Page 168 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Boston

166  TR A VELERS ’ NEEDS

Spectator Sports

Bostonians watch sporting events with a passion that is
unmatched in most other U.S. cities. Boston has had a
team in every major professional league for many years,
and some of popular sports’ greatest athletes have played
for home teams. Moreover, such widely known annual
competitions as the Boston Marathon and the Head of
the Charles Regatta draw amazingly large and enthusiastic
crowds, as do the metropolitan area’s many college
teams, which have long traditions and avid fans.

Baseball trophy in 2008. Banners hang Zdeno Chára of the Boston Bruins on the
No matter whether they win or above their home court, the ice at TD Garden
lose, the Boston Red Sox have modern 19,000-seat TD Garden Ice Hockey
an emotional following, especially arena, paying testament to this
when the New York Yankees come record. Even when not playing to Six Stanley Cup wins make the
to town. The Red Sox’s beloved their full potential, the Celtics Boston Bruins one of the most
Fenway Park stadium is the oldest draw big crowds, hoping to see successful teams in National
in the country, and is famous for the team rekin dle past glories. Hockey League (NHL) history,
its enormous 37-ft (11-m) left-field Tickets are usually available for although their form has been
wall known as the “Green Monster.” most games, although they can changeable. The hockey season
The small seating capacity, be pricey – good seats cost at runs from September to April,
however, means that tickets can least $50. The season runs from with the hard-charging “B’s”
be difficult to obtain for the bigger October to April. playing in the NHL’s Eastern
games. Tickets are sold at the gate Conference. End-of-season
on the day of the American Football playoff games are often sold
game and are also out well in advance, but for
avail able from the The home football team, the other games, tickets are usually
Fenway Park New England Patriots, once available for between $10 and
hotline. The dominated the sport, and won $175. Games are played at
“Bosox” are in the the game’s biggest prize in TD Garden.
Eastern Division 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2014.
of the American They play against their National
League, one of the Football League (NFL) opponents Other Sports
country’s two in Gillette Stadium, about an Boston’s major-league
major pro- hour’s drive southwest of professional soccer team, the
fessional downtown Boston. Most NFL New England Revolution, plays
leagues. games are played during the all of its home games at Gillette
Red Sox hitter The fall on Sundays, or sometimes Stadium after the New England
David Ortiz baseball on Monday evenings to attract Patriots have finished their
season runs a national television audience. season. The soccer season runs
from early April to the end of Tickets sell out a long way in from March through to October,
September, with championship advance, so the chances of and the game is slowly gaining
games in October. In 2004, picking one up are remote. more widespread support, due
Boston ended a long drought to
win the World Series in dramatic,
come-from-behind fashion, and
they won again in 2007 and 2013.

Basketball
One of the sport’s marquee
teams, the Boston Celtics have
been the most successful of all
of Boston’s major-league sports
teams. They were the domi nant
team during the 1960s and 80s,
winning 16 National Basketball
Association (NBA) champion ships
before accom plishing a 17th Horses leaving the gates at Suffolk Downs racetrack

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