Mini-Fenway Park
A place where dreams can play
Mini-Fenway will feature a regulation youth baseball and softball field with all of the present day features of the ballpark.
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Mini-Fenway Park Will Be a Baseball Learning Ground for Kids and Serve as a Year-
Round Destination for Families and Fans
By Beth Bryant
2005 Red Sox Magazine (revised 2007)
Thanks to the support of Red Sox legends and sales of the Fenway Park license plate, Mini-Fenway Park, a half-sized replica of Boston's fabled ballpark, will soon become a reality. Providing top-quality baseball, softball, and tee ball programs for children ages four to 17, Mini-Fenway will sit on 12 acres of the Blue Hills Reservation in Quincy, just south of Boston directly off Interstate 93 at Exit 8.
All youth baseball, softball and tee ball teams from leagues throughout New England will have the opportunity to play at Mini-Fenway Park and/or participate in its programs. A lottery system will be used to determine which regular-season games the park will accommodate. Mini-Fenway will also be available for league all-star and tournament play.
An Idea Several Years in the Making
The Mini-Fenway Park project was originally begun by former Red Sox third baseman Tim Naehring and the organization he founded called Athletes Reaching Out. Naehring had spearheaded the construction of a "Little Fenway" in Cincinnati, OH, his hometown, and wanted to do the same for Boston-area kids. However, when Naehring suffered a career-ending injury that forced him into early retirement, he returned to his Ohio home and the Little Fenway project was shelved.
Four years later, a group of people affiliated with the South Shore and Neponset Valley Community Foundation resurrected the project. Headed by Rick and Ron Iacobucci, Mini-Fenway Park, Inc., a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, was formed during the 100-year anniversary of the Boston Red Sox. Iacobucci states, "The organization's mission is to dedicate itself to providing outlets for kids to deepen their passion for baseball."
Broad Support from State and Baseball Community
Mini-Fenway Park is proud to have the support of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Boston Red Sox, and a Red Sox Hall of Famer who has become the park's champion - Luis Tiant. Tiant sits on the Mini-Fenway board of directors, which also includes National Baseball Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski; former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player and original Rockford Peach Mary Pratt; Chief Curator of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Ted Spencer and the daughter of Babe Ruth, Julia Ruth Stevens.
Tiant spoke before the Massachusetts State Legislature several times in the early years, helping to win approval of Mini-Fenway Park's 50-year land lease with the Commonwealth and the new Fenway Park license plate.
"I applaud Mini-Fenway's mission to promote youth development. I can't think of a better place than a Mini-Fenway Park to make the spirit of Fenway Park come alive for kids."
-- Carl Yastrzemski
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"Building Mini-Fenway Park is a very worthwhile project," says Tiant. "I want to see children in New England get the opportunity to learn and play baseball in a park that resembles the major leagues."
Major League Baseball and the Boston Red Sox also approved the Fenway Park license plate, which features graphic artist Thomas S. Duane's rendition of the 93-year-old ballpark. Proceeds from sales of the license plate will go toward the operation of Mini-Fenway Park and support its youth baseball, softball and tee ball programs.
Mini-Fenway Park is also relying on private funds in the form of naming rights, sponsorships and gifts from corporations, foundations and individuals.
Something for Baseball-Loving Kids of All Ages
Mini-Fenway Park will include unique details of Fenway, such as the Green Monster and Pesky's Pole, in addition to its regulation youth baseball and softball field. On top of giving children the opportunity to learn, practice and play ball in an exact replica of the Red Sox ballpark, Mini-Fenway will be a year-round destination for families and baseball fans, providing many attractions.
Mini-Fenway will house the Legends Museum, which will commemorate baseball legends such as Carl Yastrzemski and his career from Little League to Cooperstown. The Museum will feature both still and interactive exhibits, showcasing Yastrzemski's trophies, memorabilia and items from his private collection.
"I applaud Mini-Fenway's mission to promote youth development," says Yastrzemski. "I can't think of a better place than a Mini-Fenway Park to make the spirit of Fenway Park come alive for kids."
Mini-Fenway will also be home to the Diamond Theater, a baseball-shaped theater that will show classic baseball films, Red Sox away games, and baseball and softball lectures and clinics. As seen at the annual Major League All-Star Game, Mini-Fenway will feature the Major League Baseball Fan Fest Area - interactive stations offering batting, pitching and fielding opportunities for fans young and old who enjoy testing their baseball skills.
In the spirit of a true ballpark, Mini-Fenway Park will also offer a food court and concessions, along with a full-service sports-themed restaurant with function rooms. Lodging will be available for out-of-town families who seek a weekend of baseball-filled entertainment or have kids attending Mini-Fenway's Legends Camps.
Kids Perfect Their Baseball Skills Learning from the Greats
Iacobucci states, "One of Mini-Fenway Park's primary goals is to give children their own place to develop and hone their baseball and softball skills.
Each year during the summer months, Mini-Fenway will conduct its Legends Camps, baseball and softball day and overnight camps for boys and girls. The camps are weekly sessions that focus on improving batting, pitching, fielding, and base-running abilities, but also offer an educational component. Campers will be treated to guest lectures and instruction from Boston Red Sox legends such as Tiant and Yastrzemski, and former All-American Girls Professional Baseball stars such as Mary Pratt, who was immortalized in the film, "A League of Their Own."
Recently, Mini-Fenway Park successfully launched the pilot for its Legends Camp program, using recreation fields in the Blue Hills Reservation. Tiant and Pratt coached the boys and girls respectively, but also conducted a joint session in which they talked about how they started their baseball careers. Campers learned about proper hydration in a session called "Defeat the Heat," sponsored by Gatorade. They were also introduced to "Breaking Barriers," a Major League Baseball program started by Sharon Robinson, the daughter of Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball's color barrer in 1947 to become the first African-American to join the major leagues as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Mini-Fenway Park capped off its inaugural Legends Camp with a special evening at Fenway Park. The campers and their parents were invited to tour Fenway as part of Mini-Fenway's partnership with Curt and Shonda Schilling's SHADE Foundation. Mini-Fenway invited Mrs. Schilling to speak to the attendees about skin cancer prevention and detection and to distribute sunscreen and materials on sun safety.
A Full Season of Fund-Raising Ahead
Mini-Fenway Park has several fund-raising events in the works for this fall (2007). In October, the organization will once again host the El Tiante Celebrity Classic Golf Series. Boston-area golfers are invited to join in the fun and form a "Celebrity Foursome," which includes four golfers plus a celebrity golfer. Celebrities include Boston Red Sox legends, TV, radio and newspaper sports personalities, and professional athletes from Boston sports teams.
Mini-Fenway Park also plans to conduct the "Mini-Fenway Pricless Auction" online in advance of the El Tiante Celebrity Classic. Final bids will be accepted at the Golf Classic's dinner. The Auction will feature items not sold in stores, such as "experiences" (throwing out the first pitch or shouting "Play ball!" at a major or minor league game) and mementos from special games (a base or pitcher's rubber), to name a few. More information on the Celebrity Classic and the auction can be obtained by visiting redsox.com/minifenwaypark.
Mini-Fenway Park has mobilized a solid group of volunteers who are dedicated and eager to see the park come to fruition. Many have tirelessly devoted several years to move the project through legislative and bureaucratic processes.
"We have to respect the process involved in a public/private partnership, and although everyone would love to see this happen today, it takes time," states Iacobucci.
Milestones achieved thus far include: winning legislative approval to authorize the Mini-Fenway Team to build Mini-Fenway Park and have a special Fenway Park license plate, completing the environmental review, obtaining approval from the State Inspector General's Office, signing the long-term land lease with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, signing the licensing agreements with The Boston Red Sox and MLB, kicking off the Legends programs and launching fundraising efforts.
Iacobucci states, "Our subdivision plan was recently approved for the site and we will shortly begin the permitting process. We are hopeful that these final approvals will be in place quickly so that we can begin construction.
"I know that once we see Mini-Fenway Park completed in all its glory, it will be because we believed. It's been a challenging endeavor, but I'm confident that all our hard work will be worth the enjoyment Mini-Fenway will bring to kids and baseball fans of all ages."
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