“An old man passed me on the street today
I thought I knew him but I couldn’t say
I stopped to think if I could place his frame
When he tipped his hat I knew his name
Hello old friend
(Hello old friend)
It’s really good to see you once again
Hello old friend
(Hello old friend)
Really good to see you once again”
- Eric Clapton (1976)
If you follow me on Facebook, you may have noticed that after my 50-year high school reunion I’ve been taking some of my former classmates out to lunch. Some of my lunch guests I remember well, others I really don’t know at all other than the fact that we share the bond of graduating from Northeast High School 50 years ago. This week was a special meet-up for me, as I traveled to Boston to chat with Ed Kane, whom I hadn’t seen since we graduated from Northeast High School 50 years ago. We had a lot of catching up to do, talking about our lives over the past 5 decades. It’s always interesting to compare notes about our life journeys. To be honest, I don’t know why I still remember Ed after all this time. We weren’t really friends outside of school and he didn’t live in my neighborhood, but we both went to Fox Chase Elementary School, Wilson Junior High, and Northeast High School. I’m guessing we had more than a few classes together over the years. I was excited that he accepted my invitation, especially since he was unable to attend our 50-year reunion a few weeks ago.
Ed is a huge Boston Red Sox fan. In an unexpected surprise, since I was treating him to a meal, he offered to treat me to a Boston Red Sox game at the iconic Fenway Park. Seeing a game at Fenway was always on my bucket list. Built in 1912, it is the oldest active ballpark in Major League Baseball. Because of its age and constrained location in Boston’s dense Fenway–Kenmore neighborhood, the park has many quirky features, including “The Triangle”, Pesky’s Pole, and the Green Monster in left field. Fenway has hosted the World Series 11 times. In 2012, the park was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The ballpark is considered to be one of the most well-known sports venues in the world and a symbol of Boston.
We watched batting practice from the top of the “Green Monster” in left field, ate at the private Fenway Park Royal Rooters club restaurant, and then watched a fantastic game, with the home team crushing the Seattle Mariners, 14-7. I loved the old-time feel of the stadium, the unique playing field, the traditional “Sweet Caroline” sing-along, and the friendly crowd. Well, except for the brawl that broke out right in front of us at the end of the game between some kids who had a bit too much to drink and some older guys who objected to them. Ed told me that was extremely rare there, and I’m from Philadelphia, so it didn’t bother me much. There were lots of balls hit off the giant “Green Monster” in left field, and it was always fun to see how the left fielder played the ball off the wall. When they played it right, a batter could hit a shot that would be a home run anywhere else but still be held to a single. I also got a kick out of seeing the guy bring out a ladder between innings to update the score board by hand- we’re talking old-school scoreboard! As much as I love the antics of our “Philly Fanatic” mascot, it was special to go to a ballpark and see pure baseball without all the “bells and whistles” that I have been used to in Philadelphia. The crowd would spontaneously burst into chants without having the scoreboard or a mascot encouraging them. A truly fun night!
I mainly went to Boston to meet Ed and take in a ballgame, but as soon as I arrived, I had to check out the nearby Cheers bar. Founded in 1969 as the Bull & Finch Pub, the bar is best remembered internationally as the exterior of the bar seen in the NBC sitcom Cheers, which ran between 1982 and 1993. The Bull & Finch changed its name to Cheers in 2002 after closing a deal with NBC. A popular tourist spot, the place was packed. They have plenty of “Cheers” memorabilia, and it was fun to have a beer at the replica bar that I saw so much on TV. I almost expected to see “Norm” to walk in at any moment.
I also had a little time the next morning before catching my return train, so I visited “View Boston” at the Prudential Center, a 360 degree observation deck on the 52nd floor of the Prudential Tower, offering breathtaking views from high above the heart of Boston. It was the perfect morning for sitting on the open-air deck looking over the city and taking it all in before heading home.
I personally had a bit of a rough week, and this was the perfect remedy- a great little getaway. Hello, old friend. It was really good to see you once again!
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