to draw much larger crowds than their South End Grounds could accommodate. More than 22,000 fans watched each of the separate-admission holiday doubleheaders. Braves Field opened in 1915.
• In 1914, the Boston Lacrosse Club played the University of Toronto on June 1, immediately after the Red Sox played a game against the Washington Senators. It was noted that Red Sox President Joseph John Lannin, “an old lacrosse player himself,” approved the use of the field, with baseball fans allowed to stay after the game to watch the lacrosse match free of charge.
• Later in June 1914, Boston College held a “baseball carnival” at Fenway, with the BC baseball squad dropping an 8-0 decision to Holy Cross, after Boston College High School had beaten Rindge Technical, 2-1, in the first game. The games were featured as part of BC Commencement Week, and two bands entertained some 3,500 fans between games and between innings.
• In July 1914, Fenway Park was the scene of dancing, acrobatics, band and orchestra music, and a parade, all put on, according to the Globe story, “of the children, by the children and for the children.” The hope was that some 30,000 children in the Boston area would spend 10 cents each in order to attend, thus raising $3,000 to benefit children in Salem, Massachusetts, left destitute by a massive fire there on June 25. Boston vaudeville theaters and “moving picture houses” were expected to provide several acrobatic displays and other acts.
• On August 17, 1914, the Progressive political party held a Fenway Park outing at which former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was to speak. More than 10,000 tickets were sold for the event, and Boston Mayor James M. Curley was to attend. The outing included track events and a baseball game, but partway through the ball game in the late afternoon, rain forced the cancellation of the rest of the athletic program, and Roosevelt’s address was hastily moved to Boston Arena. About 4,000 people assembled for the address, which required “a great scurrying for trolley cars, taxis, and other means of conveyance from the baseball grounds to the arena,” where Roosevelt spoke for an hour.
• In November 1914, the Dartmouth College football team thumped Syracuse, 40-0, before some 13,000 fans, in what the Globe story called “a display of versatility in modern football which has never been surpassed by any eleven which the Boston public has had opportunity to see in action.” The Syracuse team had earlier in the season defeated football powers Michigan and Carlisle, but was no match for Dartmouth, which went on to outscore its remaining nine opponents for the season by 359-25.
• Just one week later, on November 29, 1914, a combination of local All-Star football players, most from Harvard, defeated the Carlisle Indians, 13-6, before a crowd of 5,000 in a game to benefit the Children’s Island Sanitarium. The game was called the last important game of the local season.
• In July 1915, it was “Natick Day” at Fenway Park, where the Red Sox played the Chicago White Sox, and the town of Natick, Massachusetts, feted one of its own—veteran American League umpire Tommy Connolly. Nearly 5,000 residents of Natick attended the game, which required “39 special electric cars to bring the greater part of the throng,” along with autos and railroad trains. Practically all business in Natick was suspended for the afternoon, and umpire Connolly was honored in a pregame ceremony. A Natick representative “told umpire Connolly what a great umpire he is and how beloved he is by his fellow citizens,” and Connolly was presented with a silver loving cup.
• In November 1915, Everett High defeated Waltham High, 6-0, before 12,000 fans at Fenway in “one of the very best played school football games ever seen in Greater Boston,” thus winning the right to play Central High School of Detroit for the national scholastic football
• In 1914, the Boston Lacrosse Club played the University of Toronto on June 1, immediately after the Red Sox played a game against the Washington Senators. It was noted that Red Sox President Joseph John Lannin, “an old lacrosse player himself,” approved the use of the field, with baseball fans allowed to stay after the game to watch the lacrosse match free of charge.
• Later in June 1914, Boston College held a “baseball carnival” at Fenway, with the BC baseball squad dropping an 8-0 decision to Holy Cross, after Boston College High School had beaten Rindge Technical, 2-1, in the first game. The games were featured as part of BC Commencement Week, and two bands entertained some 3,500 fans between games and between innings.
• In July 1914, Fenway Park was the scene of dancing, acrobatics, band and orchestra music, and a parade, all put on, according to the Globe story, “of the children, by the children and for the children.” The hope was that some 30,000 children in the Boston area would spend 10 cents each in order to attend, thus raising $3,000 to benefit children in Salem, Massachusetts, left destitute by a massive fire there on June 25. Boston vaudeville theaters and “moving picture houses” were expected to provide several acrobatic displays and other acts.
• On August 17, 1914, the Progressive political party held a Fenway Park outing at which former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was to speak. More than 10,000 tickets were sold for the event, and Boston Mayor James M. Curley was to attend. The outing included track events and a baseball game, but partway through the ball game in the late afternoon, rain forced the cancellation of the rest of the athletic program, and Roosevelt’s address was hastily moved to Boston Arena. About 4,000 people assembled for the address, which required “a great scurrying for trolley cars, taxis, and other means of conveyance from the baseball grounds to the arena,” where Roosevelt spoke for an hour.
• In November 1914, the Dartmouth College football team thumped Syracuse, 40-0, before some 13,000 fans, in what the Globe story called “a display of versatility in modern football which has never been surpassed by any eleven which the Boston public has had opportunity to see in action.” The Syracuse team had earlier in the season defeated football powers Michigan and Carlisle, but was no match for Dartmouth, which went on to outscore its remaining nine opponents for the season by 359-25.
• Just one week later, on November 29, 1914, a combination of local All-Star football players, most from Harvard, defeated the Carlisle Indians, 13-6, before a crowd of 5,000 in a game to benefit the Children’s Island Sanitarium. The game was called the last important game of the local season.
• In July 1915, it was “Natick Day” at Fenway Park, where the Red Sox played the Chicago White Sox, and the town of Natick, Massachusetts, feted one of its own—veteran American League umpire Tommy Connolly. Nearly 5,000 residents of Natick attended the game, which required “39 special electric cars to bring the greater part of the throng,” along with autos and railroad trains. Practically all business in Natick was suspended for the afternoon, and umpire Connolly was honored in a pregame ceremony. A Natick representative “told umpire Connolly what a great umpire he is and how beloved he is by his fellow citizens,” and Connolly was presented with a silver loving cup.
• In November 1915, Everett High defeated Waltham High, 6-0, before 12,000 fans at Fenway in “one of the very best played school football games ever seen in Greater Boston,” thus winning the right to play Central High School of Detroit for the national scholastic football
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