|
|
| Home > City Guide - Boston - Sport | ||
|
||
|
Sport Bostonians love to be active as much as they enjoy watching their sporting heroes. Even the impact of history in Boston extends to sport, particularly to its home baseball team the Red Sox (tel: (617) 267 1700; website: www.redsox.com). In 1903, the city hosted the first World Series and won. They last won in 1918, the year ‘Babe’ Ruth was sold to the New York Yankees. They have made it to the World Series five times since and lost on every occasion. Their stadium, Fenway Park, was built in 1912 and is the country’s oldest active ballpark, although plans are well underway for a new park. The season is April-October, after which the play-offs for the World Series continue for several weeks. Standing room only tickets for sold-out games usually go on sale an hour and a half before the game. Tickets cost US$10-60. The Boston Celtics, (tel: (617) 523 3030; website: www.nba.com/celtics), based at the Fleet Center, 150 Causeway (tel: (617) 624 1000), is the city’s contribution to the National Basketball Association. Tickets cost US$10-95 and the season is October-April. The last time they won the NBA Championship was 1986. During the same time, the Boston Bruins (website: www.bostonbruins.com) battle it out in the national ice hockey league, also at the Fleet Center. They last won the Stanley Cup in 1972. There are play-offs through into June and tickets cost US$25-85. The New England Patriots (tel: (800) 543 1776; website: www.patriots.com) are in the National Football League, playing at the Gillette Stadium (tel: (508) 384 4378; website: www.gillettestadium.com), just to the south of the city. The season is August-January and ticket prices range from US$49 up to US$1200. In 2002, they were the Super Bowl champions. Also based at Gillette Stadium is the New England Revolution soccer team (tel: (877) 438 7387; website: www.nerevolution.com). The season is March-September and the team has an unwritten agreement to appear after any game for autograph signing. Perhaps the biggest combined doing and spectating event in the city is the now world-famous Boston Marathon (website: www.bostonmarathon.org). It takes place on Patriot’s Day, along a route from Hopkinton to Boston, with the 12,000 runners aiming to reach the finish at Copley Square. The Union Boat Club (tel: (617) 742 1520) on the Charles River was the first rowing club in the USA. Rowing’s subsequent popularity has led to the biggest event in the country, the Head of the Charles Regatta, with around 5000 men and women competing from colleges drawn from all over the world. The Charles River is also the site of the popular designated cycling route, the 29km (18-mile) Dr Paul Dudley White Bikeway. Another route is the Minuteman Bicycle Trail following 18km (11 miles) of former railway line from Cambridge’s Alewife Station. Ticketmaster (tel: (617) 931 2222; website: www.ticketmaster.com) sells tickets for all major sporting events. Boating: Watersports are very popular from April-October. America’s oldest public boating set-up is Community Boating, 21 David Mugar Way (tel: (617) 523 1038; website: www.community-boating.org). They offer the full range of watercraft for hire, including sailboats, kayaks and windsurfers with instruction available. Another good place is the Charles River Canoe and Kayak Center, 2401 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton (tel: (617) 965 5110; fax: (617) 965 7696; website: www.ski-paddle.com). Fishing: Lakes in spots such as Jamaica Pond and the Stoney Brook Reservation offer freshwater fishing. The Boston Park Rangers (tel: (617) 635 7383; website: www.cityofboston.gov/parks/parkrangers) can provide information. Fitness centres: Most hotels have facilities for both residents and non-residents. The Greater Boston YMCA, 316 Huntington Avenue (tel: (617) 536 7800; website: www.ymcaboston.org) has a good range of facilities. Boston Athletic Club, 653 Summer Street (tel: (617) 269 4300; website: www.bostonathleticclub.com), allows its facilities to be used by Downtown hotel residents on presentation of a room key. Boston Fitness For Women, 27 School Street (tel: (617) 523 3098), is a secluded female-only environment. Golf: There are around 20 different courses in the Boston area. The best contact is the Massachusetts Golf Association (tel: (800) 356 2201 or (744) 430 9100; website: www.mgalinks.org), which has details on courses throughout the state. One example is the Newton Commonwealth Golf Course, an 18-hole municipal course in Newton, 212 Kenrick Street (tel: (617) 630 1950; website: www.newtongolf.com). Green fees vary according to the time of day and begin at US$25. Ice-skating: Naturally frozen waters are popular ice-skating venues, such as Boston Common’s Frog Pond and Boston Public Garden’s Lagoon. Obviously, it is necessary to enquire on the day according to the weather conditions. The Metropolitan District Commission (MDC; tel: (617) 727 5114; website: www.state.ma.us/mdc) also run some public skating rinks. Skiing: Just 16km (ten miles) south of the city is the Blue Hills Ski Area (tel: (781) 828 5070; fax: (781) 828 5071; website: www.thenewbluehills.com). There are full resort facilities and the area also has a full range of year-round nature and leisure activities. Swimming: There are at least 16 public pools run by the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC; tel: (617) 727 5114; website: www.state.ma.us/mdc) throughout the Boston area. The outdoor season is late June to early September. The Boston Athletic Club and the YMCA (see Fitness centres above) also offer facilities. Tennis: The Metropolitan District Commission (MDC; tel: (617) 727 5114; website: www.state.ma.us/mdc) run at least 25 free public courts throughout the area. |
||
