games, activities and other amusements for the crowds. In certain years, the Mayor's Charity Field Day even included an abbreviated baseball game at Fenway Park that was usually played between local teams.
December 1, 1963
Patriots Defeat Buffalo 17-7 At Fenway Park
Patriots Head Coach Mike Holovak had enjoyed fame at Fenway Park as an All-American back at Boston College during the Frank Leahy glory days in the late 1930s and early 1940s. His Patriots won perhaps their most significant game as tenants of Fenway Park when they beat the rival Bills on December 1, 1963, in front of a crowd of slightly less than 17,000.
Asked about his team's title hopes after the game, Holovak observed, "It's up to us now. We just got what we asked for and now we can win it all by ourselves. It's up to us." (Bennington (VT) Banner, December 2, 1963)
After the December 1 game, the Patriots split their last two regular season contests on the road and finished tied with the Bills in the Eastern Division. On December 28, the Patriots and Bills met in Buffalo for an extra game to decide the AFL Eastern Division. After defeating the Bills in swirling snow and icy conditions at Buffalo's War Memorial Stadium, the Patriots were soundly beaten in the AFL Championship Game against the Chargers in San Diego, losing by a score of 51-10.
1964
Tony Conigliaro had a terrific debut season in 1964 but the Red Sox lost 90 games. Fenway Park's other regular, the Boston Patriots, fared better but lost to the Buffalo Bills in their final home game, which decided the AFL East title. In late September, Fenway Park also hosted presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, who addressed a throng of supporters.
Record: 72-90, 8th in American League
Manager: John M. Pesky (70-79), William J. Herman (2-0)
Attendance: 883,276
After an exciting Opening Day win in the Bronx, the Red Sox played their 1964 Fenway Park opener the next day, on April 17. The game served as a memorial to the recently-assassinated John F. Kennedy and was attended by his brothers Robert and Ted, and other members of the Kennedy family. Tom Yawkey donated the proceeds from the game to a fund for the JFK Library.
Opening Day was also the highly-anticipated debut of local phenom Tony Conigliaro, who hit the first pitch he saw onto Lansdowne Street for a home run.
Eddie Bressoud jumped out to a nice start with a 20-game hitting streak, the longest season-opening streak by a Red Sox batter. Conigliaro, meanwhile, belted 20 home runs by late July. Though Conigliaro spent more than a month on the disabled list after his forearm was fractured by a pitch, he finished the year with 24 home runs and a .290 average. Only Dick Stuart (33 HRs) and Felix Mantilla (30 HRs) had more home runs.
The winningest pitcher wasn't a starter (though Bill Monbouquette and Earl Wilson won 13 and 11 games, respectively); instead, Boston's leader in wins was Dick "The Monster" Radatz, who set a record for relief pitchers by striking out 181 batters in one season. He recorded 29 saves, posted a 16-9 record and an earned an All-Star selection.
The Red Sox started well but finished with a record of 72-90. The high-water mark was a June 10 win against the Yankees at Fenway Park that saw a game-winning home run by Dick Williams. Boston was two games over .500 at the time but by season's end had fallen off. Fenway Park drew a mere 306 fans on October 1, likely the smallest attendance ever at a Red Sox game. The next day, GM Pinky Higgins fired manager Johnny Pesky and all of his coaches.
On May 20, 1964, a legislative baseball game between two teams of local politicians took place at Fenway Park. Before "a roaring crowd of about 43," according to The Boston Globe, the team of Democrats wore Red Sox home uniforms and the team of Republicans sported Red Sox road uniforms. The GOP team was unable to prevent State Treasurer Bob Crane from stealing bases throughout the day and in the final inning, the Democrats capitalized on a two-run error by the Republicans to go ahead for good. The following month, the University of Maine's baseball team swept Northeastern University in an NCAA District One Playoffs. Maine, the winner of district, advanced to the College World Series in Omaha, NE.
1964 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park
May 20Massachusetts Democrats 8, Massachusetts Republicans 7
June 3University of Maine 9, Northeastern University 5 (NCAA Division One Playoffs)*
June 3University of Maine 4, Northeastern University 2 (NCAA Division One Playoffs)*
June 15Mayor's Charity Field Day: Northeastern vs. Boston College Baseball Game**
August 4William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Record All-Stars 3, American All-Stars 1
August 4William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: American All-Stars 4, Record All-Stars 2
August 6William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Record All-Stars 5, American All-Stars 5 (tie)
August 6William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Record All-Stars 5, American All-Stars 3
* Fenway Park was an occasional site for the NCAA District One Baseball Playoffs, which decided who went to the College World Series in Omaha, NE.
**For many years, the City of Boston regularly held a summertime Mayor's Charity Field Day. Many of these field days took place at Fenway Park, with a variety of sports, games, activities and other amusements for the crowds. In certain years, the Mayor's Charity Field Day even included an abbreviated baseball game at Fenway Park that was usually played between local teams.
The 1964 Boston Patriots finished with a 10-3-1 record, including a 4-2 mark at Fenway Park, but just missed going to the AFL Championship Game. Their title hopes ended in the final week of the regular season in a winner-take-all matchup against the Bills at Fenway Park. Buffalo clinched the Eastern Division behind the strong play of quarterback Jack Kemp, a future US congressman and Republican vice presidential nominee. Kemp wasn't the only GOP figure to appear at the ballpark in 1964. In September, presidential nominee Barry Goldwater spoke to over 20,000 assembled supporters at Fenway Park.
1964 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park
January 29Junior Goodwill Dinner*
June 15Mayor's Charity Field Day**
September 24Rally By Republican Presidential Candidate Barry Goldwater
October 9San Diego Chargers 26, Boston Patriots 17 (Football)
October 16Oakland Raiders 43, Boston Patriots 43 (Football)
October 23Boston Patriots 24, Kansas City Chiefs 7 (Football)
November 6Boston Patriots 25, Houston Oilers 24 (Football)
November 20Boston Patriots 12, Denver Broncos 7 (Football)
December 20Buffalo Bills 24, Boston Patriots 14 (Football)
*For several years, Fenway Park hosted a Junior Goodwill Dinner that brought hundreds of local high school students to the ballpark. The tradition was started by Red Sox legend Joe Cronin and the event typically took place in late January.
**For many years, the City of Boston regularly held a summertime Mayor's Charity Field Day. Many of these field days took place at Fenway Park, with a variety of sports, games, activities and other amusements for the crowds. In certain years, the Mayor's Charity Field Day even included an abbreviated baseball game at Fenway Park that was usually played between local teams.
September 24, 1964
Republican Presidential Hopeful Goldwater Attracts
20,000 To Fenway Park Rally
On September 24, 1964, Barry Goldwater, the Republican nominee for President of the United States, visited Fenway Park. Speaking to a crowd that Fenway officials estimated at 18,000 to 20,000 (the Goldwater camp believed to be 25,000 to 30,000), the Republican candidate decried those who preached disarmament as the best course towards peace for the nation. Preaching that only through strength could the United States keep world peace, Goldwater received cheers from inside the park, while lines of picketers from the Committee Against Political Extremism circled outside in protest to the candidate's stand on civil rights.
"Barry Goldwater came to Boston last night as a 'peacemonger' preaching the 'cold, hard, ugly, dirty fact of life' that only through strength could the United States keep the peace in the world.
"To his New England partisans gathered in Fenway Park - park officials said 18,000 to 20,000 of them, Goldwater people 25,000 to 30,000, with the truth somewhere in between - the Republican candidate for President lashed out at 'the strange, curious crew abroad in our land' calling for disarmament as a way to peace.
While Goldwater spoke to cheers inside the park, a nearly endless line of pickets from the Committee Against Political Extremism circled the park in silence, to protest the candidate's stand on civil rights.
Police reported no incidents, and the picket line gave way, quietly, as those bearing the $1 admission tickets to the rally made their way inside." (W.J. McCarthy, Boston Herald, September 23, 1964)
1965
The 1965 Boston Red Sox (Credit: Boston Red Sox)
Boston teams at Fenway Park did not fare too well in 1965. The Red Sox lost 100 games, their highest total in three decades, while the Boston Patriots won only once at the ballpark.
Record: 62-100, 9th in American League
Manager: William J. Herman
Attendance: 652,201
The 1965 Red Sox were led by former Cub Billy Herman and lost an even 100 games. They had one flash of preseason glory when they hit 10 home runs in an exhibition game on March 26 against the Indians in Nogales, Mexico.
Tony Conigliaro, who released his first single before the season, hit a league-leading 32 home runs in 1965. Three of those homers were hit during a July 27 doubleheader at Fenway Park.
Carl Yastrzemski was the only regular to hit over .300 and he hit for the cycle on May 14. Second baseman Felix "The Cat" Mantilla led the team with 92 RBIs. The pitching staff showed a glimpse of promise with a 23-year-old rookie, Jim Lonborg, although he ended up with a 9-17 record in his first year. Earl Wilson led the starters with 13 victories, while Bill Monbouquette and rookie Dave Morehead posted identical 10-18 records. The highlight of the year came on September 16, when Cleveland's Luis Tiant matched up with Morehead in front of 1,247 on a Thursday afternoon at Fenway Park. In his 2-0 win over Tiant, Morehead no-hit the Indians and finished the game by fielding a Vic Davalillo come-backer and tossing the ball to first for the final out.
The Red Sox led the league in slugging percentage but also set a new record for men left on base in a single season: 1,183. Boston finished in ninth place, a full 40 games behind the pennant-winning Minnesota Twins.
Though technically not a physical component of Fenway Park, the Citgo sign in Kenmore Square made its debut in 1965 and has remained a visible landmark for both the ballpark and the neighborhood ever since. The sign replaced the Cities Service sign, which had been in the location since 1940, when Cities Service started to market itself using the Citgo name and symbol in 1965. The double-sided sign was equipped with blinking red, white, and blue neon tubing and can be still be seen over the left-field wall today.
In 1965, the University of Connecticut battled Holy Cross at Fenway Park in the NCAA District One Playoffs. The teams split a doubleheader on June 3 before UConn took the rubber match the next day to advance to the College World Series.
1965 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park
June 3University of Connecticut 7, Holy Cross 4 (NCAA District One Playoffs)*
June 3Holy Cross 5, University of Connecticut 0 (NCAA District One Playoffs)*
June 4University of Connecticut 7, Holy Cross 0 (NCAA District One Playoffs)*
August 4William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Sunday Advertiser All-Stars 8, Record American All-Stars 2
August 4William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Sunday Advertiser All-Stars 12, Record American All-Stars 5
August 5William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Record American All-Stars 8, Sunday Advertiser All-Stars 6
August 5William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Record American All-Stars 4, Sunday Advertiser All-Stars 1
* Fenway Park was an occasional site for the NCAA District One Baseball Playoffs, which decided who went to the College World Series in Omaha, NE.
After two solid seasons at Fenway Park, the Boston Patriots slumped to a disappointing 4-8-2 record in 1965. Emblematic of this frustrating year, the Patriots didn't win at Fenway Park until their seventh and final home game against the Oilers on December 18.
1965 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park
January 27Junior Goodwill Dinner*
September 24Denver Broncos 27, Boston Patriots 10 (Football)
October 8Oakland Raiders 24, Boston Patriots 10 (Football)
October 17San Diego Chargers 13, Boston Patriots 13 (Football)
November 7Buffalo Bills 23, Boston Patriots 7 (Football)
November 14New York Jets 30, Boston Patriots 20 (Football)
November 21Kansas City Chiefs 10, Boston Patriots 10 (Football)
December 18Boston Patriots 42, Houston Oilers 14 (Football)
*For several years, Fenway Park hosted a Junior Goodwill Dinner that brought hundreds of local high school students to the ballpark. The tradition was started by Red Sox legend Joe Cronin and the event typically took place in late January.
1966
The 1966 Boston Red Sox (Credit: Boston Red Sox)
The Boston Patriots rebounded in 1966 but were bested by the Buffalo Bills at the wire, just as they had been two years earlier. The Red Sox improved their record by 10 games but still finished with 18 games below .500. Fenway Park also hosted college and minor league baseball in 1966 as well as the Junior Goodwill Dinner, which was started by Joe Cronin in 1952.
Record: 72-90, 9th in American League
Manager: William J. Herman (64-82), James E. (Pete) Runnels (8-8)
Attendance: 811,172
In 1966, the Red Sox finished in ninth place again, but for the first time since 1948, Boston finished ahead of the Yankees.
Opening Day at Fenway Park was a 13-inning affair against the eventual World Champion Orioles. Boston lost on a balk by Jim Lonborg in front of 12,386.
One of the highlights of the year came against the Yankees on June 4. In 1966, Boston had a Saturday midnight curfew and as the June 4 game reached the 16th inning, the clock neared midnight. At 11:53 PM, Jim Gosger drove a ball into the bullpen, securing a 6-3 Red Sox victory over the Yankees with seven minutes to spare.
Still only 21 years old, Tony Conigliaro led a youth parade and hit 28 home runs, his seasonal average for the first three years of his career. Other newcomers included 23-year old Joe Foy at third base and 22-year old George Scott at first. For the first time in their history, the Red Sox had several core African American players, including Reggie Smith, who was called up in September. Along with 23-year-old Rico Petrocelli at shortstop, Boston's lineup seemed to have a bright future.
On the mound, Jim Lonborg and Jose Santiago were the only hurlers with double digit win totals. With this lack of pitching depth, the losing continued and with 16 games left in the season, manager Biller Herman was relieved of his duties.
Northeastern University prevailed in the 1966 NCAA District One Playoffs at Fenway Park en route to an appearance in the College World Series. The Pittsfield Red Sox (Boston's Double-A minor league affiliate at the time) and the Pawtucket Indians (a Cleveland Indians affiliate) also played each other at Fenway Park in 1966. The game started at 4:30 PM on August 15 but was halted during the fifth inning with Pittsfield winning, 5-0. Two days later the game resumed in Pittsfield and resulted in a 10-2 victory by the Double-A Red Sox.
1966 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park
June 7Boston College 8, University of Massachusetts 5 (NCAA District One Playoffs)*
June 8Northeastern 5, Colby College 4 (NCAA District One Playoffs)*
June 9Northeastern 10, Boston College 2 (NCAA District One Playoffs)*
August 4William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Record American Stars 8, Sunday Advertiser Stars 1
August 6Boston Typos 5, Washington 0 (National Union Printers Championship)
August 15Pittsfield Red Sox vs. Pawtucket Indians Game Postponed in Fifth Inning
August 17William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Greater Boston Stars 5, New England Stars 2
* Fenway Park was an occasional site for the NCAA District One Baseball Playoffs, which decided who went to the College World Series in Omaha, NE.
In 1966, the Boston Patriots barely missed out on winning the Eastern Division title, which went to the Buffalo Bills again. Though they defeated the Bills in their last home game of the season, the Patriots lost the following week on the road to finish a half game behind their rival.
1966 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park
January 26Junior Goodwill Dinner*
September 25Kansas City Chiefs 43, Boston Patriots 24 (Football)
October 2New York Jets 24, Boston Patriots 24 (Football)
October 23Boston Patriots 35, San Diego Chargers 17 (Football)
October 30Boston Patriots 24, Oakland Raiders 21 (Football)
November 6Denver Broncos 17, Boston Patriots 10 (Football)
November 13Boston Patriots 27, Houston Oilers 21 (Football)
December 4Boston Patriots 14, Buffalo Bills 3 (Football)
*For several years, Fenway Park hosted a Junior Goodwill Dinner that brought hundreds of local high school students to the ballpark. The tradition was started by Red Sox legend Joe Cronin and the event typically took place in late January.
1967
The 1967 Boston Red Sox (Credit: Boston Red Sox)
For an entire generation of New England baseball fans, 1967 will always be remembered as the season when a plucky Red Sox team defied the odds and reinvigorated Fenway Park. On the final day of the regular season, the team clinched the American League pennant in climactic fashion at the ballpark.
Record: 92-70, 1st in American League
Manager: Richard H. Williams
Attendance: 1,727,832
Postseason: Played in World Series
New manager Dick Williams left no doubt about who would be running the 1967 Red Sox. Taking away Carl Yastrzemski's team captain status, Williams declared, "There will be no captains on this team." He then added the famous words, "We will win more than we lose."
The fans at Fenway Park didn't hold the same faith. On Opening Day in 1967, just 8,324 fans watched Jim Lonborg beat Chicago, 4-3.
During spring training, Tony Conigliaro's left shoulder blade was broken by a batting-practice pitch and just four days later, George Scott suffered a concussion when he crashed into the concrete outfield wall at the team's Winter Haven ballpark.
An early season victory by Billy Rohr, who held New York hitless through 8? innings in his big league debut at Yankee Stadium, was an early sign that this could be a special season.
Passion heated up in June when White Sox manager Eddie Stanky dubbed Yastrzemski an "All-Star from the neck down." A tense game at Fenway Park between Boston and Chicago ensued, with Tony Conigliaro hitting a two-run, walk-off home run in the 11th inning. All of a sudden an impossible dream seemed possible.
The future of Fenway Park was in doubt, however. On June 20, owner Tom Yawkey stated that Fenway Park was deteriorating and that Milwaukee had appealed to him to move the Red Sox there.
Even with these off-field concerns, the Red Sox won 10 consecutive games between July 14 and 23. During this stretch, Conigliaro became the youngest player in history to reach the 100-homer mark. When the Red Sox arrived home just one-half game out of first, some 10,000 fans mobbed the team at the airport.
These positive vibes were suddenly interrupted on August 18, when Tony Conigliaro was struck in the eye by a Jack Hamilton fastball, and when he dropped to the ground, many thought he may have been killed. Conigliaro was out for the rest of the season but his teammates rallied and swept the Angels that weekend.
The 1967 season was called the year of the "Great Race" with four teams in the hunt for the Al pennant, even down to the last weekend. Carl Yastremski was spectacular in those final games, collecting 10 hits in his last 13 at-bats and going 7-8 in the last two games. Chicago was eliminated first but Boston still needed to beat Minnesota and hope for a Detroit loss on the final day of the season. Jim Lonborg threw a gem, downing the Twins as thousands of delirious fans flooded the field, before the Red Sox learned of the Tigers' loss to the Angels.
Though the Red Sox lost to St. Louis in the World Series, the 1967 season was a critical one in Red Sox history. One can say that Red Sox Nation was born in 1967, as fans began to follow the team with renewed fervency. The Red Sox had suffered through eight straight losing seasons before Dick Williams made his bold statement. For turning around a team that had finished second-to-last the season before, Williams was voted Manager of the Year and Dick O'Connell was named Executive of the Year for constructing the magical 1967 roster.
Red Sox players were showered with awards as well. Jim Lonborg won the Cy Young Award with a 22-9 record but perhaps no player is more synonymous with the 1967 "Impossible Dream" team than Carl Yastrzemski, who won AL MVP honors and the Triple Crown, with a .326 batting average, 44 home runs and 121 RBIs.
The 1967 William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament doubleheader featured quite the statistical oddity: identical extra-inning results in both games.
1967 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park
August 9William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Records 4, Americans 2 (12 innings)
August 9William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Records 4, Americans 2 (12 innings)
The magic of the 1967 Red Sox didn't carry over onto the gridiron at Fenway Park, as the Patriots won just two of their six games at home, and just three their entire season. Earlier in the year, a pair of soccer games was also played at Fenway Park, including a May 5 benefit for the Jimmy Fund.
1967 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park
January 25Junior Goodwill Dinner*
May 5Atlanta Chiefs 3, Toronto Falcons 1 (National Professional Soccer League Benefit Game)
July 7Baltimore Bays 4, Chicago Spurs 1 (Soccer)
August 27American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps National Championships
September 5Mayor's Charity Field Day**
October 15Boston Patriots 41, Miami Dolphins 10 (Football)
October 22Oakland Raiders 48, Boston Patriots 14 (Football)
November 5Boston Patriots 18, Houston Oilers 7 (Football)
November 12Kansas City Chiefs 33, Boston Patriots 10 (Football)
November 19New York Jets 29, Boston Patriots 24 (Football)
December 9Buffalo Bills 44, Boston Patriots 16 (Football)
*For several years, Fenway Park hosted a Junior Goodwill Dinner that brought hundreds of local high school students to the ballpark. The tradition was started by Red Sox legend Joe Cronin and the event typically took place in late January.
**For many years, the City of Boston regularly held a summertime Mayor's Charity Field Day. Many of these field days took place at Fenway Park, with a variety of sports, games, activities and other amusements for the crowds. In certain years, the Mayor's Charity Field Day even included an abbreviated baseball game at Fenway Park that was usually played between local teams.
1968
The 1968 Boston Red Sox (Credit: Boston Red Sox)
Recapturing the magic of the previous season proved too difficult a task for the 1968 Red Sox, who won 86 games but dropped to fourth place. Off the diamond, Fenway Park had its busiest year in quite some time. Presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy addressed the ballpark crowd in July, the legendary Pelé appeared in one of several Fenway Park soccer games and the Boston Patriots played their final football season at the park.
Record: 86-76, 4th in American League
Manager: Richard H. Williams
Attendance: 1,940,788
After a 1967 Christmas Eve skiing accident, reigning Cy Young winner Jim Lonborg was unable to pitch until May 28, then went 6-10. Tony Conigliaro's vision still had not cleared from his 1967 beaning and he was forced to sit out the entire season.
Another tragedy occurred in February 1968, when former Boston manager and GM Pinky Higgins killed a roadside worker in Louisiana in a drunken driving accident.
The crowds came out at Fenway Park, though. On Opening Day, 32,849 came to watch as the AL pennant was raised. As early as 1903, the team had typically played morning/afternoon dual admission doubleheaders on Patriots Day, but beginning in 1968, the games were reduced to single games, typically starting at 11:05 in the morning. On this Friday morning, Boston beat Cleveland, 9-2, behind a home run from Rico Petrocelli and a complete-game effort from Gary Waslewski.
Ken Harrelson took up the slack in right field in Conigliaro's absence, hitting a team-leading 35 home runs and 109 RBIs. Carl Yastrzemski won his third batting title with a .301 average, and was the only qualifying player in the American League to hit over .300 in the so-called "Year of the Pitcher." The Red Sox staff was led by two new pick-ups, Ray Culp (16-6, 2.91 ERA) and Dick Ellsworth (16-7, 3.03 ERA).
The Red Sox ended the season in fourth place with a record of 86-76. Despite the disappointing finish and the loss of Tony C, more than 200,000 fans passed through the Fenway Park turnstiles than the year before.
The Records took the first game of the 1968 William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament doubleheader at Fenway Park, but fell to the Americans in the second game. Three days later, the Sunday Advertisers beat the Record Americans, 2-1.
1968 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park
July 22William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Records 12, Americans 2
July 22William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Americans 7, Records 2
July 25William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Sunday Advertisers 2, Record Americans 1
In 1968, Fenway Park was busy with non-baseball events. In the spring and summer, the Boston Beacons of the North American Soccer League played several home games at the ballpark and in the fall, the Boston Patriots played their final season at Fenway Park. The Beacons went 8-9 at home, including a notable match-up with Brazilian soccer legend Pelé and Santos FC on July 8, while the Patriots had a frustrating final season at Fenway Park, going 4-10 (2-5 at home). The Patriots moved on to play their home games at Boston College and Harvard Stadium the next two seasons before settling in Foxboro's Schaeffer Stadium in 1971.
On July 25, 1968, Democratic presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy addressed an enthusiastic Fenway Park crowd.
1968 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park
January 22Junior Goodwill Dinner*
April 23Boston Beacons 3, Detroit Cougars 0 (Soccer)
April 26Los Angeles Wolves 4, Boston Beacons 0 (Soccer)
May 10Atlanta Chiefs 1, Boston Beacons 0 (Soccer)
May 21Cleveland Stokers 4, Boston Beacons 1 (Soccer)
May 26New York Generals 1, Boston Beacons 1 (Soccer)
June 21Chicago Mustangs 6, Boston Beacons 5 (Soccer)
June 25Boston Beacons 3, Washington Whips 1 (Soccer)
July 8Santos FC 7, Boston Beacons 1 (Soccer)
July 12Boston Beacons 3, Vancouver Royals 2 (Soccer)
July 16Boston Beacons 1, Houston Stars 0 (Soccer)
July 23Toronto Falcons 2, Boston Beacons 2 (Soccer)
July 25Speech by Democratic Presidential Candidate Eugene McCarthy
July 26Boston Beacons 1, Baltimore Bays 1 (Soccer)
August 6Atlanta Chiefs 2, Boston Beacons 1 (Soccer)
August 9Boston Beacons 2, New York Generals 2 (Soccer)
August 20Boston Beacons 1, Dallas Tornadoes 1 (Soccer)
August 23Washington Whips 4, Boston Beacons 1 (Soccer)
September 8Boston Beacons 1, Baltimore Bays 0 (Soccer)
October 13Houston Oilers 16, Boston Patriots 0 (Football)
October 20Boston Patriots 23, Buffalo Bills 6 (Football)
November 3Denver Broncos 35, Boston Patriots 14 (Football)
November 10San Diego Chargers 27, Boston Patriots 17 (Football)
November 24Miami Dolphins 34, Boston Patriots 10 (Football)
December 1Boston Patriots 33, Cincinnati Bengals 14 (Football)
*For several years, Fenway Park hosted a Junior Goodwill Dinner that brought hundreds of local high school students to the ballpark. The tradition was started by Red Sox legend Joe Cronin and the event typically took place in late January.
July 8, 1968
Boston Beacons Fall To Pelé's Santos FC
On July 8, 1968, the great Pelé was greeted at Fenway Park with a bouquet of flowers, which he proceeded to distribute to the women among the crowd of 18,431 that had come to watch the star and his Santos teammates play the hometown Boston Beacons. Not only did Pelé score the winning goal in the 7-1 rout but he also dazzled fans as he helped set up every Santos score.
July 25, 1968
Democratic Presidential Candidate Eugene McCarthy
Holds Fenway Park Rally
The day after Eugene McCarthy spoke to a capacity Fenway Park crowd, the Boston Herald wrote that he "brought his impossible dream to the home of impossible dreams." Almost 36,000 packed the park and another 10,000 stood outside to listen to the Democratic candidate, who spoke from a platform staged over second base.
1969
The 1969 Boston Red Sox (Credit: Boston Red Sox)
Tony Conigliaro made an inspiring comeback in 1969 after missing nearly two years with facial injuries. However, the Red Sox finished in third place team and Dick Williams lost his job as manager. In July, Bruno Sammartino and Killer Kowalski headlined a wrestling carnival at the park, the first major wrestling event at Fenway Park since the 1930s.
Record: 87-75, 3rd in American League East
Manager: Richard H. Williams (87-17), Edward J. Popowski (5-4)
Attendance: 1,833,246
After missing the entire previous season, Tony Conigliaro made his first comeback in 1969. The Red Sox opened the season in Baltimore and Conigliaro hit a two-run home run to lead Boston to victory. The right fielder hit 20 home runs in 1969, allaying concerns of the Fenway faithful who wondered if he'd ever be able to play again.
With Conigliaro back in the fold, the team dealt Ken "Hawk" Harrelson to Cleveland in April and received pitcher Sonny Siebert in return. Siebert went 14-10, joining a staff led by Ray Culp (17-8) and rookie Mike Nagy (12-2).
A June doubleheader against the Yankees at Fenway Park epitomized the up and down nature of the season. In the first game, the Yankees scored three runs in the top of the 11th, but Boston came back with four runs to win it. In the second game, the Red Sox were one strike away from a sweep but New York's Roy White hit a go-ahead, three run triple, leading the Yankees to victory.
On August 18th against the Twins, two years to the day after he was beaned, Tony Conigliaro hit a three-run home run in the last of the eighth inning to tie the game, 6-6. The Red Sox won the game in the 10th.
In the newly arranged American League East Division, the Red Sox finished in third place with a record of 87-75 and Dick Williams was fired with nine games remaining in the season, just two years after being named Manager of the Year.
The Sunday Advertisers beat the Record Americans in a low-scoring Hearst tournament game on August 1, 1969.
1969 Non-Red Sox Baseball At Fenway Park
August 1William Randolph Hearst Sandlot Tournament: Sunday Advertisers 4, Record Americans 1
On June 28, 1969, wrestling returned to Fenway Park and a crowd of more than 12,000 cheered on Bruno Sammartino, Killer Kowalski and several other wrestlers as part of a wrestling carnival. In the main event, Bruno Sammartino defeated Killer Kowalski in the first major wrestling match at Fenway Park since the 1930s.
1969 Non-Baseball Events At Fenway Park
January 29Junior Goodwill Dinner*
June 28Wrestling Carnival
*For several years, Fenway Park hosted a Junior Goodwill Dinner that brought hundreds of local high school students to the ballpark. The tradition was started by Red Sox legend Joe Cronin and the event typically took place in late January.
June 28, 1969
Bruno Sammartino Defeats Killer Kowalski At Fenway Wrestling Carnival
Over 12,000 gathered to watch the first wrestling carnival held at Fenway Park since the days of Dan O'Mahoney and Gus Sonnenberg in the 1930s. With ringside tickets at $10, the infield was filled on a hot, steamy night as fans roared for such grapplers as George "The Animal" Steele, Victor Rivera, Slave Girl Moolah, Vivian Vachon and the Boucher sisters. The main event showcased Bruno Sammartino and Killer Kowalski and was contested both in the ring and on the surrounding infield dirt in the "no referee" bout.